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Forum Index : Microcontroller and PC projects : Maximite Users in Perth
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Geoffg Guru  Joined: 06/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 3194 |
Unfortunately I don't think that this Dome has WiFi. I will have a look into it next time. Come on everyone, are you coming? Geoff Geoff Graham - http://geoffg.net |
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Raros Regular Member  Joined: 06/02/2012 Location: ItalyPosts: 55 |
Geoffg wrote: I would like very much, but there is a big problem of distance........ 
Raros |
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| Geoffg Guru Joined: 06/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 3194 |
Just a reminder to anyone in Perth. This is on Tuesday night. Geoff Geoff Graham - http://geoffg.net |
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| Johan77 Newbie  Joined: 11/02/2013 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1 |
Bunbury, Western Australia. Wish could even find people around here interested in Electronics :( If I were still living in Perth I'd definitely be part of that. 
---- Shane http://www.wolftech.net.au/ |
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| greybeard Senior Member  Joined: 04/01/2010 Location: AustraliaPosts: 161 |
Just got back from having a chat to Geoff and Ray. Nice to put a face to the names. Had an interesting chat with the lads and a show and tell about the maximite history, paper tape, toggle switches, magazine editors, public domain software and confirmed that all of us had some interesting old  memories of the good old days.
cheers lads Rod |
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bigmik Guru Joined: 20/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2914 |
Wish I was able to make it...
WA is the only state or territory of Australia I have never been to and it takes up nearly half the darn country at that. Will get there one day.... I hope Hope everyone enjoyed it.. reminds me of the old TRS80 meetings... I loved them Regards, Mick Mick's uMite Stuff can be found >>> HERE (Kindly hosted by Dontronics) <<< |
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| shoebuckle Senior Member Joined: 21/01/2012 Location: AustraliaPosts: 189 |
Skype has just installed a new version on my laptop and I notice that the Premium Account allows for "Group Calls". I must find out more because this could provide us with a "meet" from all corners of the world. Cheers, Hugh |
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| shoebuckle Senior Member Joined: 21/01/2012 Location: AustraliaPosts: 189 |
A Skype Premium account costs 3.49 euros per month, but there is a 50% special on at the moment if you sign up for 12 months. For Premium account details see http://www.skype.com/en/premium/ and https://support.skype.com/en/category/GROUP_VIDEO_CALLING/ for how to make a Group Call. It seems that up to 10 people can take part and only one of the participants needs a Premium account. The spec for a participant's system increases with the number of people on the call. See https://support.skype.com/en/faq/FA10613/what-do-i-need-to-m ake-a-group-video-call Might be worth a try. Cheers, Hugh |
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| paceman Guru Joined: 07/10/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1329 |
Sounds like a good idea Hugh. I had a look at the specs and Skype recommend a max of five participants and maybe up to seven. The computer specs required at five participants looks pretty reasonable but unfortunately I think for me the ISP upload speed requirements would be a problem. (It works just OK for me on a single video call.) I use an Internode "Reach" ADSL2+ plan here in an outer Melbourne suburb (Research) but it's on a Telstra Zone 2 exchange, ADSL2+ enabled and I'm less than 1km from it, but the maximum upload speed I can get is about 300Kbs and more often about 200.  Download wouldn't be a problem - typically 5Mbs.
Roll on the NBN! Greg |
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| aargee Senior Member Joined: 21/08/2008 Location: AustraliaPosts: 255 |
Well, it looks like I will be in Perth this coming week until Friday morning. If anyone wants to have a second crack at a Maximeet one evening, I'll be in it! Are you about this week, Geoff? If not , c'est la vie. - Rob. For crying out loud, all I wanted to do was flash this blasted LED. |
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Bryan1 Guru Joined: 22/02/2006 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1344 |
Not sure how many guys are in Adelaide but I'm up in the hills at Kanmantoo and would love to host a meeting in my shed. Our place is about 35 minutes from the toll gate and take the Mt Barker exit to get on the old princes hwy until you get to Sawpit gully road which is an intersection with harragate road on top of the hill. I'm about 4.7 k down the road. I have been busy with work but eh how about a BBQ with homegrown lambo and a good session of talking about just how good the maximite has become. Regards Bryan |
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| Ray B Senior Member Joined: 16/02/2007 Location: AustraliaPosts: 219 |
As one of the three attending recently in Perth, I found it most interesting to get to know others persons with similar interests and somewhat similar backgrounds. Topics discussed after the initial getting comfortable with just meeting each other included: * How would we like to see the Maximite hardware develop while possibly remaining a "user constructible" platform - of course there should always be "ready built" option. Should there be more use of Arduino shield options? * How do we widen the user base seeing most users appear to be Male and over 50 years? Interesting there appears to be no interest from those under 20 years, don't the schools promote "hands on technology" these days. Silicon Chip mag would love to see promotion in this direction or they will eventually run out of readers. Geoff seemed keen to keep the development going but then there is a lot of work that could be contributed to in the form of working groups. Before any groups meet around the states or even overseas, at the risk of being too formal some agenda should be considered. Comments welcome RayB from Perth WA |
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| JohnS Guru Joined: 18/11/2011 Location: United KingdomPosts: 3802 |
Judging by posts I see a lot, some countries (probably? not mine, the UK) teach people the way to do embedded is to use Eclipse. As in: always. So they see everything embedded or the like as an Eclipse project, with JTAG or whatever. MMBasic doesn't "fit" that situation - and indeed many others also don't! And embedded is rare, the rest don't appear to get that far. JScript is more likely. Failing that, C++ or maybe Java. Actual hardware, with those weird hard things like - gasp - resistors? Eek. Talk about different worlds!! John |
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| MOBI Guru Joined: 02/12/2012 Location: AustraliaPosts: 819 |
I don't think developing the MM too far beyond minor refinements is a good idea. We already have a nice easy to use platform with capabilities well beyond most hobbyists dreams and nicely fits the KISS principle. If there is to be development, I think should be in the form of shields or the like for people who want specialist features. The PIC32 hasn't been around that long and technology is streeting ahead. It won't be long and the PIC32 will be like the PICF84A of yesterday and there will be something that far out strips it. It is surprising how many digital electronics tinkerers can't even programme in BASIC - I say, leave the MM basic. David M. |
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MicroBlocks Guru Joined: 12/05/2012 Location: ThailandPosts: 2209 |
The PIC32 was introduced in 2007. It is getting 'old'. More and more mcu's are offering more features, so i think within not too much time Microchip will introduce a newer one with even more features. Integrated graphics is a requirment these days, it will probably be included. I think that it will also be more complicated, and that is not always a good thing. The price of the current offerings will probably go lower. It is one of the reasons i am designing my 'blox' with modules so that when a new one is offered i can follow quickly with a new mcu module. If most of the interfacing is done with serial or I2C a new mcu module will still be able to use all the other modules. Microblocks. Build with logic. |
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| JohnS Guru Joined: 18/11/2011 Location: United KingdomPosts: 3802 |
Seems to me that Microchip are (or were) scared about what may happen to Windows so have worked on MPLABX. With Android, MacOS/iOS and Linux that makes sense. Where they will go with the chips... good question but they like to ship vast numbers very cheaply and we're not in that territory at all so can only hope for something "by chance". Didn't they only fairly recently make new PIC32s where the boot flash DROPPED (12K down to 3K), which is a million miles from where we are. Interesting times... John |
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| bigmik Guru Joined: 20/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2914 |
Gday Ray, Just my 2 cents worth.... I feel the two biggest flaws with a user constructable MM is SMDs (admittedly only one in the latest CMM) and the extreme price markup for the kit.. Especially as the creator gets no monies from the sale. the kit price should be near half what it actually sells for. Yes, the problem here is that many people see Arduino as a `suite' or package.. i.e. a software and hardware combination and indeed some shields require fast routines that escape the bounds of Basic (unless they are catered for with dedicated basic commands) but many shields are still usable, LCD, switches and relay boards just a few to mention. these dont need fast routines to drive and are easy (did I say EASY?) to implement. What I believe to be the problem is the languagae ..BASIC.. whilst it is all I know, in todays burgeoning world BASIC is deemed to be old hat and not worth the effort to even look at. That is a bias that is probably impossible to actually overcome. Maybe the CMM needs to be also brought out as a C platform. What I mean here is along the lines that Olimex were trying (probably not too well) do with the DM. Set up the basics required to develop a C based CMM and allow users to develop their own code. I am not suggesting Geoff make MMBasic Open again, I am suggesting an option to NOT have basic on the CMM at all and the user codes from scratch in C and comes up with the product they desire created entirely themselves. Then more of the Arduino shields will be compatible as well. I have NO experience with C but I have to accept that that is what `floats the boat' these days in the micro world. Regards, Mick PS. LONG LIVE MMBasic.. Mick's uMite Stuff can be found >>> HERE (Kindly hosted by Dontronics) <<< |
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djuqa Guru Joined: 23/11/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 447 |
I agree totally Mick ! Another related factor is for some obscure reason names of computer related technology now has to have some STUPID asinine name to cater to the Facebook/Twitter generation. Programs are now "Sketches" or "Apps" Languages don't have descriptive or Acronyms for names, they have to be "Python" or "Lua" Versions no longer are Major.Minor.Revision numbered they given totally ASININE Names like "Ice Cream Sandwich" or "GingerNut Biscuit" (I for the life of me can't figure the rationale behind ANDROID versions ) So I propose the following Maximite == great Aussie name leave As-Is Language No longer Called BASIC but "Arachnid" Programs are now "Bickies" (We have bytes,nibbles and Cookies already) Current Version renamed to "Redback" Next version to be called "Scorpion" The library of support software to be called "Dunny Seat" So now instead of being terribly "OLD Skool" saying something like "I used MM BASIC version 4.3 to write a program for the Maximite ". We can say "I just used Arachnid to write a Maximite Bickie for Dunny Seat (requires Redback)" So I propose at the Perth get-together this concept is discussed. VK4MU MicroController Units |
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| robert.rozee Guru Joined: 31/12/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 2350 |
agreed 100%, although there is a fairly simple solution to this. someone provide one of these (us$2.70 delivered, on ebay): 
populated with the PIC32 and all the SMD parts on the reverse, and pre-programmed with either MMBASIC or the required bootloader. this should be thin enough to send anywhere in the world in a $2 envelope. i suggest this particular carrier PCB as it seems quite generic and readily available in quantity. a parts kit could then consist of one of these (au$1.40 on ebay): 
and one of these (5v buck regulator, us$1.80 on ebay): 
along with a single-sided PCB to connect it all together and other odd components. the carrier PCB could be attached with fixed pins, or a suitable socket made up. for the keyboard use a USB socket, as this is what most dual-interface keyboards seem to have now, while the VGA socket could be attached with flying leads. everything would then be of a suitable scale for the average constructor to solder together. the goal would not be small size, but easy construction. if the user blows up the PIC, then it is easily and cheap to replace just the carrier PCB. |
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| bigmik Guru Joined: 20/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2914 |
Hey thats Great...
At least it will be well supported on the WEB 
Regards, Mick Mick's uMite Stuff can be found >>> HERE (Kindly hosted by Dontronics) <<< |
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