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mariae71

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Joined: 22/08/2012
Location: Sweden
Posts: 43

Posted: 03:32pm 30 Nov 2012

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Wombat said Surprised that there is no power jack, so ran it off the
USB via a phone charger pack 5.1V, 0.7A. No problems!

When I have time I'll get some headers, jacks and stuff.

2 different Power jacks included in package, you have to choose one and solder it.

2 x DuinoMite Mega
1 x DuinoMite eMega

bigmik

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Joined: 20/06/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 2914

Posted: 03:35pm 30 Nov 2012

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Wombat said

When I have time I'll get some headers, jacks and stuff.

Where abouts are you in Melb? I am in HILLSIDE, Melb Nth West.

PM me if you are local(ish) and i will will let you know if I have a spare socket or 2 of what you need, if you wish to pop in to get them.

Regards,

Mick

Mick's uMite Stuff can be found >>> HERE (Kindly hosted by Dontronics) <<<

Zonker

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Joined: 18/08/2012
Location: United States
Posts: 761

Posted: 05:04pm 30 Nov 2012

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Wow, you guys are absolutely correct about the DC volts comming in. I had been using 9v DC switching dongles to keep the disapation heat down on the UBW32's small linear regulator and didn't think..! The ColorMax board would need a little more kick for it's onboard switching regulator. I pluged in a 12v unit and BAM... RTC function restored...

You guy's ROCK..!!

CircuitGizmos

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Joined: 08/09/2011
Location: United States
Posts: 1425

Posted: 06:45pm 30 Nov 2012

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Quote
Taking Geoff's circuit the problem can be ONLY in the following areas.
Mick

The CGCOLORMAX1 power supply is a different circuit from Geoff's circuit.

Micromites and Maximites! - Beginning Maximite

CircuitGizmos

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Joined: 08/09/2011
Location: United States
Posts: 1425

Posted: 06:49pm 30 Nov 2012

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bigmik said

centrex said
The pin out of the 26way connector is the same as all the versions of the maximite incl the colour version.

If it is the same, as I am fairly certain it is, then this pinout (use GPIOa information) I made for the UBW32-MCC PCB will be the same.

2012-12-01_012259_GPIO_Connectors.pdf

Colormax 26-pin is just like the Maximite 26-pin.

The Beginning Maximite document has this info. I have updates I'll be uploading soon.

Micromites and Maximites! - Beginning Maximite

paceman
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Joined: 07/10/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 1329

Posted: 08:03pm 30 Nov 2012

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CircuitGizmos said

Quote
Taking Geoff's circuit the problem can be ONLY in the following areas.
Mick

The CGCOLORMAX1 power supply is a different circuit from Geoff's circuit.

Hi Mick & CG,

Mick, the supply is switched, LM3103-MH based. CG, I've been looking at the LM3103MH datasheet LM3103MH and it says pin11 (feedback) is normally 0.6v and pin14 (startup reg output) is normally 6v. Mine is the reverse of that powered on. Do you think there's a typo in the sheet or is my LM3103 in upside down? Pin 1 (with the dot) on mine is at bottom right closest to the big cap (i.e. looking at it with connectors to the back).

Greg

Greg Fordyce
Senior Member

Joined: 16/09/2011
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 153

Posted: 05:45am 01 Dec 2012

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My CGCOLORMAX1 has the LM3103 oriented as you describe, I doubt it would work at all fitted the wrong way around. I think the power supply on this board requires 12v, maybe CG can confirm min and max voltages allowed on the power connector?

Greg

CircuitGizmos

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Joined: 08/09/2011
Location: United States
Posts: 1425

Posted: 06:06am 01 Dec 2012

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There is a resistor in the circuit that may have been stuffed by the pick/place machines wrong. I got an email from the board manufacturer. I'll know more when it is Monday here.

Micromites and Maximites! - Beginning Maximite

OA47

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Joined: 11/04/2012
Location: Australia
Posts: 926

Posted: 09:10pm 01 Dec 2012

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CG I am looking to order some CGCOLORMAX1's what is the code (and price) of the enclosures that you can supply?

CircuitGizmos

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Joined: 08/09/2011
Location: United States
Posts: 1425

Posted: 09:52am 02 Dec 2012

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I am out of the prototype enclosures. It will be about two weeks before I have the custom (very well machined) enclosures. I will post information then.

Micromites and Maximites! - Beginning Maximite

OA47

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Joined: 11/04/2012
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Posts: 926

Posted: 02:31pm 02 Dec 2012

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Thanks CG, I will look forward to your anouncement.

TASMA
Newbie

Joined: 30/11/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 10

Posted: 11:41am 03 Dec 2012

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Hi, I just received my ColorMax, connected it up and got the Logo to come up ok and the cursor, but I cannot get any keyboard input, tried 3 keyboards which all work ok on other computers and my Maxixmite computer. I did get a some characters to appear a couple of times. Any suggestions.

Regards

Brian

bigmik

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Joined: 20/06/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 2914

Posted: 12:18pm 03 Dec 2012

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TASMA said tried 3 keyboards which all work ok on other computers and my Maxixmite computer.

Gday Brian,

Is your k/b a USB one with an adapter or a native PS2 k/b?

If USB then unless the k/b actually came supplied with the PS2 adapter it may be not compatible driven via PS2 (in this case try it as a PS2 k/b in a PC).

If it IS a PS2 k/b then it looks like a problem with your setup... I have yet to see a PS2 k/b that doesnt work..

Ok what problems can cause this?

1. Power supply, Rob has already mentioned there `could' be problem with a resistor placement on the colormax.. This `seems' to affect the 5V supply if you drive it with less than 12v from an external source. 5V seems ok if driven from USB, so if you are using an external supply try using the USB port (via a Mains to USB charger is fine or a PC connection) to supply power. Or try to use a supply that outputs 12Vdc - 16Vdc and see if that helps. The PS2 k/b needs a 5V supply to run, this problem, if it exists in your board affects the 5V.

2. If Power supply is not your problem then it can only be either an open connection from the PS2 socket to the PIC chip or a solder short (or a faulty PS2 connector), try buzzing out carefully from the PS2 connector to the PIC chip pins 80 and 84.

Good luck,

Regards,

Mick

Mick's uMite Stuff can be found >>> HERE (Kindly hosted by Dontronics) <<<

CircuitGizmos

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Joined: 08/09/2011
Location: United States
Posts: 1425

Posted: 12:34pm 03 Dec 2012

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Excellent, Mick. I came here to recommend what you have mentioned in #1.

Micromites and Maximites! - Beginning Maximite

paceman
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Joined: 07/10/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 1329

Posted: 04:23pm 03 Dec 2012

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bigmik said
1. Power supply, Rob has already mentioned there `could' be problem with a resistor placement on the colormax.. This `seems' to affect the 5V supply if you drive it with less than 12v from an external source. 5V seems ok if driven from USB, so if you are using an external supply try using the USB port (via a Mains to USB charger is fine or a PC connection) to supply power. Or try to use a supply that outputs 12Vdc - 16Vdc and see if that helps. The PS2 k/b needs a 5V supply to run, this problem, if it exists in your board affects the 5V.

2. If Power supply is not your problem then it can only be either an open connection from the PS2 socket to the PIC chip or a solder short (or a faulty PS2 connector), try buzzing out carefully from the PS2 connector to the PIC chip pins 80 and 84.

Powering mine with 12v gives 4.2v on the 5v supply but this seems to be OK with the PS2 keyboard. Powering it with 9v gives 3.0v on the 5v supply and yet this still works OK for the PS2 keyboard - strange.
Re Mick's 2nd point - it might just be that the connector isn't pushed home properly. Mine was very tight and needed a supporting finger at the back of the connector to get it home - easier after a few times. Similar story with the VGA. The mini USB was tight the first couple of times but is good now.

My RTC is reliably firing up now and reporting time/date under the logo if I use 12v to power up (i.e. the chip gets 4.2v on the 5v line). It won't run though when I use 9v to power the board and the 5v line is at 3.0v so it can't update MMBasic's date/time on power-up.
No problems if you're using USB for power.

Greg

TASMA
Newbie

Joined: 30/11/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 10

Posted: 05:11pm 03 Dec 2012

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Hi thanks for the replies to my query. The power pack I was using was only putting out 10 volts under load and giving about 3.5 volts on the 5v supply. I changed to a another 12 volt unit and all working OK now.

Regards

Brian

donmck

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

Posted: 05:30pm 03 Dec 2012

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TASMA said Hi thanks for the replies to my query. The power pack I was using was only putting out 10 volts under load and giving about 3.5 volts on the 5v supply. I changed to a another 12 volt unit and all working OK now.

Regards

Brian

The power of a little power.

Don...

https://www.dontronics.com

johnbig

Newbie

Joined: 23/06/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 21

Posted: 06:07pm 03 Dec 2012

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Hi CircuitGizmos,
I received my prototype box from you about a week ago in Sydney Australia but I haven't received the ColorMax yet. Do I keep waiting or do I order another?
Kind Regards
John leate

CircuitGizmos

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Joined: 08/09/2011
Location: United States
Posts: 1425

Posted: 06:45pm 03 Dec 2012

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John:

I sent the prototype box from my office address a while back. The ColorMax shipments come from a different town where they are manufactured. I was mistaken that all of the ColorMax shipping was up to date. I just found out that 11 of them were sitting around waiting to be shipped and just went out on Nov 30th. Wait until next Monday and if you don't have it by then please let me know.

Micromites and Maximites! - Beginning Maximite

CircuitGizmos

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Joined: 08/09/2011
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Posts: 1425

Posted: 06:50pm 03 Dec 2012

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CircuitGizmos said There is a resistor in the circuit that may have been stuffed by the pick/place machines wrong. I got an email from the board manufacturer. I'll know more when it is Monday here.

I've been told that R6 is supposed to be a 120k resistor and it is incorrectly a 1k resistor.

If anyone with a CCCOLORMAX1 with low 5V readings and access to a 120k resistor (and SMT soldering skills) would like to try a fix on their boards I would appreciate getting feedback on this.

Micromites and Maximites! - Beginning Maximite

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