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Forum Index : Microcontroller and PC projects : PIC32MZ-based ’mite
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kiiid Guru  Joined: 11/05/2013 Location: United KingdomPosts: 671 |
Hi guys, I am just drilling for some thoughts here. Thanks to some help I got from Microchip a while ago, I was able to complete the preliminary design of two new DTX modules, compatible with the Maximite, but based on the new 32MZ family. I am ready to manufacture those right now, but wanted to see would there be any interest in them and if so, which one to go with first (sorry, not enough funds to do everything at once). One is with more I/O ports, the other one with external FRAM. They are completely backwards pin-compatible with the existing 4105 module and the same development board as now, can be used to emulate a full Maximite. There will be some mods in the MMBasic needed, but that's the easy part of it. So, what do you think? http://rittle.org -------------- |
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| MOBI Guru Joined: 02/12/2012 Location: AustraliaPosts: 819 |
I had a brief browse of the www and uChip but can't locate any data on the 32MZ. Do you know of a link to it? What's the difference between 32MX and MZ? David M. |
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| kiiid Guru Joined: 11/05/2013 Location: United KingdomPosts: 671 |
David, Yes, I've had the full preliminary technical details of the new 32MZ for some time already. Unfortunately I am not allowed to release any detailed information as per my agreement with Microchip, but only to use it for early development of my hardware products as I am in a special program of theirs. That, until they officially release the chips, which is a few months from now in the best case. Sorry... In a few words, the difference is that the new ones are much better in almost everything, but not pin-compatible with the old PIC32s. The best part of all - they consume much less power, which is great for embedded applications (mostly what I am interested in). Kon http://rittle.org -------------- |
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| MOBI Guru Joined: 02/12/2012 Location: AustraliaPosts: 819 |
Thanks Kon, that explains why I couldn't find them on the net, only references. I'll just have to wait with bad (I mean bated) breath. If it was baited, it would be bad? David M. |
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MicroBlocks Guru Joined: 12/05/2012 Location: ThailandPosts: 2209 |
I like to wait for the next batch as the first batches of complicated chips always seem to have some little mistakes. For pcb layout that is not really a concern of course because i have never ever seen changes in the physical layout in a products live. I really wish for a PIC32 that is small, like less then 40 pins and offer speed and 1Mb of ram. A few serial,I2C,SPI is what i used most in combination with just a few IO. The Ethernet, PMP, and a lots and lots of IO that is in the chips now when you need lots of RAM is all good and usefull, but not always necessary. Microchip has many variations of chips, only that one seems to be missing. Programs that use lots of memory does not always need lots of IO. Microblocks. Build with logic. |
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panky Guru Joined: 02/10/2012 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1101 |
Kon, Very interesting - the lower power should fit well with your modular approach. It seems to me that moving the video of the main chip would be a great advantage eg. Using a 24 chip as a video co-processor. This would free up ram and improve performance. With respect to a couple of other posts of yours, thanks for the explanation on your MMB variations - would it be possible to make MMB autosensing of the hardware and thus utilise whatever hardware enhancements are available? As to OSHW, my feeling is that you should be entitled to recoup your costs in development so were it me, I might publish the cct but retain the pcb layout. Regards, Doug. ... almost all of the Maximites, the MicromMites, the MM Extremes, the ArmMites, the PicoMite and loving it! |
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| kiiid Guru Joined: 11/05/2013 Location: United KingdomPosts: 671 |
Doug, It all depends on the exact application. As you are saying an additional video "processor" (let's call it that) would be a great improvement in some cases, but in others it will make virtually no difference. As you have already noticed my focus is more towards the embedded area in its practical side, and less towards celebrating the old times with a cute 8-bit-like computer on the desk. That's why for example I did not adopt the colour version produced by Geoff more recently, but the monochrome one although it was older. From an embedded application's point of view, memory is a more important resource than the colour video. Auto-sensing the connected hardware is something that I have already thought about, but eventually decided not to pursue for now. It will add great complications in the software while not producing any significant outcome. Unlike the desktop computers, embedded systems rarely change in their hardware configuration on the run and the developer is aware of what is in the system from the very beginning. But I have other things in mind as additions to the MMBasic... Regards, Kon http://rittle.org -------------- |
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Juri74 Senior Member  Joined: 06/02/2012 Location: ItalyPosts: 162 |
hello Kon, talking about memory.. could be possible to add external sram as program memory, or variable memory? i looked at your project with interest, and especially how is growing fast.. do you have plan in future to directly drive an lcd screen? like theese 128x64 dot matrix lcd screens, having a screen buffer of 128x64 will leave a lot of memory for program, and could be possible to build a "pocket maximite"... Juri |
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| MicroBlocks Guru Joined: 12/05/2012 Location: ThailandPosts: 2209 |
Many small lcd screens are driven with SPI or other easy connections, so it would be trivial to connect one. Programming them is more difficult. However there are many samples available in the Arduino sphere. High resolution lcd's are better driven with parallel data for speed. A Pocket maximite could be build with one of the mikromedia for pic32.MikroMedia for PIC32 It is however a pity for me why they did not choose a 795 series that has 128Kb instead of 32Kb memory. I guess battery live. The schematics is on the page to have an idea what is needed to connect a display like that. The PMP peripheral is made for it but in the Maximite it is not available. Microblocks. Build with logic. |
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| kiiid Guru Joined: 11/05/2013 Location: United KingdomPosts: 671 |
I mentioned that in the first post - I have two future models, one with more I/O and the other one with a large external FRAM. But I am still not sure which one would be better to release first. And no one here has given me a hint yet about that as well :) Controlling an LCD display is purely a software matter. My plans include libraries for many hardware devices (including direct control of some TFT panel), but this is a long work and the results will appear gradually with the time. And before doing some experiments first, I can't even say would it be possible. A pocket maximite... It is possible to build one right now with the module, but only if you manage to find a small LCD screen with direct VGA input. I haven't heard of such, but won't be surprised if one exists. http://rittle.org -------------- |
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| Dylan Regular Member  Joined: 17/06/2013 Location: NetherlandsPosts: 81 |
Hello all, and TZA that interests me too! http://www.microchip.com/pagehandler/en-us/press-release/mic rochip-expands-family-of-lo.html No USB hosts on those chips, though, which is what interests me. |
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| MicroBlocks Guru Joined: 12/05/2012 Location: ThailandPosts: 2209 |
Hallo Dylan, Welkom bij de backshed, door een Nederlander in Thailand. The PIC32MX2 have USB OTG, unfortunately 32KB is the maximum amount of RAM. PIC32MX250F128B The smallest with USB Host from Microchip would be the PIC16F1455 Microblocks. Build with logic. |
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BobDevries Senior Member Joined: 08/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 266 |
Hey, TZ... greets from a Nederlander in Australia. I've been here over 52 years now; I was just 7 when I arrived. Regards, Bob Devries Dalby, QLD, Australia |
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| kiiid Guru Joined: 11/05/2013 Location: United KingdomPosts: 671 |
Before the current module, I released another one based on PIC32MX250: http://dimitech.com/?wpsc-product=dtx1-4000l-mirtoo-processi ng-module Unfortunately 32K of RAM appears little to many users and on top of that I couldn't finish my built-in BASIC for it... http://rittle.org -------------- |
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