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Forum Index : Microcontroller and PC projects : Maximite Clones
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captainbill Newbie  Joined: 16/06/2011 Location: United StatesPosts: 37 |
Since Maximite is basically a chip and software, there may be many clone possibilities. I've heard about the Sparkfun PIC32 board and the Mtouch evaluation board as candidates. Here is another possibility. Its and Arduuino clone with a PIC32 http://www.microchip.com/stellent/idcplg?IdcService=SS_GET_P AGE&nodeId=2095¶m=en553910 Seems to me to be a fascinating concept-Maximite as an Arduino sketch.Or MMBasic being a firmware option for this Arduino clone. Let the Australian-Italian war begin :-) It seems to me that future versions of MMBasic might be created to be compatible with most bootloaders. By the way, is there any interest in a Maximite based, minimal hardware and MMBasic program which could burn a bootloader or other firmware into a virgin PIC32. Since its an SMD, we need an entrepreneur to provide a PIC32 attached to a chip carrier at a good price. What a great controller solution. Development on a Maximite, chip burned with a Maximite. Chip carrier attached to other necessary parts to control the world. I'm feelin' the power. Bill p.s. Cut my teeth on TRS80. Recently played with Arduino. Now I realize the Maximite is cooler than either one. Old school. Still interested. Head in the clouds. |
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donmck Guru  Joined: 09/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1313 |
Ahoy Cap'n Bill This forum changes links to stop spam. 
Usually plugs in spaces, but I can't decipher this one in a hurry, so others will have real problems. Set it up with the link icon above Bill, and it will work. Cheers Don... https://www.dontronics.com |
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| captainbill Newbie Joined: 16/06/2011 Location: United StatesPosts: 37 |
Howdy Don The product is called chipkit max32. Made or at least sold by diligent. They can run but they cant hide from mister google. I'm not familiar with the link mechanism you referred to. Its 2:10 am here in Missouri. Can't sleep. The first night I got my TRS80 I went to bed at 8 am. Its like deja vu all over again. Still watchin' the snail mail like a hawk. When it comes I'll be up for days. Rats! Bill Old school. Still interested. Head in the clouds. |
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| donmck Guru Joined: 09/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1313 |
http://www.digilentinc.com/Products/Detail.cfm?NavPath=2,892 ,894&Prod=CHIPKIT-MAX32 OK, found a workable link above Bill. $50 bucks isn't too bad, however we will have a mini-Max for possibly better than that price, but it will be hardware compatible with the standard Max software, so you won't need another boot loader. It will also have a micro-SD card reader, and of course the 26 pin I/O header. Board will measure around 66mm x 68mm. I think Geoff, or some smart bugger, would have to have a boot loader for each individual board that doesn't conform with the Maximite concept, but then unless you match your hardware fully to suit, it you want the same I/O, mem card, etc. re the programmer. have a look at: http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/PICKIT-3-MCU-Universal-ZIF-socket -PICkit-2-3-/350467844856?pt=AU_B_I_Electrical_Test_Equipmen t&hash=item519982eaf8%3E%20%3E This is the Programmer Stuart has got, and it is the programmer that Mick and myself ordered last night. It is a PICkit III clone. Simply runs from a PC USB port. burn your file via the 6 pin ICSP header. In fact you snap off a set of 6 pins, stick them into the holes on our Maximite board, connect up your programmer header and away you go. The Altronics version has the header pins in the board, so you can use that. Our version is just holes for pins. Doesn't matter. Now I like your idea for a programmer. The concept is good, but for $38 bucks, would it be worth it? You also get a kit of 3 ZIF sockets with that ebay unit. I remember when I was paying $38 for a ZIF socket. Cheers Don... https://www.dontronics.com |
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| captainbill Newbie Joined: 16/06/2011 Location: United StatesPosts: 37 |
Howdy Don When I get a really small Maximite board, I'm gonna mount it inside a ps2 keyboard with only a composite video output and have me a real TRS80 clone. The thing I like about possibly having MMbasic hosted on the Chipkit max32 is the abundance of arduino shields already available, just waiting to be programed in basic Bill Old school. Still interested. Head in the clouds. |
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| donmck Guru Joined: 09/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1313 |
I can see you think like me, so here goes: I had Ian Mavrik around about 3 nights ago. His web page is at: http://ianmav.customer.netspace.net.au/trs80/ He still buys, repairs and sells TRS-80s. He was part of a User group I was in 30+ years ago. I had actually thought a mold of the old keyboard done in fiber glass might do the trick. Sort of like a Ford T bucket in fiber glass that they do for hot rods. Would need shaping around a standard MS or Logitech keyboard, but an "r-teast" could cope I'm sure, and make up something that would be sell-able. SD card along the front edge. Here is a C64 resurrected from the ashes: http://www.commodoreusa.net/CUSA_C64.aspx Here is a TRS-80 emulator program: http://www.trs-80.com/ Cheers Don... https://www.dontronics.com |
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stuarts Senior Member  Joined: 15/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 199 |
Speaking or Arduino. Can someone please tell me what is so good about them. I hear that they come in almost any flavour of CPU you can dream of. What makes them different/better/worse than any other precanned microcontroller? Stuart Time is nature's way of keeping everything from happening all at once. |
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| donmck Guru Joined: 09/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1313 |
Ahoy! I think Cap'n Bill will be the man to ask. I only sell them because they are popular. I must admit I know very little about them. I think I am about to learn. So my answer is "Well, they are popular for a start!" Cheers Don... https://www.dontronics.com |
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