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Forum Index : Microcontroller and PC projects : CGMAXIMTE making it go??
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BobD Guru  Joined: 07/12/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 935 |
Muddy, the free Nitro PDF Reader will allow a basic level of over-typing and saving in a PDF document. Other free readers may do similar. David, the first three options I suggested for a Maximite come preloaded with a bootloader and a version of MMBasic. That MMBasic may not be the latest level but is easily updated. The UBW (I often wondered what that stands for, U Beaut W**nker comes to mind but I think it is something quite different) needs to have the bootloader updated and that is where it gets more difficult. Bob |
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muddy0409 Senior Member  Joined: 15/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 125 |
Hi Dave, Yeah, I know you can cut & paste out of a PDF, but I want to go the other way...add something in the middle of a PDF page. Woluld be much easier to have access to the raw document, that's all. Could also get rid of some of the not really necessary waffle too. Don't poo poo conspiracy theories. Remember that everything ever discovered started somewhere as a theory. |
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TassyJim Guru Joined: 07/08/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 6098 |
The UBW32 comes with a bootloader and you can stay with that one. The only thing you will miss out on is one IO port. If you wish to, you can change the bootloader to the Maximite one which will give you back that missing port. To reprogram the bootloader, you will need a programmer such as the PicKit3 or a friend with one... You can also purchase a pre-programmed chip and PC board from Silicon Chip magazine. I went with the UBW32 because I had one and have since purchased a second one and Mick's board which makes a convenient way of getting things going. I recommend a read of Geoff's website: http://geoffg.net/maximite.html Jim VK7JH MMedit MMBasic Help |
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Bill.b Senior Member Joined: 25/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 226 |
Hi Bob The Altronics Kit comes with the PIC32 already solded inplace and is pre-loaded with ver 4.0 of mmbasic. There is a bootloader already installed on the PIC. The CGCOLORMAXI from circuitGizmo is complete, you anly have to solder the power adapter and then shield sockets if thay are required. The PIC32 is programmed with MMBasic ver 4.0. To upgrade you only have to download the latest version of MMBasic from Geoffs website, this include the bootloader program used to upgrade the PIC32. You will also require the USB driver from silicon chip to download to the PIC32 via the USB port. Bill In the interests of the environment, this post has been constructed entirely from recycled electrons. |
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donmck Guru Joined: 09/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1313 |
David, have a look at: http://www.dontronics-shop.com/maximite-15pin-dm-mini.html prices start at $25 for basically a mono 15 pin MaxiMite. All assembled and tested. Also as others have mentioned: http://www.dontronics-shop.com/usb-32-bit-whacker-pic32mx795 -development-board.html in combination with http://www.dontronics-shop.com/ubw32-mcc-pcb.html to build your own Colour Maximite. Don... https://www.dontronics.com |
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| MOBI Guru Joined: 02/12/2012 Location: AustraliaPosts: 819 |
Don, I don't have a programmer (yet) for the 32 bit Pics and with all the other development work I have, I don't really HAVE to assemble a maximite myself. Do you have the necessary parts to assemble a Colour Maximite as a kit, whether as an upgrade of the UBW or as a single unit, or do you have the colour unit fully assembled and tested. I don't have an electronics supplier on my doorstep so sourcing components elsewhere is undesirable. I would like to get two Colour Maximites from you - what would you advise. regards David M David M. |
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djuqa Guru Joined: 23/11/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 447 |
You don't need a pic32 Programmer to program the PIC32 if you buy a kit or assembled unit. If you are building your own unit based on the Silicon chip project by Geoff Graham, Silicon chip sell the PIC32 already programmed. Newer versions of the MMBasic environment can be easily downloaded and written into the PIC32 using the builtin bootloader on the PIC32 and a standard USB lead. VK4MU MicroController Units |
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| MOBI Guru Joined: 02/12/2012 Location: AustraliaPosts: 819 |
I wasn't thinking just of the Maximite when talking about the Programmer. My old unit is fine for 8 bit mid range pics but would need serious overhaul to do the 32 bit devices. Besides, so far, I haven't been able to get much information on instruction sets and pic32 programming requirements. I'll keep looking anyway. I'd like to be able to use pic32 for more than MM alone. Meanwhile, I'd like to know specifically what I need to either build or buy assembled a colour MM. Perhaps I have a good read of Geoff's site. David M. David M. |
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| MOBI Guru Joined: 02/12/2012 Location: AustraliaPosts: 819 |
I downloaded the pic32 programming reference manual - that part is easy, I also downloaded about 550 pages of MIPS instruction information. Now I think I stick to "bought un" programmers and assemblers. Been there done that. The dream was nice while it lasted. David M. David M. |
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| donmck Guru Joined: 09/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1313 |
Sorry David, I can't help you with A&T colour Maximites. Rob's ColorMax is your best bet. Don... https://www.dontronics.com |
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| MOBI Guru Joined: 02/12/2012 Location: AustraliaPosts: 819 |
Thanks Don, I'll probably get a blank board or two after I've got the preassembled version up and working and I am comfortable with it. I have ordered 2 x CGCOLORMAX1 - Color Maximite from CircuitGizmo site as advised. Muddy, if you read this, we will be in the same boat for a while except that I think mine is the proverbial barbed wire canoe variety. A few of us on TBS have been working on an RFID based auto sheep drafting system that is essentially a laptop talking to a picaxe via usb serial. The maximite will do away with the laptop and files can be transferred via the uSD. I wish I'd come across MM before, it would have saved massive amounts of VB programming. I'll let you know how I go with the CGM when I get them. David M. David M. |
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| muddy0409 Senior Member Joined: 15/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 125 |
I've been doing some dreaming too. How about ripping the guts out of a laptop and slotting a CGM inside. Laptops I have seen usually nominate their keyboards as PS/2 so it may be possible to hook that in. Only worry is the display. Some bright YOUNG bloke out there might look at this one day. I have a little 10 inch lappy somewhere that runs that useless Win CE. Would be just about the right size. I also have one of those Aluminium camera carry "briefcases" staring at me across the loungeroom floor. The lid looks like it will fit an old LCD VGA monitor and a modified keyboard would fit the base. A bit agricultural, I know, but ideas gotta start somewhere. Yeah, yeah, I seen that movie too...."Tell him he's dreamin'!" Don't poo poo conspiracy theories. Remember that everything ever discovered started somewhere as a theory. |
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| MOBI Guru Joined: 02/12/2012 Location: AustraliaPosts: 819 |
Looks like you've got yourself a project. Your lounge room floor sounds like mine. My electronic "workshop" is in one corner. Just as well the lounge room is 9m x 9m. How long did it take for your MM to arrive? I plan to put mine in a rugged box with the onboard connectors extended to the edge of the box so the PCB doesn't get damaged. It is likely it will get used in a sheep yard so it has to be dust and knock proof. (a big ask in a sheep yard). Have you done anything deep and meaningful yet. BTW, why "muddy"? Some times I have been tempted to call my farm "wet-n-daggy" or "Herd Island" David M. David M. |
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| muddy0409 Senior Member Joined: 15/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 125 |
Boy, the things that pop into your head when you start talking about other stuff. The mention of the briefcase in my above post, has had me thinking. That idea of building a CGM project into one of these cases really suits one of the things I gotta do. It has to be ready by October so it needs some more looking into. Hmmmm........ Don't poo poo conspiracy theories. Remember that everything ever discovered started somewhere as a theory. |
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| muddy0409 Senior Member Joined: 15/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 125 |
"Muddy" came about about 30 years ago. At that stage I was about 23 stone and my boss started calling me "mud guts" and it stuck. These days, he is the only one who calls me that, but it does make a catchy handle. BTW I am now down to 120 kG, still a big bloke, but a damn sight better than the 190 kG I eventually got to. (and the 0409 bit is my birthday) Don't poo poo conspiracy theories. Remember that everything ever discovered started somewhere as a theory. |
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| muddy0409 Senior Member Joined: 15/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 125 |
Here's my first suggestion for Gizmo and the GCM: When you get the next lot of boards made, could you make the overlay printing bigger. Especially the jumper labling. My ( and I would suspect other people's) eyes aren't what they used to be. Oh dear, the old fart's complaining again!! Don't poo poo conspiracy theories. Remember that everything ever discovered started somewhere as a theory. |
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| muddy0409 Senior Member Joined: 15/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 125 |
Well, well. Golly blokes....I actually did something... Got the latest firmware loaded... I'm impressed. Don't poo poo conspiracy theories. Remember that everything ever discovered started somewhere as a theory. |
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| MOBI Guru Joined: 02/12/2012 Location: AustraliaPosts: 819 |
For Geoff? I know I'm getting ahead of myself here as my colour maxis have not yet arrived but out of curiosity, if I programme a virgin pic32, is the bootloader firmware included in the ColourMM_MMBasic_V4.2.hex file, or is it a separate hex file somewhere that I've overlooked or can't find? My gut feeling is that it is included in the 4.2.hex file. David M. |
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CircuitGizmos Guru Joined: 08/09/2011 Location: United StatesPosts: 1425 |
Nope. Not included. Bootloader is here: http://geoffg.net/Downloads/Maximite/Colour%20Maximite%20Con struction%20Pack.zip (That one is currently the bootloader plus 4.1, so you will still need to update to get to 4.2) Micromites and Maximites! - Beginning Maximite |
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| MOBI Guru Joined: 02/12/2012 Location: AustraliaPosts: 819 |
Good, thanks, I've found it. Just need to download the updated version of MPLAB, mine is a few years out of date since I have only been programming PIC16F88s etc on my own system. I think I have read it somewhare in all the text, but at the risk of becoming tedious, what is the pic32 chip package style to suit the colour maxi? David M. |
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