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Forum Index : Microcontroller and PC projects : In the next release of CG’s CMM....
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Grogster Admin Group  Joined: 31/12/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9307 |
Right! Now that I have CG's attention...... 
In your next release of the unit, do you plan to keep or get rid of the grid-of-holes prototyping area? Just trying to decide if this is something I can bank on, or something you perhaps have plans to axe in the next version of the PCB... Perhaps axing it to make the PCB smaller - probably not - it is pretty small now. 
I am about to order one from you - I have had enough of the fecking around I am getting from Altronics, as my CMM is still not here... 
EDIT: Also, what is U2? (please - no jokes about it being a band!) Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops! |
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CircuitGizmos Guru  Joined: 08/09/2011 Location: United StatesPosts: 1425 |
U2 is 8-18VDC to 5V switching regulator. The CGCOLORMAX2 will still have the sea-of-holes. Micromites and Maximites! - Beginning Maximite |
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| Grogster Admin Group Joined: 31/12/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9307 |
Cheers, mate - all I needed to know. 
I will order a couple of those keyboard interface chips too. I will do the order tonight(my time). Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops! |
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| MOBI Guru Joined: 02/12/2012 Location: AustraliaPosts: 819 |
OT - but have you thought about designing a pic to do a matrix keyboard? Not too difficult. I have an I2C version of 12 key, 16 key and 32 key keyboards. The I2C could fairly easily be changed to give PS2 output. The I2C version converts the PS2 keys to ascii for MCU projects. David M. |
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| Grogster Admin Group Joined: 31/12/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9307 |
Yes that is an option, but I don't want more then about 8 buttons anyway(up,down,left,right,enter,and four or five other special buttons), so the CG chips will do the job wonderfully, and as I am already ordering a CMM from them... It is something I can certainly look into later though if I needed more buttons... Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops! |
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| MOBI Guru Joined: 02/12/2012 Location: AustraliaPosts: 819 |
Were you planning on connecting the keypad up to the PS2 - I don't remember how it interfaced to the Maxi. Or were you planning on leaving the PS2 connected and go in via somewhere else? David M. |
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| Grogster Admin Group Joined: 31/12/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9307 |
No keypad at all. A custom layout of buttons on a control panel. Up arrow, down arrow, left arrow, right arrow, enter, and perhaps some other buttons. The whole system is controlled via these buttons. In the extended version of this idea, a standard keyboard is used on the KB socket, and the up, down, left, right and enter buttons are on I/O lines - this is probably how I will do it actually. Basic on-screen control via the arrows and enter, but when you need to enter in text etc, or edit a message, then the normal keyboard would be used. It's all in the air at the moment - awaiting some form of CMM(be it Altronics or CG's) for me to start playing around with some code. 
EDIT: Yes, yes - you can do the up,down,left,right all with the keyboard - true. I am only experimenting at this stage, so everything is open for consideration!!!! I will probably settle back on the standard keyboard for control keys AND text message editing etc, and not end up using the CG custom keyboard chip at all, but I wanted to tinker with it anyway, so... Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops! |
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| MOBI Guru Joined: 02/12/2012 Location: AustraliaPosts: 819 |
I was wondering if you've tried an I2C based key system, but if it is individual keys rather than a matrix, perhaps i/o pins is the way to go. With I2C though you only need the two I2C pins. Hope I'm not teaching Grandmother to ... David M. |
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| Grogster Admin Group Joined: 31/12/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9307 |
Hell no - you go at it!!!
"All knowledge is power." I would not like to think that I had overlooked something obvious.
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: 9307 |
Things for CG to consider changing on the next release of the CMM: - Stronger VGA socket. I think this has been discussed before by others. - Perhaps also stronger keyboard socket? - Fit the header on J7 at factory - LABEL J7 as Bootloader or something like that, so we know where it is - Fit header for PWM1 and PWM2 (the audio outputs) - Have the option of a header for an external SD activity LED. The last one would be very useful, cos then we could use a panel-mounted activity LED. Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops! |
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| CircuitGizmos Guru Joined: 08/09/2011 Location: United StatesPosts: 1425 |
Grogster: Excellent suggestions. Unfortunately a little late for CGCOLORMAX2 as it is too far along in the process. - Stronger VGA socket. I think this has been discussed before by others. Done. I would rather everything be SMT, but this one is through-hole now. - Perhaps also stronger keyboard socket? Looked into this. Kept the design as is. The socket/plug connection loosens up rather quickly. - Fit the header on J7 at factory I prefer to let the end-user decide if they want the headers in place. There is still an option to sell without/with headers. Perhaps a CGCOLORMAX2WITHALLOFTHEHEADERSSOLDEREDINPLACE. Kinda a long part number, though... - LABEL J7 as Bootloader or something like that, so we know where it is Wish I had thought of that. It will be better documented, though. - Fit header for PWM1 and PWM2 (the audio outputs) See CGCOLORMAX2WITHALLOFTHEHEADERSSOLDEREDINPLACE above. - Have the option of a header for an external SD activity LED. The last one would be very useful, cos then we could use a panel-mounted activity LED. Hmm. Perhaps. The blue LED has been snugged up to the side of the SD socket so it is visible through the SD card slot in the black box. Thanks for the feedback! Micromites and Maximites! - Beginning Maximite |
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| CircuitGizmos Guru Joined: 08/09/2011 Location: United StatesPosts: 1425 |
COLORMAX2 also has a better SD socket. It has card detect and push-in push-out (springy) removal. The battery is bigger/flatter. Input polarity on the external power no longer matters. There is an alternate 1x4 header for the keyboard jack to facilitate using the CGKEYCHIP. Micromites and Maximites! - Beginning Maximite |
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| Grogster Admin Group Joined: 31/12/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9307 |
All sounds very positive.
Please don't think I was being critical in my post above - I was not... 
Re-reading my post again today, it occurs to me that it might read that way, which was CERTAINLY not my intention.  Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops! |
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| CircuitGizmos Guru Joined: 08/09/2011 Location: United StatesPosts: 1425 |
No worries, Grogster. I do appreciate the feedback. Micromites and Maximites! - Beginning Maximite |
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| paceman Guru Joined: 07/10/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1329 |
Hi CG, I use my COLORMAX sitting at a normal height office desk with the box about 400mm away from my eyes - a pretty common situation I'd think. Neither of the SMD LED's is visible in that situation because the box blocks the line-of-sight. To see them you either need to have your head way too low to the desk or cut the SD card slot a lot higher above the card. I reckon panel mountable LED's would be better but I guess it's a bit late to mention this now for V2. Greg |
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panky Guru Joined: 02/10/2012 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1101 |
Hi Circuit Gizmos, Any news on when your CG Colormax2 will be shipping? Your website still only makes reference to the Colormax1. Will the price be the same? Thanks Doug. PS. My Colormax1 has been running live in the front boot of my caravan now for 6 weeks running my Caravan Battery Monitor program, and running flawlessly. Just waiting for Colormax 2 release to order another. D. ... almost all of the Maximites, the MicromMites, the MM Extremes, the ArmMites, the PicoMite and loving it! |
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| CircuitGizmos Guru Joined: 08/09/2011 Location: United StatesPosts: 1425 |
Panky: A couple weeks at the earliest, to fit a production schedule. Final price yet to be determined (it shouldn't be too big of an adjustment.) Micromites and Maximites! - Beginning Maximite |
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