TheBackShed.com

Forum Index : Microcontroller and PC projects : RIP DuinoMite Firmware

Author

Message

DuinoMiteMegaAn
Senior Member

Joined: 17/11/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 231

Posted: 03:02pm 06 Jun 2012

Copy link to clipboard

Print this post

At least Geoff G. provides an alternative firmware for my hardware or it would have been a total waste of money.

Like I said before "software quality control is very lacking with open source"

vasi

Guru

Joined: 23/03/2007
Location: Romania
Posts: 1697

Posted: 04:53pm 06 Jun 2012

Copy link to clipboard

Print this post

It is still a great board. How about using mikroBasic for PIC32 with it?

As for developers, I would suggest to try to adapt (this time, in house) PIC32Lua to it and go from there.
What it needs to lua is an I2C driver and a VGA. That's all. Is much faster and is worth the effort.

Hobbit name: Togo Toadfoot of Frogmorton
Elvish name: Mablung Miriel
Beyound Arduino Lang

Gizmo

Admin Group

Joined: 05/06/2004
Location: Australia
Posts: 5078

Posted: 05:06pm 06 Jun 2012

Copy link to clipboard

Print this post

Yes I agree, the DuinoMites are still a great board. Just because the firmware development has stalled doesn't mean you cant use the existing firmware. I've got one in a windmill controller and it works perfectly fine.

Glenn

The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago, the second best time is right now.
JAQ

djuqa

Guru

Joined: 23/11/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 447

Posted: 06:37pm 06 Jun 2012

Copy link to clipboard

Print this post

The stagnation of the development project was always a possibility.
Hardware expertise does not imply automatically bring software excellence.

It was apparent from early on the DM Basic project team members needed extra help with software engineering, than was available to deliver a RELIABLE and CONSISTENT end product.

The DMBASIC firmware project is NOT dead, just on Life support. If DM owners want to continue the development, then it can be done, but a more disciplimed approach is needed.
Engineered design principles applied.
Bench-testing done BEFORE Compilation.
Debugging DONE before Release.
Real BETA testing done and Bug reports gathered.

You have some of the best hardware/software available currently in the Maximite/Duinomite family .

MMBasic 3.x Rocks, but lacks some of the great design features that DMBASIC PROMISED but didn't deliver.

Lets make DMBasic at least as good as MMbasic 3.x

Failing that, Embrace all that is good about MMBasic 3.x

Edited by djuqa 2012-06-08

VK4MU MicroController Units

JohnS
Guru

Joined: 18/11/2011
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 3801

Posted: 09:37pm 06 Jun 2012

Copy link to clipboard

Print this post

mikroBasic appears to be closed source and non-free so no thanks

The idea of redoing all Geoff's changes strikes me as "not gonna happen".

Best to live with DM as it is or move to a language not closed off, such as C. The hardware is good.

John

Bugs2
Newbie

Joined: 18/05/2012
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 29

Posted: 05:02am 07 Jun 2012

Copy link to clipboard

Print this post

Thanks to the help given by VK4tec on this forum, even I was able to reprogramme a DM Mini with the latest version of MMBasic within a few minutes. Although it only supports some of the interface pins, you still end up with a very useful system at a low price.

vasi

Guru

Joined: 23/03/2007
Location: Romania
Posts: 1697

Posted: 09:46am 07 Jun 2012

Copy link to clipboard

Print this post

JohnS said mikroBasic appears to be closed source and non-free so no thanks

The idea of redoing all Geoff's changes strikes me as "not gonna happen".

Best to live with DM as it is or move to a language not closed off, such as C. The hardware is good.

John

John, I addressed this to a Basic user. mikroBasic is great, easy to learn and your applications are lighting fast compared to an interpreter. It allows you to use all pins and peripherals and in time, you will not need an interpreter anymore.
Yes, it cost you money, but you pay only once and benefit of all upgrades for free, until the end of your life. All your projects can be open source (if you dare).

Hobbit name: Togo Toadfoot of Frogmorton
Elvish name: Mablung Miriel
Beyound Arduino Lang

vasi

Guru

Joined: 23/03/2007
Location: Romania
Posts: 1697

Posted: 09:55am 07 Jun 2012

Copy link to clipboard

Print this post

I have one question. I know Ken was working on Gameduino interfacing. If that is working ok, then Duinomite is not a dead project (having a color screen at full speed is great). Have Ken released the sources or, a .hex file?

I think that this move will be much in the favor of the middle board (can't remember right now the name) form the Duinomite series. This way DMBasic 2.7 can be viable as it is.Edited by vasi 2012-06-08

Hobbit name: Togo Toadfoot of Frogmorton
Elvish name: Mablung Miriel
Beyound Arduino Lang

donmck

Guru

Joined: 09/06/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 1313

Posted: 10:15am 07 Jun 2012

Copy link to clipboard

Print this post

vasi said I have one question. I know Ken was working on Gameduino interfacing. If that is working ok, then Duinomite is not a dead project (having a color screen at full speed is great). Have Ken released the sources or, a .hex file?

I think that this move will be much in the favor of the middle board (can't remember right now the name) form the Duinomite series. This way DMBasic 2.7 can be viable as it is.

Olimex named their Gamediuno board "MOD-VGA", and I should have some next week.

http://www.duinomite.com/duinomite-mod-vga-gameduino-based-d esign-is-complete/

Connection is via either the Arduino shield footprint, or the Olimex UEXT connector.

I know the software was being worked on, but I don't know if it was fully completed.
It will require a response from possibly Ken on this one, for the full story.

BTW
The Arduino version has been fully tested on the Arduino platform, and this is how I will be selling it initially.

Don...Edited by donmck 2012-06-08

https://www.dontronics.com

donmck

Guru

Joined: 09/06/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 1313

Posted: 12:13pm 15 Jun 2012

Copy link to clipboard

Print this post

BTW

The MOD-VGA boards mentioned in the previous messages are now available:
http://www.dontronics-shop.com/mod-vga-32mb.html

Don...

https://www.dontronics.com

TheReelDill
Newbie

Joined: 02/07/2012
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 2

Posted: 10:14pm 02 Jul 2012

Copy link to clipboard

Print this post

Has anyone tested DM on the new eMega?

I downloaded the hex file from github and it did not work at all!
OK after compiling the source code though.

Is anyone adding Ethernet functionality to the firmware? Looks like I need to use the DM basic hack and port in the Microchip Ethernet Stack. Not a small job I think!

Chris..

DuinoMiteMegaAn
Senior Member

Joined: 17/11/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 231

Posted: 02:03am 03 Jul 2012

Copy link to clipboard

Print this post

Looks like I need to use the DM basic hack and port in the Microchip Ethernet Stack. Not a small job I think!

That's an extreme understatement.

Having a PIC32 Basic Controller with an Ethernet interface serving up web pages
would be a game changer in microcontroller boards. The Basic "SolderCore" board, that
uses an ARM Cortex processor, has it but is not enabled.

I would like to add, that the users that bought Raspberry PI and BeagleBone are
having the same issues. They opened up their hardware and say "what can I do
with my hardware now?" Unless they are proficient, skilled programmers the ansnwer
is nothing! They would have to wait until their other "open source users" provide the
basic operating code and routines for your hardware. You see, the hardware manufacturers say "we provide the hardware and weasel out on the software by claiming "open source" but when you have an Ethernet interface, the basic routines should already be there and thoroughly tested.

When you open up a MaxiMite box you are READY TO GO. I pay tribute to the great Geoff Graham. If the MaxiMite had an Ethernet interface then it would also be ready to go - Kudos to Geoff Graham!

Summary
"Open Source" software does not provide quality controlled software.

Research both the hardware and software BEFORE you make your purchase!

Hardware manufacturers only want to sell their hardware "upfront" and provide very little support for software that is needed for their hardware.

Edited by DuinoMiteMegaAn 2012-07-04

TheReelDill
Newbie

Joined: 02/07/2012
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 2

Posted: 06:35am 03 Jul 2012

Copy link to clipboard

Print this post

DuinoMiteMegaAn said Summary
"Open Source" software does not provide quality controlled software.

Research both the hardware and software BEFORE you make your purchase!

Thanks for a detailed reply DuinoMiteMegaAn. I had not looked at the SolderCore product until now.

I am new to arduinos, shields and the like and was not even aware of the Maximite until I purchased the Duinomite

I have now read up on the history of both and taken a first pass look at the 'Basic' source code and it appears structurally well written, although over patched.

Anyhow, I am lucky that I have C and general MC programming experience and highly competent people around me. So adding an Ethernet stack will not be impossible, (sacrifice graphics??) but time is money so to speak and the whole point of sourcing a SBC with built in interpretor was to allow me to speed up product development cycles.

Open Source? - There are pro's and con's as you point out. Strangely, cost is not a major factor here, but quality and flexibility are! Maybe Geoff Graham and Olimex could come to a 'commercial arrangement' that would be mutually beneficial and the project goes 360. Wishful thinking I guess.

DuinoMiteMegaAn
Senior Member

Joined: 17/11/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 231

Posted: 07:39am 03 Jul 2012

Copy link to clipboard

Print this post

If you are looking for Ethernet with a built-in embedded server that attaches to the
MaxiMite/Duinomite look no further. I just published, a project topic on a MaximMite/DM embedded web servers.

http://www.thebackshed.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=4885&PN =1&TPN=3

Edited by DuinoMiteMegaAn 2012-07-04

Print this page

To reply to this topic, you need to log in.