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donmck

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Joined: 09/06/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 1313

Posted: 05:13pm 12 Jul 2011

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Dave Everett said
As I don't have a PS2 keyboard, it is also VERY tight getting the VGA connector on and fitting a usb to PS2 adapter. I should probably rewire the keyboard I am using. It's the nice miniature one Altronics sell.

Dave

I have a PICKIT3 on the way, so I haven't programmed a Maximite yet, but when Stuart was here and we had that massive herd roundup, he was programming boards just using a set of header pins plugged into the 6 pin PCB holes, that is, no header installed into the PCB.

Which means, if you don't solder [soder] the header in, then you can program it via the bottom of the board. Of course, you should only need to do this once, if it remains a Maximite boot loader.

Suggest you investigate, and if it works, then use this method.

Just realized, Richard doesn't have headers on his boards:
http://www.dontronics-shop.com/maximite-ev-embedded-version. .html

Cheers Don...Edited by donmck 2011-07-14

https://www.dontronics.com

jman

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Joined: 12/06/2011
Location: New Zealand
Posts: 711

Posted: 07:06pm 12 Jul 2011

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Hi Don

Do you have a PICKIT 2 ?
I managed to program mine with a PICKIT 2 you will require a modified
dat file. I can send it you if needed

John

donmck

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Joined: 09/06/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 1313

Posted: 09:19pm 12 Jul 2011

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jman said Hi Don

Do you have a PICKIT 2 ?
I managed to program mine with a PICKIT 2 you will require a modified
dat file. I can send it you if needed

John

No, thanks anyway John.

Cheers Don...

https://www.dontronics.com

seco61
Senior Member

Joined: 15/06/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 205

Posted: 10:14pm 12 Jul 2011

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Hi Ben.

I think the issue with the boards not always running MMBasic without some mods to to C5 is to do with the ESR of C5 and its distance from the MCU.

If you read the PIC32MX5XX/6XX/7XX Family Data Sheet, section 2, Microchip are quite specific in their recommendation of how the decoupling and Vcap capacitors should be located and also their value and ESR.

Unfortunately the current Maximite PCB does not follow these guidelines for layout, so the use of LOW ESR caps is essential, ideally located as close to the MCU as possible.

As we are running the MCU at 80MHz, the decoupling requirments are very important.

regards

Gerard

Regards

Gerard (vk3cg/vk3grs)

Glenn

Newbie

Joined: 14/06/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 29

Posted: 02:19am 13 Jul 2011

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Ben
can you do standard post in a padded bag? This would be much cheaper. I don't need a PCB in that much of a hurry for $9

glenn

VK3PE

trippyben

Regular Member

Joined: 26/06/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 91

Posted: 08:03am 13 Jul 2011

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Glenn, can do if you like - would need a postcode to calculate the cost.

Ben

trippyben

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Joined: 26/06/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 91

Posted: 08:09am 13 Jul 2011

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seco61 said Hi Ben.

I think the issue with the boards not always running MMBasic without some mods to to C5 is to do with the ESR of C5 and its distance from the MCU.

If you read the PIC32MX5XX/6XX/7XX Family Data Sheet, section 2, Microchip are quite specific in their recommendation of how the decoupling and Vcap capacitors should be located and also their value and ESR.

Unfortunately the current Maximite PCB does not follow these guidelines for layout, so the use of LOW ESR caps is essential, ideally located as close to the MCU as possible.

As we are running the MCU at 80MHz, the decoupling requirments are very important.

regards

Gerard

Hi Gerard, I spotted the ESR requirements earlier. It's just curious that the Altronics kits seem to work fine with their poor routing and 'high esr' parts, where as our homebrew units falter. I was chasing the thought that maybe the '795 is a bit more finniky due to the extra on-chip perhiperals.

Ben

donmck

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Joined: 09/06/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 1313

Posted: 08:19am 13 Jul 2011

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trippyben said Glenn, can do if you like - would need a postcode to calculate the cost.

Ben

A large letter, which includes a small padded bag like the Pb2, for 1-125gm is $1.20 Australia wide.

Pb2 Bag is $1.10
http://catalogue.auspost.com.au/portal/offerdetails/australi a_post_padded_bags/13098357727511?CatalogueID=13094843421151 &CatalogueID=&source=catalogueoffer&jump=&pageview=two

Cheers Don...Edited by donmck 2011-07-14

https://www.dontronics.com

trippyben

Regular Member

Joined: 26/06/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 91

Posted: 09:56am 13 Jul 2011

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Thanks Don.

Glenn, either contact directly or buy on eBay as suits you. I can fix eBay invoice before you pay if you send it through.

Ben

Geoffg

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Joined: 06/06/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 3194

Posted: 10:37am 13 Jul 2011

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aargee said Just another note to those building their own and wanting to program the Maximite with the Microchip Pickit3 or similar (which you will need to do). Once the keyboard socket is mounted on the board there is no room to plug in the programmer! I constructed an extension cable, as I thought it might be useful in the future.
- Rob

There was plenty of space on the prototype (see the photos in Silicon Chip). There must be a larger style of mini din connector in circulation.

Geoff

Geoff Graham - http://geoffg.net

aargee
Senior Member

Joined: 21/08/2008
Location: Australia
Posts: 255

Posted: 01:29pm 13 Jul 2011

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Geoff,

Not for the Pickit3 there isn't, even the SC version would have the same problem!

Have a look at here at my construction.

- Rob.

For crying out loud, all I wanted to do was flash this blasted LED.

donmck

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Joined: 09/06/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 1313

Posted: 03:46pm 13 Jul 2011

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aargee said Geoff,

Not for the Pickit3 there isn't, even the SC version would have the same problem!

Have a look at here at my construction.

- Rob.

Rob, have added your blog to my Links page. I'm sure current and future members will be interested:

http://www.themaximitecomputer.com/links/

Cheers Don...

https://www.dontronics.com

Glenn

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Joined: 14/06/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 29

Posted: 10:35pm 13 Jul 2011

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Ben, i just sent an email direct to you for the pcb's (2) by std. post

glenn

VK3PE

Glenn

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Joined: 14/06/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 29

Posted: 11:00pm 13 Jul 2011

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amended to 5 Ben. Paypal'd today.

glenn

VK3PE

vasi

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Joined: 23/03/2007
Location: Romania
Posts: 1697

Posted: 12:57am 14 Jul 2011

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jman said Hi Don

Do you have a PICKIT 2 ?
I managed to program mine with a PICKIT 2 you will require a modified
dat file. I can send it you if needed

John

Hi jman,

I do have a pickit2

, can you attach an archive with the modified .dat file?
Thanks!

Vasi

Hobbit name: Togo Toadfoot of Frogmorton
Elvish name: Mablung Miriel
Beyound Arduino Lang

donmck

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Joined: 09/06/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 1313

Posted: 01:06am 14 Jul 2011

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vasi said

jman said Hi Don

Do you have a PICKIT 2 ?
I managed to program mine with a PICKIT 2 you will require a modified
dat file. I can send it you if needed

John

Hi jman,

I do have a pickit2

, can you attach an archive with the modified .dat file?
Thanks!

Vasi

do you want to send me the file also, and I'll add it to the files storage.

support2011 AT dontronics.com

Cheers Don...

https://www.dontronics.com

vasi

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Joined: 23/03/2007
Location: Romania
Posts: 1697

Posted: 02:14am 14 Jul 2011

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Here is a PKDeviceFile.dat editor (attached) but also some hints collected from Microchip forum (I did it some time ago and can't find the link). Still, would be nice to have a tested .dat file.

2011-07-14_121307_PK2DFE_v1.0.0.6.zip

[quote=MicrochipForum]
YES IT WORKSSSS!!!!

I had to remove this config line from my code in order for the
pickit2 to program correctly:

#pragma config DEBUG = ON // Background Debugger Enable

------------------------------------
I only have the PIC32MX795 series to test with so I will only post the
settings for that.

First duplicate item PIC32MX460F512L from the parts list then change to these
settings:

PartName: PIC32MX795F512H
DeviceID: 0x0000E000
ProgramMem: 0x00020BFC

Thanks dougy83 for making a wonderful program, and xiaofan for helping out
with my issues.

----------------------------------------

Doug,

I owe you a pint. The pk2cmd would fail verify on the config word on a 18F83J11. Using your app. I changed the ConfigBlank byte 3 to 0x0FFF (from 0x0000) and all is well. The 83J11 uses only three bytes of the four and the verify would trip up at

Address Good Bad
0x1ffe 0xFFFF 0xF000

Cheers,

Chad Southwell
Photon Kinetics
Beaverton, OR

------------------------------------------

Great job! I added a PIC32MX795F512L and programmed succesfully!
I copied PIC32MX460F512L and changed dev ID to 0x7000.
Later I changed the config mask words(to add usb/ethernet config. bits), programmed and then no longer recognized..oops! wrong bits changed?
I may have changed some ilegal Bit and the pic32, althought it works blinking a LED, it no longer sends PGD data to pickit 2.
Perphaps we should be carefull when editing config bits..
I will have to try again when I get more pics.
Again, great app ;-) thanks for your work!

[/quote]

Hobbit name: Togo Toadfoot of Frogmorton
Elvish name: Mablung Miriel
Beyound Arduino Lang

vasi

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Joined: 23/03/2007
Location: Romania
Posts: 1697

Posted: 02:17am 14 Jul 2011

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Yes, found the project page:
http://sites.google.com/site/pk2devicefileeditor/

Hobbit name: Togo Toadfoot of Frogmorton
Elvish name: Mablung Miriel
Beyound Arduino Lang

donmck

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Joined: 09/06/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 1313

Posted: 02:47am 14 Jul 2011

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vasi said Yes, found the project page:
http://sites.google.com/site/pk2devicefileeditor/

http://www.themaximitecomputer.com/max/Programs/index.php?di r=Hardware%2FMicrochip%2F

Hi Vasi, I have added it, but as you see, it won't mean a great deal to users, and there will be lots of questions asked, unless you can knock it into shape a little. Please have a look at:

http://www.themaximitecomputer.com/submit-basic-program/

It would be nice if you can make it a little more user friendly as far as the file names, and a covering text file is concerned.

Have a look at:
http://www.themaximitecomputer.com/max/Programs/index.php?di r=Basic%2FHardware-Software-Combination%2FI2C+PCF8574%2F

as an example.

Otherwise it becomes just a bunch of files, that have to be hunted though to find out what they are for, and the only hint will be the folder name.

Hope you understand.

Thanks.

Cheers Don...

https://www.dontronics.com

vasi

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Joined: 23/03/2007
Location: Romania
Posts: 1697

Posted: 03:08am 14 Jul 2011

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Hi Don,

I didn't intended to send something. I just remembered that I solved (some how) for me the problem on burning a PIC32MX795F512H with my Pickit2 programmer.
I said "some how" because I don't have that chip for tests. I also didn't had much than a Microchip forum and the links to the program. But you can see that here is a guy which succeeded and can give us more information.

Anyway, what a restless man can see on them:
On the project page (on google sites), you can see some hints about how to use the program in editing the PKDeviceFile.dat.
Also, in the quote posted by me (some posts form the Microchip forum with clues regarding to subject) which are posts separated with lines, on the second post, you can see how to prepare the file to be able to burn the Maximite PIC:

[quote]
I only have the PIC32MX795 series to test with so I will only post the
settings for that.

First duplicate item PIC32MX460F512L from the parts list then change to these
settings:

PartName: PIC32MX795F512H
DeviceID: 0x0000E000
ProgramMem: 0x00020BFC

Thanks dougy83 for making a wonderful program, and xiaofan for helping out
with my issues.
[/quote]

How to duplicate a PIC description in order to modify it, I think we can see on the editor's project page.

P.S. Generally, I make DVDs for my own use and for my personal archive with interesting stuff I found on internet and store it on categories. I did this with those posts from Microchip forum and copied them into a text file named "hints.txt" along with the archived .dat editor for later use. That day has yet to come.

Hobbit name: Togo Toadfoot of Frogmorton
Elvish name: Mablung Miriel
Beyound Arduino Lang

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