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Forum Index : Microcontroller and PC projects : ColorMax Pre-order
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CircuitGizmos Guru  Joined: 08/09/2011 Location: United StatesPosts: 1425 |
I'm offering a pre-order of the CircuitGizmos CGCOLORMAX1 (ColorMax) for a $5 discount for TBS readers. Pre-order on this page: http://www.circuitgizmos.com/products/cgcolormax1/cgcolormax 1.shtml The regular price for the fully assembled board will be 54.99 and for the duration of the pre-order it will be $49.99. This version of the design includes all of the new features of the Colour Maximite, plus a couple of additional features. The CGCOLORMAX1 has a populated RS485 and dual RS232 circuit that the end user can wire as needed. The board also features a prototyping area where additional circuits can be mounted. Board size is 5.7" by 4.0". The CGCOLORMAX1 includes the features of the Colour Maximite: The Color Maximite is a small and versatile computer running a powerful BASIC interpreter with 128K of working memory. It will work with a standard VGA monitor and generate eight colours (black, red, green, blue, cyan, yellow, purple and white). The Color Maximite is the latest member of the Maximite family and brings new features including color, stereo music synthesiser, Arduino compatible I/O connector and a battery backed clock. It also has all the features of the original (monochrome) Maximite including input from a standard PC compatible keyboard or USB, built in SD memory card, BASIC language and rear panel I/O connector with an additional 20 I/O pins. I will be updating the schedule for the manufacturing process and letting you know when the boards will be completed. This is not a kit, but a fully assembled board. Micromites and Maximites! - Beginning Maximite |
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darthmite Senior Member  Joined: 20/11/2011 Location: FrancePosts: 240 |
oh ! OH ! i just get it 
Cheers. Darth. PS : post a photo please 
Theory is when we know everything but nothing work ... Practice is when everything work but no one know why ;) |
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BobD Guru Joined: 07/12/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 935 |
CG, you haven't actually said what you are selling. Is it like the CGMMstick only with colour and the serial ports or is it a complete colour Maximite? Is the RTC included? I believe it is optional in the Colour Maximite. What would it cost for shipping to Australia? |
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| CircuitGizmos Guru Joined: 08/09/2011 Location: United StatesPosts: 1425 |
Sorry about the confusion. I'm still pulling stuff together for this. It isn't the CGMMSTICK1 with color. At about 1" by 3" the stick format is too small to support adding Arduino shields. It is "a complete colour Maximite" in that it is about the same format. Board size is 5.7" by 4.0". It has what the Colour Maximite has, plus more. The front edge has provision for a full-size SD card. Back of board has keyboard connector, Maximite expansion header (2x13), color VGA, USB, and DC input. Inside is a populated RTC circuit, the populated serial circuits that I mentioned, and room for an Arduino shield. Also on the board is a prototyping area - a sea of holes - for user circuits. That was a late-minute addition to the layout, but one I think is very useful. You can add your interface circuits to the board itself, without having to wire up a board to plug into the Maximite connector. (Assuming your circuit fits in that approximately 9 square inch space.) It is designed to fit into an XR-46 Polycase. The case will also be for sale at CG. It will be a little bit before I have anything visual to post, like photos or layout. I'm waiting for that info. It will be loaded with MMBASIC 4.0. This is NOT a hand-assembled product by a hobbyist, but a professionally built, machine-placed board. Micromites and Maximites! - Beginning Maximite |
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| CircuitGizmos Guru Joined: 08/09/2011 Location: United StatesPosts: 1425 |
BobD: Shipping information is here: http://circuitgizmos.com/cartfaq.shtml Micromites and Maximites! - Beginning Maximite |
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| Greg Fordyce Senior Member Joined: 16/09/2011 Location: United KingdomPosts: 153 |
I've placed my order. 
This feature caught my eye, at the moment I am using this circuit connected to a MM to communicate to some slave boards. 
It is basically a max232 with a pull down resistor from pin6 to pin13 for my modified rs232 bus. Is the serial circuit based on the max232 and will it be easy for me to modify? I guess this is a feature request. 
Greg |
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| CircuitGizmos Guru Joined: 08/09/2011 Location: United StatesPosts: 1425 |
Greg: The circuit on the ColorMax is a Max202 that provides two RS232 drivers and two receivers. Close cousin to the Max232. Modifying it depends on your soldering skills. Since this is an 'add', rather than lifting pins and breaking traces, it should be very straight forward. Micromites and Maximites! - Beginning Maximite |
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| 3buns Newbie  Joined: 16/07/2012 Location: United KingdomPosts: 8 |
So looking forward to this, my wife has very kindly just pre-ordered mine. There's no way I want to dis the Pi, but the Maximite and family offer me something I can readily hook stuff up to and code in good old BASIC. I hope to interest my son into creating a game with me, I just got him interested in Picaxe's. Regards, Kurt |
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| CircuitGizmos Guru Joined: 08/09/2011 Location: United StatesPosts: 1425 |
Thank you (and others) for the orders! The rPi doesn't seem to be as friendly as the Maximites. I'm biased, though. I had the thought that with a ColorMax all you have to do is add the Arduino headers and a specific Arduino shield and you can interface anything that they make a shield for. I also thought that adding your own unique circuitry is as easy then as adding a 'prototype' shield. Then I thought: Wouldn't it be nicer to have a place on-board for prototyping circuits? So I added a sea of holes that is larger than an Arduino prototype shield. Build an audio amplifier in there if you want loud games. Add CAN circuitry, if you want. Even just a few resistors and wires to support button inputs. All pretty nice to do on one board. Micromites and Maximites! - Beginning Maximite |
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Nick Guru Joined: 09/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 512 |
I've noticed the use of the term "ColorMax" to refer to the Colour Maximite. I think this is a cool name. Should this become a standard? It's a shorter and "funkier" version of the original name, still saying the same thing. Time to get my graphics editor out and design a new Logo!
Nick |
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| CircuitGizmos Guru Joined: 08/09/2011 Location: United StatesPosts: 1425 |
Geoff calls his design Colour Maximite. "ColorMax" is on the silk screen for the CGCOLORMAX1 and is how I refer to that version. Micromites and Maximites! - Beginning Maximite |
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djuqa Guru Joined: 23/11/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 447 |
Colormax is a registered TM in Australia for fences Brochure VK4MU MicroController Units |
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| darthmite Senior Member Joined: 20/11/2011 Location: FrancePosts: 240 |
Thanx for the additional infos Giz
Now about the rPi and ColourMM , they are two different world. I use rPi more for 're' discover linux , try to compile emulator's and the day i want connect to external world , use the expansion pin's 
The ColourMM is for me the best way for a connect and it work system. And the V4 Basic is so good that you probably can do everything passing in your head
The speed you develop applications , games , etc ,with a board who just use a single controller with a programming language so easy to learn that i am sure a kid can use is a performance on itself. But the most important , it's the fun !! just like when some of us started in the 80's and this time with allot more resources than the ancestral systems
Cheers. Darth. Theory is when we know everything but nothing work ... Practice is when everything work but no one know why ;) |
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| Greg Fordyce Senior Member Joined: 16/09/2011 Location: United KingdomPosts: 153 |
Not to mention boot times, MM/CMM is instant, RPi takes a while. But I love both. 
Greg P.S. I hope CG's CMM has a hefty 5v supply and can accept car voltage input (12~15 volts) |
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| CircuitGizmos Guru Joined: 08/09/2011 Location: United StatesPosts: 1425 |
5V at 500mA, up to 18VDC. Micromites and Maximites! - Beginning Maximite |
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VK6MRG Guru Joined: 08/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 347 |
Hi CircuitGizmos, Can you add the XR-46 case to your shop. And will the case have the holes required for the ColorMax (sd card, vga etc....) Thanks, Matthew 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 |
It will be added when the it is tooled for the hole locations. There will be a prototype of the box first before it will be offered for sale. Micromites and Maximites! - Beginning Maximite |
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| VK6MRG Guru Joined: 08/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 347 |
Thanks for that. I'll keep an eye on the Circuit Gizmos website. Regards, Matthew VK6MRG 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 have a screen capture of the board layout from the board editor to share: 
Micromites and Maximites! - Beginning Maximite |
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Bryan1 Guru Joined: 22/02/2006 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1344 |
Hi CC, Nice looking design, now with the sea of holes it will be great for one off projects and once there soldered in well they are there for good. If may offer a suggestion you can take it with a grain of salt if you wish too( no pun intended) The simmstick 30 pin buss was a great idea and it was great to see your cgmstick included that concept. Now with your new board by putting a 30 pin header on the end of the board would allow users to put a header on say some veroboard and gain access to the not only the Arduino buss but also other pins that are left available. That way users that want to use the Arduino buss can make their own boards easily by using a 30 pin header and not have to pay $$$ for shields etc. Just my 2.2 cents worth Regards Bryan |
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