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Forum Index : Microcontroller and PC projects : Maximite Test ver 2.5C - with serial, I/O

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haiqu

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Joined: 30/07/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 152

Posted: 04:44pm 01 Sep 2011

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Geoffg said Wow, a heat gun! That is a flaky chip.
Pity about the USB but from what you say I could believe that the chip has a problem.

Someday I plan to make a universal version of MMBasic not tied to a particular chip. It would only take about a week but even finding that time is difficult.

I have not looked at the Ethernet chip set yet. It is a great pity that Microchip could not integrate the physical layer as they did with USB. That would have been perfect.

Geoff

The ENC28J60 add-on boards are down to $6.50 on eBay.

Rob

unzip, strip, touch, finger, grep, mount, fsck, more, yes, fsck, fsck, fsck, umount, sleep

thetinkerer

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Joined: 16/06/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 68

Posted: 03:15am 03 Sep 2011

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Hi there Guys,
I am having a bit of trouble with my Altronics Maximite.
Firmware version 2.5B works but all other later firmware don't seem to work on my unit.
The various firmware versions, all download and the loader says to restart once the download is complete but when I restart the MM, no Comm port shows up in device manager(winXP) As soon as I go back to an earlier version all is good.
Anyone else have this issue?

thanks

the tinkerer

sparkey

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Joined: 15/06/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 819

Posted: 04:08am 03 Sep 2011

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if you go back through this thread of posts there you should find 2.5"d" hex have you tried that code regards sparkeyn its about half way down page two of this topic ....Edited by sparkey 2011-09-04

technicians do it with least resistance

sparkey

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Location: Australia
Posts: 819

Posted: 04:51am 03 Sep 2011

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i just reprogramed my first run altronics maximite with 2.5 "d" and on comm 6 i have it connected at 9600 baud

Maximite BASIC Version 2.5D
Copyright 2011 Geoff Graham
� � hello
Error: Unknown command
> ? mm.ver
2.0504
>regards sparkey

technicians do it with least resistance

thetinkerer

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Joined: 16/06/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 68

Posted: 06:38am 03 Sep 2011

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This has become very interesting.
I have a second Maximite built from the Ebay PCB and same results:
Version 2.5D - no go
Version 2.5C - no go
Version 2.5B - Good!

I just had another look at the maximite as I see that the green LED comes on - Plugged the VGA in and it IS actually working - just can get a terminal session to it due to not having a comm port for the usb link .I do just about all my MM playing around with a terminal session.

so lets revise this to
Version 2.5D - no comm port
Version 2.5C - no comm port
Version 2.5B - Good - comm port showing in XP (com3)

These results are for both my maximites!

What is interesting in all of this is that the boot loader sees the device but not the terminal - I figure that it is communicating through different methods.

Geoffg

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

Posted: 07:13am 03 Sep 2011

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Hi thetinker,

I am getting confused here. When you say no "comm port". Are you referring to the USB port or an async serial port?

Also, what do you mean by "the boot loader sees the device but not the terminal". The boot loader should never "see" a terminal!

Whatever is going on, it does not sound right.

Geoff

Geoff Graham - http://geoffg.net

VK6MRG

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Joined: 08/06/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 347

Posted: 08:49am 03 Sep 2011

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I have same problem as thetinker. No usb comms for HyperTerminal. BUT. I can still reload older version of mmbasic via bootloader on the usb. Hmmm, not sure what the problem is?

Its easier to ask forgiveness than to seek permission!

............VK6MRG.............VK3MGR............

VK6MRG

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Joined: 08/06/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 347

Posted: 08:57am 03 Sep 2011

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Just to clarify,
Version 2.5D - no USB comms, Can't access Maximite via HyperTerminal.
Version 2.5C - no USB comms, Can't access Maximite via HyperTerminal.
Version 2.5B - Good - USB comms OK. Can access Maximite via HyperTerminal.
Maximite still works as it should with keyboard and VGA, all versions of the MMbasic.
Boot loader works as it should via the USB port with all versions of the MMbasic.
Edited by VK6MRG 2011-09-04

Its easier to ask forgiveness than to seek permission!

............VK6MRG.............VK3MGR............

thetinkerer

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Joined: 16/06/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 68

Posted: 09:07am 03 Sep 2011

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Hi Geoff,
Thanks for the reply. In my previous posts, I am referring to the USB port on the Maximite.I mainly use the Maximite powered by the USB cable and I use Putty or Hyperterminal to connect to the Maximite(no VGA or keyboard connceted to it).

When we plug an Maximite into the PC via the USB cable, a com port appears in the device manager of the PC. In my case the com port(Maximite) is "Com3".

When I have versions 2.5C or 2.5D loaded on either of my Maximites, and I plug in the USB cable, no com3(or any other new comm ports) appear on my Pc.

If I load version 2.5B or earlier then I get the com3 port appear which means I can get a terminal session to the Maximite.

The PC I have been using is running XP with all the latest updates and this is the first Time I have had any issue talking to the Maximite. I figured that the cable and the Maximite USB port is working fine as that is how I load the "hex" files are loaded when using the "Silicon Chip bootloader"

I hope that this explanation is a bit clearer.

Also Thanks very much for all the development work you have done on the Maximite.

regards

Marc
(the tinkerer)

sparkey

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Joined: 15/06/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 819

Posted: 09:12am 03 Sep 2011

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try a nother com port i had three to chose from ...regards sparkey....9600 baud..

technicians do it with least resistance

ajkw
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Joined: 29/06/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 290

Posted: 09:19am 03 Sep 2011

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Version 2.5D usb serial works fine to my linux box using
GTKTerm
Moserial

and also to

TeraTerm running on a Virtual Windows 7 session.

Cheers,
Anthony.

thetinkerer

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Joined: 16/06/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 68

Posted: 09:40am 03 Sep 2011

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I wonder if it's an XP issue?

VK6MRG

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Joined: 08/06/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 347

Posted: 10:00am 03 Sep 2011

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So why is it only the last two updates with the problem and not every one of them. XP has not changed, only MMbasic.
Not sure.

Its easier to ask forgiveness than to seek permission!

............VK6MRG.............VK3MGR............

sparkey

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Joined: 15/06/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 819

Posted: 10:31am 03 Sep 2011

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is there only one version of the boot loader

::this may sound odd but try installing power dvd 9 ...it has the c++ resdt program in it ...

also you need the dot net files 2.5 or later...Edited by sparkey 2011-09-04

technicians do it with least resistance

BobDevries

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Joined: 08/06/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 266

Posted: 10:40am 03 Sep 2011

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Hi thetinkerer and all,

I don't think it's an XP issue, since I'm using WinXP here Service pack 3.
Mine works fine here using the USB serial port, with no changes to Windows at all.

Regards,

Bob Devries
Dalby, QLD, Australia

BobDevries

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Joined: 08/06/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 266

Posted: 10:43am 03 Sep 2011

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Hi all,

One more comment regarding my setup:

I do NOT have DOTNET installed in this PC. I use my laptop with dotnet installed to programme the Maximite, and then my desktop for normal use for programming etc.

Regards,

Bob Devries
Dalby, QLD, Australia

ajkw
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Joined: 29/06/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 290

Posted: 10:48am 03 Sep 2011

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I've just tested Hyperterm with a clean install of XP Home SP2 in a virtual box. Connects all ok to the Maximite.

Regards,
Anthony

seco61
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Joined: 15/06/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 205

Posted: 10:55am 03 Sep 2011

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Just to add another test result - I have tried v2.5d with several of my Maximites (including a "virgin" Altronics version) and have not had any issues. I have tried powering them with both external and USB power and all combinations have worked.

My system is also a XP SP3 system and (with the device manger window open and the "Ports (COM & LPT)" expanded) the com port shows up as soon as I power up the Maximite.

Regards

Gerard (vk3cg/vk3grs)

sparkey

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Joined: 15/06/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 819

Posted: 10:56am 03 Sep 2011

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a thought ... is there any difference`s between the "695/795" chips ... there must be some difference maybe this is the problem ...

technicians do it with least resistance

seco61
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Joined: 15/06/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 205

Posted: 10:59am 03 Sep 2011

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sparkey said a thought ... is there any difference`s between the "695/795" chips ... there must be some difference maybe this is the problem ...

Hi Brian.

My Altronics Maximites all use the 695 chip, and my Maximites built using Ben's PCBs all use the 795 chip.

And both versions work with v2.5d here.....

Regards

Gerard (vk3cg/vk3grs)

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