Hello
To start I would like you all to know that I haven’t done any designing for almost 30 years, so I am almost a newbie and hope you will understand if I seem ignorant. I am trying to make a special counter for a workout machine, this is just a circuit to count reps and sets that I do, so I don’t have to count mentally and forget where I am at. I have been searching for a while now and can’t seem to find what I need, so I need your help please.
I have a cable multi-station that can do this, but I would like to also be able to have it on my other cable machine that is not digital.
The way it should work…
Before I would begin I would enter the number of reps and the number of sets required for a routine. Ex. 3 sets of 15 reps
Then when I would pull on the cable and start to release 1 rep would be done and the reps display would go down 1 to 14 and so on till I got to 0, where a tone would sound saying I had finished 1 set, where I would rest. The display would then indicate
Ex. 2 sets of 15 reps
And so on till sets were 0 and reps also 0
I would like to recreate this if possible, but I have not been able to remember how or find anything on the net that can get me started, so I call upon you for help.
Maybe someone knows of an IC that may have theses characteristics, or an idea of one that may help me.
The following or the characteristics of this unit and a pic of the console …

• When entering the first rep it also adds 1 to the sets and vice versa.
• The adjustment can only go down to 1, not 0, only the input pulse (weight movement sensor) can make the reps or sets count down to zero.
• When the reps counter hits zero it returns to the number it started at when the input pulse (weight movement sensor) began, unless the sets counter is at zero then it remains at zero.
• Sounds
• 1 beep for sets and reps going up or down
• 5 beeps when a set is completed
• 1 buzzer when trying to lower the sets or reps below 1
• Sleep mode, this is asking a lot I know, this console shuts off automatically when not used after 5 mins.

There it is, I know this is a lot and I hope someone out there can help in finding an IC chip or something that may do what I need, or at least think of this as a challenge, at the very least point me in the right direction, thanks in advance for any help you can give me.

 

Very doable if you have knowledge and experience working with and programming MCUs (microcontrollers).
If you don't then find someone who can do it for you or guide you along the way.

It can also be done with counter chips but the MCU solution would required fewer components.

 

Very easy to do with a Pic micro or Arduino.

 

Do you have any programming experience?

 

Very doable if you have knowledge and experience working with and programming MCUs (microcontrollers).
If you don't then find someone who can do it for you or guide you along the way.

It can also be done with counter chips but the MCU solution would required fewer components.

I was thinking about the counter chips but know there would be quite a few, I don't have any experience with programming MCU's, but I guess that I could find someone maybe, or try to learn myself, will take a lot of work, will have to think about that, thank you for your response, appreciate it.

 

Do you have any programming experience?

Unfortunately I don't...I sure wish I did though, I will look around the net and see what I can learn and if I am able too, maybe teach an old dog a new trick.

 

Very easy to do with a Pic micro or Arduino.

I will look around for info on both and see what I can do and if I can do it, thank you very much.

 

You might consider Visuino. It has a free version where some of the components
are not allowed to be used. Lots of videos. Its graphical programming, and you can
look at Arduino code it produces to get a feel for C like code, for learning C at a later
time.

https://www.visuino.com/


Regards, Dana.

 

Using discrete components I would likely look towards using a 74192 PRESETTABLE BCD/DECADE UP/DOWN COUNTER. You can find dozens of circuits using them online. You would use it as a down counter and it would down one count for each trigger.

My choice would be to use a uC (micro-controller) and write some code. There is PICAXE and Arduino to name a few. The Arduino is very easily interfaced to a LCD type display. Nice part is low parts count and relatively easy to get together and program with hundreds of online examples and tutorials.

Ron

 

You might consider Visuino. It has a free version where some of the components
are not allowed to be used. Lots of videos. Its graphical programming, and you can
look at Arduino code it produces to get a feel for C like code, for learning C at a later
time.

https://www.visuino.com/


Regards, Dana.

Thanks for your response Dana and the link, which looks very interesting, I will go through it, I have been looking over Arduino as Dodgydave pointed me to. I will look more at this site and it's possibilities, much appreciated.

 

Using discrete components I would likely look towards using a 74192 PRESETTABLE BCD/DECADE UP/DOWN COUNTER. You can find dozens of circuits using them online. You would use it as a down counter and it would down one count for each trigger.

My choice would be to use a uC (micro-controller) and write some code. There is PICAXE and Arduino to name a few. The Arduino is very easily interfaced to a LCD type display. Nice part is low parts count and relatively easy to get together and program with hundreds of online examples and tutorials.

Ron

Thank you for your response Reloadron, I had actually looked at the 74192, I am pushing towards something like that, but since everyone is talking about Arduino and similar methods of programming I am interested. I believe I may work with both and see what may work best for me, I will be taking a look at PICAXE also, I appreciate your input and if any more, please add.

 

Thanks for your response Dana and the link, which looks very interesting, I will go through it, I have been looking over Arduino as Dodgydave pointed me to. I will look more at this site and it's possibilities, much appreciated.

On homepage a number of videos at bottom.


Regards, Dana.

 

Hello
To start I would like you all to know that I haven’t done any designing for almost 30 years, so I am almost a newbie and hope you will understand if I seem ignorant. I am trying to make a special counter for a workout machine, this is just a circuit to count reps and sets that I do, so I don’t have to count mentally and forget where I am at. I have been searching for a while now and can’t seem to find what I need, so I need your help please.
I have a cable multi-station that can do this, but I would like to also be able to have it on my other cable machine that is not digital.
The way it should work…
Before I would begin I would enter the number of reps and the number of sets required for a routine. Ex. 3 sets of 15 reps
Then when I would pull on the cable and start to release 1 rep would be done and the reps display would go down 1 to 14 and so on till I got to 0, where a tone would sound saying I had finished 1 set, where I would rest. The display would then indicate
Ex. 2 sets of 15 reps
And so on till sets were 0 and reps also 0
I would like to recreate this if possible, but I have not been able to remember how or find anything on the net that can get me started, so I call upon you for help.
Maybe someone knows of an IC that may have theses characteristics, or an idea of one that may help me.
The following or the characteristics of this unit and a pic of the console …

• When entering the first rep it also adds 1 to the sets and vice versa.
• The adjustment can only go down to 1, not 0, only the input pulse (weight movement sensor) can make the reps or sets count down to zero.
• When the reps counter hits zero it returns to the number it started at when the input pulse (weight movement sensor) began, unless the sets counter is at zero then it remains at zero.
• Sounds
• 1 beep for sets and reps going up or down
• 5 beeps when a set is completed
• 1 buzzer when trying to lower the sets or reps below 1
• Sleep mode, this is asking a lot I know, this console shuts off automatically when not used after 5 mins.

There it is, I know this is a lot and I hope someone out there can help in finding an IC chip or something that may do what I need, or at least think of this as a challenge, at the very least point me in the right direction, thanks in advance for any help you can give me.

do you have any experience of coding?

 

do you have any experience of coding?

See post #6.

 

I had actually looked at the 74192, I am pushing towards something like that, but since everyone is talking about Arduino

Have you been able to make any progress? I'd go the Arduino or similar route because the solution will be more compact and you'll have much more flexibility.