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Forum Index : Microcontroller and PC projects : PCBs from Silicon Chip
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Geoffg Guru  Joined: 06/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 3194 |
My website had the wrong price for the PCB from Silicon Chip (corrected now). Just for the record they are: - mini Maximite PCB. Part number 07111111. $10.00 - PIC32 chip programmed with software code 0711111A.hex. $15.00 If you want to build the full sized Maximite they also sell the PCB for $25 (part nbr 06103111). Postage and packing within Australia is a single charge of $10 per order ($12 NZ or $18 rest of the world). All amounts are in Australian dollars. They don't have their website order system running at this time so you need to send an email to pcbs@siliconchip.com.au to get their order form. The reason I am promoting this service is because it finally offers constructors an alternative to the kit suppliers. I found this a real issue in the past. I could design a neat project using common parts but the PCB was always unique and they are expensive if you get them made in single quantities. That meant that I had to rely on the kit suppliers to make the project accessible to the readers and without competition their kits tended to get expensive. I still believe that the Altronics kits are good for someone who wants everything supplied and neatly packaged but that is no help for someone who can fend for themselves and just wants the PCB. I believe that the Silicon Chip prices are reasonable value. For example, the best source for PIC32 chips is futurlec.com at $9.40 for the PIC32MX795F512H and that means that the Silicon Chip part cost an extra $5.60 for programming and testing. Well worth it if you do not want to buy a programmer just for this project. $10 for the mini PCB is also good compared to getting a single board made (about $28). Others like Ben may make the boards available cheaper and that is good but the best thing about Silicon Chip selling boards is that you can now be assured that a board will always be available at a decent price. Geoff Geoff Graham - http://geoffg.net |
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donmck Guru Joined: 09/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1313 |
Thanks for clearing that up Geoff, I was a little confused with pricing. And you other points make good sense. 
Cheers Don... https://www.dontronics.com |
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| aargee Senior Member  Joined: 21/08/2008 Location: AustraliaPosts: 255 |
Geoff, I haven't received my SC in the mail - yet. Just wondering, they are selling the 32MX PIC chip on it's own (i.e. not soldered to the board), pre-programmed with MM basic? How do they program them? On another note.. loaded up the UBW32 version into my board last night and it works a treat! Another question, how do you arrive at the PIN command designation for the pins e.g. PIN 1 = B4, PIN 2 = B3, etc ? I noticed that the UBW32 pin allocations are backward compatible to the original Maximite, on the UBW board they are all over the place, and that's probably just the way it is. - Rob. For crying out loud, all I wanted to do was flash this blasted LED. |
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| Geoffg Guru Joined: 06/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 3194 |
Yes, the chip is supplied loose (not soldered to anything). SC get Microchip to program them as part of the production process. It would have been good for the pin numbers on the UBW32 to line up in sequence with the physical solder pads but there were too many fixed allocations to permit that. I tried to make the other designations orderly but only partially succeeded. Geoff Geoff Graham - http://geoffg.net |
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vasi Guru Joined: 23/03/2007 Location: RomaniaPosts: 1697 |
That's fantastic! Then, I'm expecting a "Maximite" shield for their Max32 board... and, together with what it is already on the market, it will be the most "aggressive" promotion of PIC32 microcontrollers... well, supposing that there are enough potent users willing to migrate to 32bit (and 3Vcc) microcontrollers. Hobbit name: Togo Toadfoot of Frogmorton Elvish name: Mablung Miriel Beyound Arduino Lang |
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elproducts Senior Member Joined: 19/06/2011 Location: United StatesPosts: 282 |
I just ordered some Mini Maximite boards from Silicon Chip. I sent them an email asking if they could send an invoice through paypal for the full price including shipping. They did it quickly, and I paid through paypal. Couldn't be any easier. www.elproducts.com |
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Bryan1 Guru Joined: 22/02/2006 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1344 |
G'day Geoff, I will soon pencil on of the mini's for myself but my big question for the parts from what I've seen online there is a minimum order of 10. As I am really cash strapped it would be great if someone stepped up and sold the (kit of parts) for the mini. I do need to get onto my local jaycar dealer and get a smaller tip for doing smd. Also one thing does come to mind OK the PCB's are $10 each but for EVERY order they WILL charge $10 for handling. So if a guy thinks he can get 3 off mini's for $40 one will have to think again as the shipping charge IS for EACH item. From what you've done in my opinion it's the best thing since sliced bread but charging for each item does make it seem like companies are just trying to profit off your great work. Regards Bryan |
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| Keith W. Senior Member Joined: 09/10/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 118 |
Hi' I will jump in here and give an answer to Bryan1, also wishing to agree with Geoff that Silicon Chips prices seem reasonable for the aid they are providing us. Thank you Geoff for clarifying the miniMaximite board price at just $10 not $15, I had earlier grizzled about the price. I have emailed my order for 2 sets. Regarding the $10 Pack and Post from Silicon Chip. On page 27 of Silicon Chip it clearly states that this price is per order regardless of the number of boards, not per item. This also confirmed above by Geoff. The only components that you cannot order in unit quantities are small SMD components, but you cannot beat this if you enter the store anyway, even normal quarter watt resistors come in packs. SMD’s come in strips of 10 if you require small quantities; however the complete strip of 10 is at most $1 for R’s and C’s. Yes the Led’s are about $3 a strip and the Tantalums at $6.50 are the most expensive but if I only bought 1 off I would surely lose it when I sneezed. These costs fade a little after you add in the crystal and connectors and then you need housing and power supplies etc. Above prices from Altronics who have a reasonable range of this type of SMD component. Interesting that you can purchase a strip of 10 SMD crystals for less than the price of 2 through hole crystals? Complete unassembled kit prices with individual SMD components costs more because of the manual labor to pick and package components together, likely it costs less to load an automatic component placing machine with a reel of 1000 components. Then you must guard carefully that no tiny 1 off is lost during your assembly. Don’s posted comments about the costs in trying to provide the SM1 Maximite boards are also an eye opener, SM1’s are attractive in that they provide all components mounted. I also count the dollars which add up relentlessly. If we achieved a very high level of demand for an assembled board and purchased as a group, ensuring that all components are purchased in bulk at manufacturers prices it would be different. Don could likely tell us about bulk price? Keith W. |
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VK6MRG Guru Joined: 08/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 347 |
So can we start talking about someone (Don) getting 100 of the Mini Maximites made? As long as it is ok with Don of cause 
I have also ordered two sets from Silicon Chip, but I will put my hand up for at least 2 or more if I can get them ready made! (Depending on price )
But assuming that someone like Don or Olimex could get a bulk order and have them to sell somewhere around $30 a pop for example, I'd buy some! I'm all for building from scratch, But at $10 a pop for the Pic32 chip, I’m not that keen on having to source and solder SMD components and then find that I have ether cooked or zapped the PIC32 chip!  I have done it before and yes, it's not that hard, but for the sake of time and effort, I would rather just pay for a completed and tested ready-made Mini Maximite!
Its easier to ask forgiveness than to seek permission! ............VK6MRG.............VK3MGR............ |
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| VK6MRG Guru Joined: 08/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 347 |
Also as I live in the middle of nowhere! The time to have parts posted would only add to the frustration! Its easier to ask forgiveness than to seek permission! ............VK6MRG.............VK3MGR............ |
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CircuitGizmos Guru Joined: 08/09/2011 Location: United StatesPosts: 1425 |
Does the board have to be in the exact same form factor as the mini? Or would something similar suffice? Micromites and Maximites! - Beginning Maximite |
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| VK6MRG Guru Joined: 08/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 347 |
I think that would be up to the Maximite community to decide. However the more I think about it.... there has been a post about the PIC32 chip being mounted onto a PBC with just the header pins on the four sides and a few CAPS and a resister fitted. This would be the simplest form of Maximite. And if I need to add the 5 volt and 3.3 volt regulators onto a PCB to make the MiniMaximite run, I may as well just use this postage stamp sized PCB with the pre-programmed PIC32 from Silicon chip and redesign my I/O board that I designed for the Maximite EV! Its easier to ask forgiveness than to seek permission! ............VK6MRG.............VK3MGR............ |
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| VK6MRG Guru Joined: 08/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 347 |
Maybe someone (Hamfield) should design a motherboard like Sparkey hinted at. A small PCB with the required voltages and a usb plug (required for the postage stamp Maximite). Just plug in the MiniMaximite or the postage stamp Maximite (for want of the real name) so that I can update MM basic and upload my code on the bench. I know Geoff left off the Regulators and such to keep costs down etc, but now we have to lug a laptop to upload to our remote Maximite powered gajets. Where as if the MiniMaximite had a 3.3 reg onboard, we could just unplug the MiniMaximite and take it to the PC (test bench, lab etc) and update etc via usb! Its easier to ask forgiveness than to seek permission! ............VK6MRG.............VK3MGR............ |
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| CircuitGizmos Guru Joined: 08/09/2011 Location: United StatesPosts: 1425 |
I'm thinking about a minimum MM board, and one with a little more to it. I might want to make a minimum board smaller (possibly) than the mini Maximite. (And then one with more, but bigger.) Micromites and Maximites! - Beginning Maximite |
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| VK6MRG Guru Joined: 08/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 347 |
A very rough draft of what I’m talking about. This is for powering the MiniMaximite and the Maximite Stamp while you update and/or upload new code/firmware. 
Drawn using "MATT CAD" The USB plug is for the stamp only but would be connected to the 3.3 volt regulator, and the 5 volt rail from the MiniMaximite would need to be as well. Please excuse the very rough drawing and is only for illustration purposes. Its easier to ask forgiveness than to seek permission! ............VK6MRG.............VK3MGR............ |
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| VK6MRG Guru Joined: 08/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 347 |
Found it! 
Page 14 to 21, SILICON CHIP, March 2011 As per Geoff's article, FUTURLEC part code:64PINLQFP and $0.90 each And I'm sorry, I didn't check postage 
This is as small as you can get for a Maximite!
Its easier to ask forgiveness than to seek permission! ............VK6MRG.............VK3MGR............ |
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| donmck Guru Joined: 09/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1313 |
Just want to remind people of the price of the DuinoMite-mini: http://www.dontronics-shop.com/olimex-duinomite-mini.html#pr ices 
At $32-ish AUD (plus GST for OZ), plus postage, plus quantity discounts, is the DIY method of making your own mini a better way to go? I very much like Geoff's mini and the concept, but when users start doing their own designs, I wonder what the real costs will be. But I also understand the pioneering spirit, and pleasure of DIY.
BTW, the standard without the VGA-KBD I/O board is the same price: 
If there was enough interest, we could look at an Olimex mini equivalent, but it wouldn't be a massive saving. Cheers Don... https://www.dontronics.com |
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| rhamer Senior Member Joined: 06/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 174 |
Yeah, as much as I'd like to produce such a board, it's not worth it. No one would pay the same price for just a motherboard as they could buy a complete per built unit with more functionality from Don. Also as I said in another thread, if you plug a mini into a mother board you get a standard Maximite, and probably cost more than a standard Maximite. Cheers Rohan Rohan Hamer HAMFIELD Software & Hardware Solutions Makers of the Maximite Expander. http://www.hamfield.com.au |
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| VK6MRG Guru Joined: 08/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 347 |
Just making an order with RS online. To get enough parts for 5 MiniMaximites would cost about $43.00, $8.60 per unit. To get enough parts for 10 MiniMaximites would cost about $71.00, $7.10 per unit. So $10 for PIC32, so $100 and $15 for the PCB, $150 plus $10 for P&P, $10 and $7.10 for parts, $71 would be $33.10 per unit! Not including labour and extra postage to send out to whoever wanted one. 
Its easier to ask forgiveness than to seek permission! ............VK6MRG.............VK3MGR............ |
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bigmik Guru Joined: 20/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2914 |
Hi VK, Before getting involved in the DuinoMite project I broached Don with an idea I had for a Maximite Stamp, it was about the same size as the Futurelec board (prob a couple of mm smaler not sure now.. it is on my PC at work...) It was also going to have the XTAL and all support caps installed as well as the ISP header.. My idea was these would be great for intelligent modification boards.. ie. for region free DVD or PS2 hacks or even as a smart door bell, but the idea got shelved due to the DuinoMite Project and also due to my inability to solder the chip myself as I could only see these being viable to hobbiests if they were prebuilt. I still have the love in my heart for a small (read TINY) 32bit stamp uController... I have a feeling.... well watch this space... Regards, Mick Mick's uMite Stuff can be found >>> HERE (Kindly hosted by Dontronics) <<< |
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