And the winner is...
Hi folks. The contest is closed.
Although the best answer is “All of the Above”, the winner with the closest guess is Gil (az_gila) for his analysis… “programable anything-to-anything converter”. Gregg (fly3g) “a PIC microcontroller tapping into the datastream doing the read/parse function so us experimenters/tinkerers can program/drive something off the EFIS output data” wins the application prize.
That’s definitely one of the applications, especially when coupled with the AXIS-25A wiring hub. The PROTON-225A will plug right into the hub, which provides power and a bunch of uncommitted signals. Other wires into the hub can be serial ports from EFIS systems, Comms, Nav systems, EMS and so on.
Almost all of the other guesses were correct, as well.
The PROTON-225A is a general purpose prototyping board, so can support many different uses. It has both a male and a female DB-25 Connector, with pins 13 and 25 used as power and ground, respectively. These two pins are wired together on both of the connectors. All others are uncommitted.
There is a general purpose prototyping area occupying the bulk of the board. There are 3 power buses down the middle (pin 13, pin 25 and regulated power). A few of the pins are prewired so that a 20-pin PIC microcontroller can be added, along with a programming port and oscillator/resonator circuit.
There are two positions for transistors of any type and one position for a potentiometer.
Finally, there is a prewired regulator (nominally 5V using a 78L05 regulator, but can be any 78LXX device).
One of the best features is that the whole shebang fits inside a standard plastic case. You’ll recognize this as a common feature of many Vx Aviation products.
The purpose for Vx Aviation offering this device is that we’ve had several customers ask for specialized widgets, modified for their purposes. Rather than us spending R&D resources on low-volume applications, we’re offering the PROTON-225A and the AXIS-25A wiring hub so that all kinds of specialized circuits can be custom built by electronics savvy people.
The PROTON-225A will be supplied as a blank board, a pair of connectors and the case. Depending on demand, we may also supply the regulator components and one connector soldered in place. Otherwise, everything will be solder-it-yourself to keep the costs low.
By the way, Mike Starkey is disqualified for thinking outside the box, so to speak. Initiative and innovation is discouraged until further notice.
Note to Gil and Glenn: please send me personal messages with your mailing addresses.
Vern
The PROTON-225A:
A Wiring Hub to Support it, the AXIS-25A