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Forum Index : Microcontroller and PC projects : Running MMBASIC on RP2040
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jwettroth Regular Member  Joined: 02/08/2011 Location: United StatesPosts: 86 |
Amazon sells these little RP2040 boards for about $2 ($20 for ten). USB C connector, boot and reset buttons and about an inch square. I bought a few to play and use them with Arduino IDE but plan to use the real SDK. Has anyone experimented with MMBasic on them? I have a lot of little tasks in my lab where one of these running basic could be awesome. It would be really cool if I could just plug in, use the USB console with editor etc and then set them to autorun. A replacement for the old Picaxe! Is there any reason that MMBasic won't run on one, I'm going to give it a shot but wanted to share, know others experience and any gotchas.  Thanks. Footnote added 2026-05-03 12:04 by jwettroth The title of this post was was originally reffering RPi Pico "Zero" Mini boards- I guess this was a trademark or unwanted word. It kind of loses it meaning with just the RPi Pico 2040.... John Wettroth |
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| JohnS Guru  Joined: 18/11/2011 Location: United KingdomPosts: 4309 |
Like this? John |
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| jwettroth Regular Member Joined: 02/08/2011 Location: United StatesPosts: 86 |
Very cool, I tried it and it just works! Quite cool, amazing. I have a little example app that run a WS2812 that takes console input for RGB levels. I ran into one oddity. After it runs, the terminal screen goes black (using Teraterm). This might just be terminal settings? When I run editor, it fixes it and I get color highlighted source code. Are there any oddities you've noted? I don't know why I never thought to do this before. John Wettroth |
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| Volhout Guru Joined: 05/03/2018 Location: NetherlandsPosts: 5865 |
Mmbasic runs fine on RP2040 zero. I have several in measuremen instrumenta, and Mick uses one as fish tank controller. Volhout PicomiteVGA PETSCII ROBOTS |
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Mixtel90 Guru Joined: 05/10/2019 Location: United KingdomPosts: 8799 |
One of my favourite little modules. :) Just remember that you have to treat it as a standard Pico though. You get the added bonus of GP29. Unfortunately the castellated connections are wasted unless you cut a hole or notch in the PCB. Mick Zilog Inside! nascom.info for Nascom & Gemini Preliminary MMBasic docs & my PCB designs |
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| lizby Guru Joined: 17/05/2016 Location: United StatesPosts: 3746 |
Ditto, but I'd go for the Aliexpress RP2350 version, though: RP2350-Zero (Maybe it's also an option on your site.) At $3.16USD, costs a bit more, but well worth it in my opinion. I have made a PCB for it: Rp2350-Zero PCB ~ Edited 2026-05-03 02:22 by lizby PicoMite, Armmite F4, SensorKits, MMBasic Hardware, Games, etc. on FOTS |
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| Mixtel90 Guru Joined: 05/10/2019 Location: United KingdomPosts: 8799 |
I would now, but I didn't have that choice at the time. :) Exactly the same problem with the castellated connections though. Still, you can't have everything. :) I did a design using the RP2040-Zero for a game controller some time ago, cutting a notch out of the board and having the USB-C connector accessible at the back. Mick Zilog Inside! nascom.info for Nascom & Gemini Preliminary MMBasic docs & my PCB designs |
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| jwettroth Regular Member Joined: 02/08/2011 Location: United StatesPosts: 86 |
I'll also probably end up making my own with RP2350. I need the low power features of the 2350. With the RP2040, I'm power gating the whole board externally. Debating whether to remove the 3.3v regulator- experimenting. I'm using a Diodes Inc AP7361EA in front of it for the low power shutdown that does some other shutdown. Bound to become a favorite. Mick- what did you mean in your response above that you have to treat it as a regular RPi Pico? Do you mean, you can't run exotic firmware variants? Lizby- your board looks very useable. Nice job. Thanks all. Edited 2026-05-03 10:19 by jwettroth John Wettroth |
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| Mixtel90 Guru Joined: 05/10/2019 Location: United KingdomPosts: 8799 |
A standard Pico uses the RP2040. The Pico 2 uses the RP2350. You can only run the RP2040 versions of MMBasic on the RP2040-Zero. I would still say that's reasonably exotic for such a cheap little module though. :) As Lizby points out, there is also a RP2350-Zero which looks almost identical. That will obviously run the RP2350 versions of MMBasic, but not the HDMI versions. Both of these modules, along with most cheap clones, use linear regulators - not the switchers that are on the Pico modules. This makes them even less attractive for battery powered systems unless you use an external switcher to power them at 3V3. Note that the Zero boards don't have the facility to disable the on-board linear regulator. I have powered them at 3V3 though by leaving the 5V pin disconnected. Also, they don't have a diode from VUSB to the 5V pin so the USB input supply can't be isolated from your circuit. That can make things awkward sometimes. Mick Zilog Inside! nascom.info for Nascom & Gemini Preliminary MMBasic docs & my PCB designs |
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