quick questions for FEP

[bronc.v2]

Ok, 3 quick questions.

1) What are the pin outs for your IC? Are they the same as a DM4/5?

I noticed you used a PIC16F chip, but it didn't look like the same model as the DM uses. I can program PICS and have all the crap for it and wanted to give it a try.

2) Any chance of getting a custom color Quest? I noticed in a few pics you guys have some custom ones.

Tell Neil he owes me one and to kick down :P

3) Are you guys worried about Dye coming after you guys over the Spool valve like how they are going after SP over the Shocker/Ion?

I'd hate to see another new company get mowed out of existance by one of the big boys.

Thanks!

[papaintballer15]

how can dye sue when the bolt design is patented... :P

When the popularity sky rockets even more, and everyone and their aunt has one... and then SP and dye go.. "oh crap we suck, our spool valves are such failures" and then they may try something but i doubt theyll get anywhere. :)

[aceofspades05]

how can dye sue when the bolt design is patented... :P

When the popularity sky rockets even more, and everyone and their aunt has one... and then SP and dye go.. "oh crap we suck, our spool valves are such failures" and then they may try something but i doubt theyll get anywhere. :)
exactly, excelent point

but my shocker is still a beast... :tup:

[bronc.v2]

I just saw that Dye was sueing SP over their use of a spool valve like design in the Shocker. I don't know how board their patent goes, since the Shocker obviously isn't the same as a DM. But I guess if they got a patent on their type of valve they are hopefully protected. :tup:

Anyone know about the answer about the chip?

I've got a few extra laying around, but without one of these guns yet there isn't much I can do. :P

[aceofspades05]

I just saw that Dye was sueing SP over their use of a spool valve like design in the Shocker. I don't know how board their patent goes, since the Shocker obviously isn't the same as a DM. But I guess if they got a patent on their type of valve they are hopefully protected. :tup:

Anyone know about the answer about the chip?

I've got a few extra laying around, but without one of these guns yet there isn't much I can do. :P
a couple people claim to have done it already but i dont have a dm chip so i cant try it yet, i asked neil, waiting for a responce... got any extras your willing to part with for a small price? pm me if so i'd like to try it

[paintballmonkey069]

dye sueing sp is a bunch of bull over a whole lot of bull..... but GO QUEST

[bronc.v2]

The PIC16F chips that the DMs use I get directly from Microchip. They are only like $1 each.

I'm about to order a few for my VLocity, since I've been doing a lot of hacking on it lately, and I could order a few more if I knew the kind of chip the Quest takes.

You still would need the IDE and libraries to be able to code a program for the chips, and then you need an eprom programmer that can program the chips to. I ordered my set up from Microchip a while back. I just use the Pic Start Plus set up. It was like under $200 for everything you need, plus they give you a few free chips to play with.

http://www.microchip.com is the web site for the company who makes the PIC16 (14 pin) chips.

[bronc.v2]

Well thanks to some pictures in the photo thread (thx aceofspades05!), I was able to see the chip in the Quests board. It's a PIC16F88 chip. DM3/4/5 guns use a PIC16F628A.

I looked at the datasheets on Microchips web site and it turns out that the pin outs on the chips are the same. The voltage is also the same to the chip.

From that, it looks like they MAY be interchangable.

The only thing that might mess things up is the programming on the chips. The DM3/4/5 chips support a reset on brown out condition, which basically tells you when your batteries are low, and it also supports different clocking speeds. The Quest chip doesn't have a brown out condition and supports a few set clock speeds rather then a range.

I can see chips they are programming to work speficically with the features of the DM3/4/5 chip not working correctly with the board in the Quest because the electronics are set up to work with the specific features of each chip (like I said with the clocking speed and brown out reset). The clocking isn't that much of a big deal, since all paintguns I know about are just clocked at with a 4Mhz crystal or set to that with a R/C pair. (I know WAS has a new universal board coming out with is faster, but it's not out yet.) I am wondering if the brown out reset conditions will work and if it will cause a problem in the Quest if a WAS or Tadao chip is put in, which I think have that logic in it.

Anyone put a new chip in yet? Anyone know?

Thanks!

PS. Ordered my Quest last night! Woo!

[Punation]

You go Bronc,I hate guy's who are smarter than I -- JK ;) I left you a message on your cell:tup: