J1708 Bus synchronisation

[JSB]

Has anyone ever tried synchronising to the J1708 bus using a hcs12 device? Any sample code to help me with bus synchronisation would help.

thanks

[jrsimma]

J1708 isn't a simple interface.  Simma Software, Inc. sells a J1708 device driver that does what you need.

http://www.simmasoftware.com/j1708.html

[JimDon]

Jr,
I think that your suggestion, in most cases in the best idea from a business perspective.

Developers don't usually ever see the true cost and fail to realize how much it can lower the over coast to buy certain components.

However I wish you would add a price. It is ok to qualify the price with possible modification charges and so forth, but it is much easier to sell something like this to our managers if we have at least a ballpark price.

[jrsimma]

Jim:

Thanks for the response and suggestion.

I don't mind supplying a price, but I would prefer to continue this discussion over e-mail or the phone.  Please send me an e-mail or give me a call on Monday.  You can find my contact info at the above mentioned website.

Thanks,

JR

[JimDon]

Jr,
I am not currently in the market for this type of product, I am just stating that it would be a benefit if you gave the developer a ballpark to work with. I realize there can be many factors that can affect a price, and as I said you can hedge the given price with many qualifiers, but managers want to know - under 1000? 5000? 10000?. 100000? At the same time you could and should given estimated coding/debug time so managers can make an informed decision.

I will tell you right now, I have had my employers purchase 5 figure packages. They did it with out batting an eye because they knew that we needed the technology and that the cost of development was way more that the initial coding, and that the true cost is in maintenance (i.e. bug fixing). Not to mention the cost of lost customers while you get it all working.

I do know this, 2500 would be a bargain, and even 5000 would be a good deal. I'll bet it is less that this. Even if it is more figure this:
Take what you make per week, multiply by at least 1.25 to 1.5 (true cost of you to your company) and divide that into the cost. Can you honestly say you will have a mature J1780 driver in that many weeks? Mean while, the rest of the project is not being worked on, so consider that cost as well.

I am a very experienced developer, but I can't be expert  in all the many technologies that come to play in a project these days. Maybe J1708 seems to be not that hard, but the real problem is in testing. Presumably you will be talking to a wide variety of devices, and others may have interpreted the spec  slightly different that you did. Even  if the device has been "certified" it still  may not work with your code. Trust me, you will spend many long hard hours trying to figure out what the **** Ford did on model xyz.It sounds like JR has already done that, and can deliver that hard won experience at a fraction of the cost. (I don't know JR and have no connection with him, for all I know he could be full of it, but he sounds on the up and up - check his references for yourself, and let the business guy negotiate the contract).

If you think this will put out of a job, the truth is quite the opposite. There is still the application to do, and this is just one small aspect. If you want put your self out of a job, spend the next month(s), year(s) getting this code 100% right. No, it will make you the hero. If the product gets to market sooner and better, your company will make more money. This has to be good for your job.

But, since I can't even seem to convince others to use Processor Expert, I doubt that this advice will be taken to heart, so don't hold your breath JR :smileyhappy:.


 

[jrsimma]

Jim:

You're very insightful.  I just had a conversation with a potential customer a few weeks back.  They were trying to do their own J1708 interface and were 3 months behind schedule and had something that was completely broken.  The project got so bad they flew in 4 engineers to try and help, but couldn't.  Needless to say, their end customer wasn't happy and they were over budget.  I'm sure several people at that company now have a tarnished reputation. 

Nice job.  You seem to get the big picture.

Thanks,

JR