Overview:

A tear down and attempt to interface the Bushnell pinseeker 1500 laser rangefinder with a computer / microcontroller is documented. Unsuccessful so far, but some progress has been made.

• Another Bushnell pinseeker 1500 rangefinder tear down
• UT380B Rangefinder with serial interface
• Laser tape measure hacking attempt

Matlab code to scan ASCII strings and log responses: rangefinder-data-scanner

Rangefinder (1/31/2014):

Used rangefinder

Rangefinder (1/31/2014):

Used rangefinder

Rangefinder (1/31/2014):

Used rangefinder

Rangefinder (1/31/2014):

Rangefinder (1/31/2014):

Rubber cover is removed and 2 top screws holding ranging assembly are removed

Rangefinder (1/31/2014):

Rubber cover is removed and 2 bottom screws holding ranging assembly are removed

Rangefinder (1/31/2014):

Rubber front cap is pulled off. Laser transmitter and viewfinder is left lens, receiver is the right lens.

The potting compound around he edge is cut with a screw driver.

Rangefinder (1/31/2014):

The front cover is removed after removing 4 front screws

Rangefinder (1/31/2014):

Eyepiece cup removed (not required)

Rangefinder (1/31/2014):

Inspection hole is milled into the case.

Rangefinder (1/31/2014):

Inspection hole for viewfinder. Unfortunately there is no way to remove the viewfinder, the plastic case is ultrasonically welded and must be cut off.

Rangefinder (1/31/2014):

Cutting off the case.

Rangefinder (1/31/2014):

Case removed

Rangefinder (1/31/2014):

Main board

Chips are ASICs manufactured by LaserTech. They are proprietary ad no data is available.

Rangefinder (1/31/2014):

Main board

TEC-1VM

L.T.I. 2004

ELITE CPU REV-1

Rangefinder (1/31/2014):

ASIC #1: handles LCD control and interfaces to the serial port.

LASERTECH-PNS2

5AN9G-6GE1

Rangefinder (1/31/2014):

ASIC #2: interfaces with high speed ADC (above the ASIC). The ADC is a TI TLC5540

LASERTECH

PN:4305000

11775-501

Rangefinder (1/31/2014):

There is a 1mm pitch 8 pin FFC cable connector labeled "com" that provides interfacing with all the buttons and serial port on the rangefinder.

Com port pinout is:

• 1: Mode(active low)
• 2: Power OK (5v when on)
• 3: Battery + connection
• 4: Ground
• 5: Serial RX
• 6: Range/power(active high)
• 7: Serial TX
• 8: Ground

The serial port is natively 0-5V logic levels, but will work with a sparkfun 3.3v USB to serial converter. The port runs at 9600bps.

Rangefinder (1/31/2014):

All strings must be prefixed with $ and end with CR. The serial port DTR line is connected to the power button, and the CTS is connected to the "power OK" line

All responses are either $ERR,13 or $ERR,14

I wrote a Matlab program rangefinder-data-scanner to scan through all permutations of ASCII strings and log the results. All strings over 2 characters after the $ return $ERR,14, as does the entry of random gibberish, so $ERR,14 probably means invalid command.

Rangefinder (2/7/2014):

FFC cable adapter added

Proto-advantage FPC100P010

Rangefinder (2/2/2014):

Video of the output beam.

Rangefinder (1/31/2014):

Rangefinder (1/31/2014):

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Copyright © 1998 - 2005 by Andrew Seltzman. All rights reserved.