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Forum Index : Microcontroller and PC projects : Just discover the incredible Maximite
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| drfloyd Newbie  Joined: 22/05/2014 Location: FrancePosts: 11 |
hello Folks ! A new member ! Dr Floyd (Laurent), a french frogger from GAMOPAT community (a french retro computing forum) Sorry for my bloody english !!!! I have discovered this week the incredible MAXIMITE computer ! My God ! It was my dream : A OS/Basic for a retro-computer ! GEOFF is my new HERO. The basic is crazy, perhaps THE BEST IN THE WORLD with QB64 (about the same) Just 2 critics : - only 8 colors, difficult to do beautitul games... But I understand that the chip is limited. Anyway it is a little frustating, old computers have got generally 16 colors. - any compatibility with an old computer... this is a stupid critic I know, but if that computer was compatible with Colecovision, C64 or Atari, it will have an incredible success for the software catalog (but I know that ist is impossible) A question : Do you know if it is possible to find a real keyboard/case for this crazy computer ? My dream is to do like the FUZE COMPUTER in uk : a all in one computer like a C64. best regards Laurent |
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vasi Guru  Joined: 23/03/2007 Location: RomaniaPosts: 1697 |
If you connect a Gameduino, then you can start dreaming. Pardon, gaming I wanted to say... Anyway, get a normal keyboard, unscrew the case, ad some side triangles and a panel on back and you have your own all-in-one PC. 
Hobbit name: Togo Toadfoot of Frogmorton Elvish name: Mablung Miriel Beyound Arduino Lang |
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| drfloyd Newbie Joined: 22/05/2014 Location: FrancePosts: 11 |
I was just asking if it exists a commercial "kit" to create a all-in-one, but apparently not. Gameduino is an additionnal module to add graphics capacity, is that correct ? But it will not be possible to use the new capacities with the MMbasic 4.4 ? |
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Grogster Admin Group  Joined: 31/12/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9310 |
According to what I can find, it is an add-on board you could use with the MM. Gameduino thing It actually looks like an interesting device, although I have never used it. 8-colours is the maximum at the moment, although, Geoff is looking into the new MZ series of chips from Microchip, but that is going to be a while off. There was talk of the possibility of moving up to 16 colours with this, but this is still very much up in the air at the moment, as it is still a work in progress, so to speak. Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops! |
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| drfloyd Newbie Joined: 22/05/2014 Location: FrancePosts: 11 |
I need to speak to Geoff to understand if and how it is usable with the MMbasic, it seems to me strange that it is compatible. (Anyway a futur Maximite with 16 colors in mode 4 will be great) |
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| Grogster Admin Group Joined: 31/12/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9310 |
It is in the form of an Arduino sheild, and if you were to obtain Circuit Gizmos CMM2 board, you will find that the Gameduino will plug directly into the CMM2, as the CMM2 has an Arduino sheild compatible connector. You can find the CMM2 here: CircuitGizmos CMM2 Maximite board I don't know what board or flavour of MaxiMite you have. Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops! |
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| drfloyd Newbie Joined: 22/05/2014 Location: FrancePosts: 11 |
i have not yet ordererd the Maximite Computer, just testing the basic, but my choice is indeed the CMM2 from Gizmos. So : - I order the Gizmos CCM2 - I order the Gameduino (where is the best place to buy ? Is MOD-VGA from Olimex a clone of Gameduino ? - I put the Gameduino on the CCM2 and then, how the MMbasic will use the new capacities ? I have not seen special instructions for this extension in the MMbasic manual ? |
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| WhiteWizzard Guru Joined: 05/04/2013 Location: United KingdomPosts: 2817 |
Hi drfloyd, I am reading this post with interest as it is something I intended doing last year but never got around to it. I did purchase a MOD-VGA which is still in its box - unused and in perfect condition. Therefore if you want a MOD-VGA then I have one that I am happy to sell to you at a reduced price (Olimex web site is currently 29.95euro which is about £24.20; therefore I would be happy with £20+shipping). PM me if you wish to take the offer (or anyone else!!  )
For everything Micromite visit micromite.org Direct Email: whitewizzard@micromite.o |
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| Grogster Admin Group Joined: 31/12/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9310 |
Yes, but you will have to write code in MMBasic on the CMM2, to send commands via the Arduino sheild footprint, to the Gameduino module. A word of caution here - jumping in at the deep end with both a new platform AND video module, might see you just about drowning, if you will pardon the water analogy. It's fine if you want to try it, but be aware that you are taking on a-lot at once, and I would be inclined to just get yourself familiar with MMBasic on the CMM2's standard graphics before you get too excited about the Gameduino. I imagine that the graphics that the Gameduino can produce are fabulous, but it does kinda mean you have to learn TWO new languages at once - the MMBasic one, and also the plethora of commands and functions/features etc of the Gameduino. Not trying to put you off - just perhaps pulling the reins in just a little, so you are aware of what you are taking on. Good luck anyway, and if you DO go ahead, I would be reading this thread with much interest. Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops! |
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| drfloyd Newbie Joined: 22/05/2014 Location: FrancePosts: 11 |
yes, I think you are alright. It's not a good idea. In fact we try to create a real retro computer using existant material, and distribute about 100 or 200 for the members of my forum. Objectives : - OS with good basic in ROM - all-in-one keyboard - and if possible a retro-compatibility with some software (like C64 for example) - and the optional graal : a cartridge port We try to recreate a MSX2 computer, but not easy. |
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MicroBlocks Guru Joined: 12/05/2012 Location: ThailandPosts: 2209 |
A TRS-80/LNW-80 would not be too difficult. It is all built with normal 74xx chips. One of my projects currently on hold (Because the FUZE was introduced, i had to redesign for more functionality) is a Color Maximite inside a modified PS/2 compatible keyboard. I just now have enough equipment to build custom cases, so i might pick up on it again. The idea was to have a bus system along the top of the keyboard so that you can plug in the hardware you want to use. I even want it to fold open so you can store electronic parts for experimenting. Obviously it will not be compatible with anything, but would be a great way to learn basic and interfacing with the real world. There are enough emulators/simulators to run old programs on a pc anyway. Microblocks. Build with logic. |
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| spongebob Newbie Joined: 02/05/2014 Location: AustraliaPosts: 5 |
@OP I wouldn't get too excited about emulating anything on the MM hardware. As good the basic idea is, the realisation is rather mediocre and you will end up stuck with a hardware unable to perform at its real potential in any other application except for MMbasic. For instance, I still can't imagine a sane person not using the hardware UART or SPI ports of the PIC32 but making them completely emulated in software. The result -19200 maximum speed for the "serial port" and something like 4mbit/s for SPI. The PIC32 ports are so cleverly misused that there is absolutely no way for any further optimisations at all. 
But I should sincerely admit the titanic work done by the author to disguise the crappy hardware solution with a relative well written firmware. MM and CMM are out of the mainstream already though IMHO, so in your shoes I would be looking elsewhere for a better done board to emulate the old school computers. |
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| Grogster Admin Group Joined: 31/12/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9310 |
...a little harsh, IMHO... I think that Geoff is planning to port a lot of the features of the MicroMite to the Maximite(such as hardware serial up to 230kbps etc), but having said that, this probably won't happen overnight. Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops! |
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| JohnS Guru Joined: 18/11/2011 Location: United KingdomPosts: 3817 |
Which is what the Olimex Duinomite sorts out. (Hardware uarts etc.) I expect the PIC32MZ version to be better in all ways. I sure hope so, anyway. And/or the STM32F4 version(s). John |
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| spongebob Newbie Joined: 02/05/2014 Location: AustraliaPosts: 5 |
True, a little harsh. I just hate to be the party pooper 
hopefully all the hardware bugs will be fixed in future. By the way, I think RPi shapes up as a a better choice for the emulation of ancient computers. |
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| Grogster Admin Group Joined: 31/12/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9310 |
Yes, the RP does have much fancier graphics etc, so I will give you that one! 
BUT it is also proportionately more difficult to program. I guess NOTHING is easy!!!!!!!!! Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops! |
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| drfloyd Newbie Joined: 22/05/2014 Location: FrancePosts: 11 |
Yes, Raspberry is the best solution I try to find a langage Bssic OS for Rasp Pi (like MMbasic for Maximite) but apparently it does not exist ??? I dont't want to support Linux... it's crazy, nobody in the world try to create Basic OS ? Someone has tried to create a native Commodore 64 OS but it is not fisnish apparently : http://www.commodorepi.co.nr/ So there ara possibilities to run emulators with a mini-boot and invisible linux OS (like Archilinux)... it take about 6 or 7 seconds. It's not to bad as the 8bit emulators are about perfect now. Just need to find a all-in-one box like FUZE. It's strange we cannot find on shops Raspberry keyboards all-in-one.... It's only boxes. |
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| vasi Guru Joined: 23/03/2007 Location: RomaniaPosts: 1697 |
Nothing is suitable as a OpenPandora is. Hobbit name: Togo Toadfoot of Frogmorton Elvish name: Mablung Miriel Beyound Arduino Lang |
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| JohnS Guru Joined: 18/11/2011 Location: United KingdomPosts: 3817 |
drfloyd - Most people simply do not want that product. I'm sure some do, or might, and maybe would be happy with (say) a Duinomite+MMBasic in a box. They probably would be equally happy with any Basic on top of Linux as they likely would not really care what it ran on. People have made AW boards boot in 1-3 seconds into Qt so I suppose that would be a cheap, fast & capable way to do it. Don't expect a big market, whatever way is used. John |
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| JohnS Guru Joined: 18/11/2011 Location: United KingdomPosts: 3817 |
Ouch that's expensive (and small)! John |
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