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Forum Index : Microcontroller and PC projects : Maximite 2.5 -KSD With USB Mass Storage

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ksdesigns

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Joined: 25/06/2011
Location: United States
Posts: 143
Posted: 04:34pm 02 Aug 2011
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Here is my version of the 2.5 source compiled with usb mass storage compiled in replacing sdcard
Tested with about 10 different usb flash drives and a WD 320gb usb harddrive
This is for embedded systems there is no Video compiled in
By removing sdcard that opens up UART 2 and no video gives UART 3 access on pins 5 & 6
have not added basic commands for the serial ports yet
Serial console is on UART 2 pins 31 & 31 of the pic at 115200 Baud
Also posted the usb bootloader also so you can update the firmware thru usb
just name the hex file image.hex and the bootloader will also output the status out UART 2 at 115200 baud then will reboot in to basic after update.
ken

Get it all here
 
vasi

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Joined: 23/03/2007
Location: Romania
Posts: 1697
Posted: 06:48pm 02 Aug 2011
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[quote]Maximite basic will have to be recompiled using a new linker script ![/quote]
It means your firmware is bigger?

To understand:
1.The firmware is downloaded by bootloader from an USB memory stick;
2.The modded Maximite downloads the basic program from an USB memory stick;
3.Both bootloader and Maximite firmware are bigger than the originals;
4.Serial comm. will require an USB-to-serial adapter.

Which statement is true?

VasiEdited by vasi 2011-08-04
Hobbit name: Togo Toadfoot of Frogmorton
Elvish name: Mablung Miriel
Beyound Arduino Lang
 
ksdesigns

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Joined: 25/06/2011
Location: United States
Posts: 143
Posted: 07:08pm 02 Aug 2011
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The boot loader may be a bit bigger but it still has to fit in the 12k area for the bootloader ..
and the maximite firwmare is actually smaller without video code and all the ram used for the video buffer is free ..
and yes serial com usb to serial or rs232 or like mine rs485 and 100' of cable what ever you like
ken
 
vasi

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Joined: 23/03/2007
Location: Romania
Posts: 1697
Posted: 07:58pm 02 Aug 2011
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Thanks for explanations, it is an interesting mod. And USB memory sticks and HDD's are more reliable than SD-Cards. Too bad it needs an USB adapter but I can live with that. Thanks for the mod.

VasiEdited by vasi 2011-08-04
Hobbit name: Togo Toadfoot of Frogmorton
Elvish name: Mablung Miriel
Beyound Arduino Lang
 
ksdesigns

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Joined: 25/06/2011
Location: United States
Posts: 143
Posted: 08:00pm 02 Aug 2011
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I did it for me using it for a weather station so no need for the video and that.
the serial ports were more important..
ken
 
vasi

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Posted: 08:31pm 02 Aug 2011
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Hi Ken,

I think you can mod. a Chipkit Max32 board.
Hobbit name: Togo Toadfoot of Frogmorton
Elvish name: Mablung Miriel
Beyound Arduino Lang
 
ksdesigns

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Joined: 25/06/2011
Location: United States
Posts: 143
Posted: 09:16pm 02 Aug 2011
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Kinda funny Microchip rep just dropped off one to me
 
vasi

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Posted: 09:24pm 02 Aug 2011
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He he, then I will be curious to see what you will do with it regarding to Maximite... if you don't have anything else planned for it...
Hobbit name: Togo Toadfoot of Frogmorton
Elvish name: Mablung Miriel
Beyound Arduino Lang
 
haiqu

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Joined: 30/07/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 152
Posted: 12:47am 03 Aug 2011
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Ken,

Source code diffs would be preferable, especially since this is required by the GNU license conditions.

BTW, awesome work.

Rob

unzip, strip, touch, finger, grep, mount, fsck, more, yes, fsck, fsck, fsck, umount, sleep
 
ksdesigns

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Joined: 25/06/2011
Location: United States
Posts: 143
Posted: 02:56am 03 Aug 2011
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Didn't diff them because its just a test version and it is a complete version and that would comply with the GNU the big problem is they also even the original Maximite code contains Microchip source code who's license is not that friendly..
ken
 
haiqu

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Joined: 30/07/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 152
Posted: 04:13am 03 Aug 2011
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Ken,

I don't mean to be a PITA but the GPL v3.0 specifies that source code must be supplied with any variant of the original code. Supplying a "complete version" as a binary doesn't eliminate that need unless the code is covered by the Lesser GPL, which applies to libraries only.

GNU GPL

The Microchip license is pretty simple. You can do anything you like with it, as long as it's used on Microchip approved devices.

Rob

unzip, strip, touch, finger, grep, mount, fsck, more, yes, fsck, fsck, fsck, umount, sleep
 
ksdesigns

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Joined: 25/06/2011
Location: United States
Posts: 143
Posted: 04:19am 03 Aug 2011
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Well the fact is the only code removed was Microchip code all the Maximite code that was not used was just #ifdef out and since the Microchip license is not GNU I don't see where that would apply .. That's why i posted the full source zip file
http://kenseglerdesigns.com/cms/sites/default/files/Maximite /Maximite-2.5-ksd.zip
ken


 
vasi

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Joined: 23/03/2007
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Posts: 1697
Posted: 09:40am 03 Aug 2011
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Ken posted the sources (thanks again) from the beginning. You had to click "read more" on his two articles from his blog (I first thought the same, that we have only the .hex files but, clicking to see more, I had a pleasant surprise)...

VasiEdited by vasi 2011-08-04
Hobbit name: Togo Toadfoot of Frogmorton
Elvish name: Mablung Miriel
Beyound Arduino Lang
 
vasi

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Posts: 1697
Posted: 10:33am 03 Aug 2011
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The nice thing is that after making your own set of USB memory sticks, each with his own variant of Maximite (to address different things, and labeled as required) and BASIC applications, you can just change the USB stick without using the PC for firmware update, and your Maximite is ready for other tasks.

This require a custom hardware, with access to all pins, as is Chipkit Max32, where you can have different Maximite shields (even the original Maximite), with or without VGA. You can "manufacture" your own Maximite (as shield over Chipkit Max32) with his own USB memory stick (with the firmware and BASIC application samples or final projects on it). To eliminate completely the PC, you can have two Chipkit Max32/Maximites, one being the original one, with VGA and Keyboard, to develop/write Basic applications for all variants you "produced".

Man, I just love this level of configurability, hardware and software. Something like Transformers. This is a Picaxe killer, BasicStamp killer, Arduino killer, Put_your_own killer.

And don't forget that Chipkit Max32 have already 5V level adaptation (if I remember right).

Many thanks and appreciations to Geoff and Ken (sorry for my enthusiast ).

Vasi

------------------
Chipkit Max32 is a platform on which Geoff can design the MAximite 2 as Chipkit shield and/or as a separate hardware... it is a chance to attract the Chipkit community and not only that... can assure long life to Chipkit Max32 boards. Something on which Microchip can be directly interested. Just my thoughts...Edited by vasi 2011-08-04
Hobbit name: Togo Toadfoot of Frogmorton
Elvish name: Mablung Miriel
Beyound Arduino Lang
 
rhamer
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Joined: 06/06/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 174
Posted: 12:15pm 03 Aug 2011
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I don't know how this will affect the diverse creative works going on here, but Geoff has stated that there will not be different versions of the firmware for different hardware.

I don't know enough about the licensing to know if it is ok for individuals to release (and even sell) derivative works?

There seems to be a strong desire to make use of the inbuilt PIC32 functionality, that is currently either not exposed or used for another purpose. This of course would require different hardware.

Personally I would like to see the hardware evolve along with the firmware, but that would most likely mean a loss of backward compatibility, which I believe Geoff wants to maintain.

Cheers

Rohan
Rohan Hamer
HAMFIELD Software & Hardware Solutions

Makers of the Maximite Expander.

http://www.hamfield.com.au
 
vasi

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Posted: 03:18pm 03 Aug 2011
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All I know, is that the firmware is released under GPL and that mean a lot of things which must be respected, no doubt here. If a standard is desired, then that can be achieved. But you can't stop (or control for various reasons) hacks (is part of community creativity) and is also what Arduino started... It can be a subforum of Maximite forum, with support only from the mod creator. If you stop that, it may be a not so good thing... it will loose from it's shine. But that is my opinion only...

VasiEdited by vasi 2011-08-05
Hobbit name: Togo Toadfoot of Frogmorton
Elvish name: Mablung Miriel
Beyound Arduino Lang
 
vasi

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Location: Romania
Posts: 1697
Posted: 04:31pm 03 Aug 2011
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Here are already boards on the market with the same chip as Maximite.
- Chipkit Max32 with a Serial Bootloader - the board have an USB-to-Serial adapter and here one of the solutions is to use Ken's mod, another being a shield with an USB connector on USB lines of the PIC where you can use the original Maximite firmware if you "override" the bootloader with the one provided by Geoff.
- UBW32, Emperor795, both using an USB bootloader and can use directly the original Maximite firmware (and the other too).
All boards allow a maximum configurability and are great for hacks.

Those are solutions for the absence of the Maximite from the market and are already used by some.Edited by vasi 2011-08-05
Hobbit name: Togo Toadfoot of Frogmorton
Elvish name: Mablung Miriel
Beyound Arduino Lang
 
sparkey

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Joined: 15/06/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 819
Posted: 12:28pm 04 Aug 2011
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what isint a64 gb card big enough for the maxi not to mention that you can swap sd-cards just like floppy`s...regards sparkey...also i have not read every thred on this item i can also see that your 320 gb drive will out live you...

also not to mention that it can have over 1000 gig sd-card on its own....Edited by sparkey 2011-08-05
technicians do it with least resistance
 
sparkey

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Posted: 12:40pm 04 Aug 2011
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i may stand corrected here but i can see the point that you could set up a hdd two down load/even run progams from ...and i`m not tryiny to rain on your parade but.. if you actully have a sorce code to do this ..it will prolly be on your own back...asa geoff imhp has the last say on the coding for the general enthuisits..

you may have followers on this topic ,,,regards sparkey
technicians do it with least resistance
 
vasi

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Posted: 12:43pm 04 Aug 2011
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Yes Sparkey, you're right! But not all SD-Cards can work, and on some you can get corrupted data. But the advantage on using USB Mass Storaage, is that you free up two more pins. In fact, you save the SPI for some other SPI peripherals (well, you can still use as many you want on a SPI bus without the need to remove an eventual SD-Card but for every peripheral you need a pin to separately select it).
Anyway, SD-Cards are slower and with a limited number of writtings than USB HDD.

Personally, I see both solutions viable and I'm glad that I can chose.

VasiEdited by vasi 2011-08-05
Hobbit name: Togo Toadfoot of Frogmorton
Elvish name: Mablung Miriel
Beyound Arduino Lang
 
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