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Forum Index : Microcontroller and PC projects : CGColorMax2 Programming PICS
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| spjoruss Newbie  Joined: 01/02/2014 Location: United StatesPosts: 22 |
Hello, I have no experience with Microcontrollers and have only superficially explored programming of any kind. Mostly just tweaking code in a program someone else coded to adjust it to my need. I am interested in programming but of all the kinds I have ever tried I found all of the exercises very boring. After all my research I seem to always come back to the idea of learning Basic as a programming language. But even with that idea for what purpose would I use it? I became interested in weather instruments and bought a cheap Fine Offset type weather station but found that it was not really sufficient. Unable to buy a more professional station I started exploring the idea of learning to build my own. That is where I started a couple months ago researching Microcontrollers and associated sensors that could be read with them. It all became very confusing as to what type to use or learn about. Arduino, Picaxe, BasicStamp, PICS, Atom, and a host of others I read about. Also the associated mini computers that interacted with them. I explored Basic programming tools for Microcontrollers that seemed to be most recommended but found them in my opinion too expensive for a hobby. I recently found out about the Color Maximite and then the CGColorMax2 that is pre-assembled. It appears to me that this is what I need to learn Basic programming with the end result of building a weather station and/or monitor other sensors or home automation type things. While researching about the CGColormax2 I then found this forum. I looked through the manual for the CGColorMax2 and it seems like it would do what I want to do. But I am not totally sure. Can the CGColorMax2 be used to program a MicroChip PIC to work with 1-Wire sensors? If so does it need additional boards or addons (programmers) to do this? I also read the thread about the MicroMite that Geoff Graham is developing. Is this something that would take the place of a PIC to do what I want to do? If so would it interface with or be programmed by the CGColormax2? If I buy the CGColormax2 do I need any of the other connectors that are sold for it? Thanks, Sperry |
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Grogster Admin Group  Joined: 31/12/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9308 |
Hello, and welcome to the forum. 
I am sure that CG will chime in with any specifics of what are needed for his board, but I have a couple of them, and they are really great - plop it down, plug it in, and it's ready for action. The colour MM, Black-and-white MM, and variations of same can all work with SPI, I2C, Serial, and 1-wire protocols natively. It's all built into the MMBasic language - no need to add a chip as a go between, just hook your 1-wire device directly to the MM and you're away laughing. As for the MM chip in the other thread, there was discussion and a mention by Geoff that perhaps the 1-wire might be dropped from the MM chip, as the other interfaces like SPI, I2C and Serial are more widely used, but as far as I know, as of now, the MM chip also will have 1-wire support when it is officially released. Again, hook up your 1-wire device to the chip, and that's all the interfacing you need, generally speaking. 
Naturally, depending on your specific needs, you may need other bits too. For the MM chip, you will need the HEX file, A PICKit-3 programmer and the X development suite from Microchip(which is free) to program blank PIC chips with the MM firmware, but once the MM chip is oficially released, many people(including CG) will be offering these pre-programmed and ready to rock-n-roll. Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops! |
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| Grogster Admin Group Joined: 31/12/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9308 |
A little more information for you based on your post: BasicSTAMP I thought was an interesting idea at the time, but they were way too expensive, so I never really played with them. PICAXE were the next great thing, and they had great prices and ability. Arduino are also a good option, but I just never got involved in those, due to the others, so no really too sure of them. ...see above...
No. Not if you use the built in features for interfacing etc. Depending on what you need to do and your specific 1-wire module, additional things may be needed. Any standard 1-wire sensors should be able to be accessed directly from within the MM program, and connected directly to the MM I/O pins.
Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops! |
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| Grogster Admin Group Joined: 31/12/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9308 |
Download the manual for the colour MM(if you have not already - comes as part of the ZIP file with any firmware updates). Check out page 49 for all your 1-wire needs.
Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops! |
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| hitsware Guru  Joined: 23/11/2012 Location: United StatesPosts: 535 |
The Duinomites are worthy of consideration also. Run (very nearly) the same BASIC, and more appropriate in some instances . |
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Geoffg Guru Joined: 06/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 3194 |
No, that is quite wrong. I was just "thinking" of dropping only the 1-wire search function. The rest of the 1-wire protocol will remain and will work fine just as before. Geoff Geoff Graham - http://geoffg.net |
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elproducts Senior Member  Joined: 19/06/2011 Location: United StatesPosts: 282 |
Great Cow Basic is a FREE open source BASIC compiler for PIC and AVR microcontrollers. You need a way to program the micro so there is some cost there but for the price of a Basic Stamp you can have the whole setup. I worked with others to put together a self install package that includes, IDE for writing code, sample programs and drivers for the PICkit 2 programmer. This gives you one click compile/program of PIC microcontrollers. And you can download and use it for free. I launched a website to help people get started with it at: GreatCowBasic.com Programming the MicroMite with a Maximite like CGColormax2 is something I've mentioned in the MicroMite thread and I hope someday we have that capability for beginner's like you as well as the more experienced to use. It would require a VT100 terminal running on the Maximite to communicate with the MicroMite. My vision is a plug in shield for the Arduino connector. At this point though, MicroMite is still just in an initial beta stage and the idea of a VT100 terminal program running on the Maximite is just a dream. I've considered trying to write one but at this point it appears to be beyond my capabilities but I hope someday we have it. Your story is exactly why I think more beginner's would benefit from a Maximite programming a MicroMite. But, the one bit of advice I can offer is this; there is no one perfect answer to what you describe. Any of the choices you mentioned will work. The cheaper the solution, chances are the more work you will have to do. That's why the easiest ones cost more, the work has been done for you (ease of programming, lots of sample code, no programmer required designs). Just pick one and learn, you've got to start somewhere and then you will find how much fun it really is. www.elproducts.com |
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| spjoruss Newbie Joined: 01/02/2014 Location: United StatesPosts: 22 |
Okay. Good. I mentioned 1-wire because it seemed most of the home built weather stations I found used it. I am researching the other protocols you mentioned to see if they might be a better solution or not. If one of those protocols was chosen instead, then I suppose there would be some other type of sensor design used with it? I am looking at monitoring inside outside temperature, inside outside humidity, wind, rain, and solar. As I was reading up on this 1-wire protocol I found that sometimes there could be a problem with searching for the sensors depending on how the sensors are connected. One person said that there was a way to find out the identifier of the sensor and program that in so that it did not have to search for it. I discovered the Duinomites and it seemed there was some difference with how the output pins were used compared with the MaxiMites. Don't know enough about that yet. I also discovered the CGMMSTICK1 on the same website as the CGcolormax2. I am realizing there are probably many ways to do accomplish what I want. What I am thinking is that I would buy the CGcolormax2 and whatever additional parts needed, then learn about how it works to read the different sensors. Then buy one of the smaller boards (Duinomite, CGMMSTICK1 or the Micromite when it is finished?) and use it to operate the weather station. I did also find the Great Cow Basic and thought about using that type of setup. But then I found the CGcolormax2 and it apparently has the capability to do a lot of other things. One of them is to interface with Automobile computers. I have an interest in that too because I have self repaired the majority of my Automobiles most of my life. Probably won't be doing anymore engine rebuilds and such as I don't have tools or stamina for that anymore. But the trouble shooting of problems and certain repairs I still do. I will have to watch the progress on the MicroMite and learn more of how it will work in case I could use it. It is true there is no perfect answer but my research and some of the answers I have gotten from the Forum have helped me. Unless something changes in the next few days I will probabably buy the CGcolormax2 and dive in! If anybody has anymore suggestions or information I am all ears. Thanks, Sperry |
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| Grogster Admin Group Joined: 31/12/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9308 |
Understood. My mistake. Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops! |
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