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Forum Index : Microcontroller and PC projects : PicoMite: Waveshare Zero board...

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Grogster

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Joined: 31/12/2012
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Posted: 12:06am 20 Apr 2022
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The WS 2040 Zero mini board that sells for $5 runs the PM firmware just fine.

WS 2040 Zero module...

Apologies if anyone else has already reported this.  I was told about this module by another member a few weeks ago, but I can't remember if that member said they had already tried running the PM firmware on one or not.

This thing is just as cheap as the original Pico module, but much smaller, has a USB-C connector and a WS2812 RGB LED on it also.  No buck-boost on this module though, so you must feed it at least 5v input, but I don't see that as any kind of problem.(for me)

SERIOUSLY considering using this module as the basis of several new designs moving forward, as it is cheap and AVAILABLE - unlike many other chips at the moment.  And having the USB connector etc all onboard means less parts for me to have to fit on MY PCB compared to the MM2 based projects that have the 1455 USB chip and USB socket etc as part of the PCB design, but this little module has all that done for me.

You might be surprised that with a "Tight" design on a small PCB, the space taken up by the 1455 chip and USB socket CAN complicate things(even if you use an SMD 1455), and if they weren't there, it would give you much more room to move for other tracks etc.

Can't see any negatives JUST YET, so I will see what I can rustle up with this thing.

EDIT: Just played with the on-board 2812 LED, and it is SUPER bright!   That could be a handy thing for indicating certain things happening, but from inside a sealed case with just a blank bit in the decal(label) above where the module is.  The LED is so bright, that I don't think you'll have any problems seeing it through a decal plastic!  
Edited 2022-04-20 10:19 by Grogster
Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops!
 
Mixtel90

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Posted: 05:46am 20 Apr 2022
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That looks like a useful little module. I'm tempted to get a couple to play with. They are slightly more expensive than the Pico here, I think, but it's not by a lot.
Mick

Zilog Inside! nascom.info for Nascom & Gemini
Preliminary MMBasic docs & my PCB designs
 
Grogster

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Posted: 07:44am 20 Apr 2022
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To me, it was the size that mattered.  No pun intended.
The full-size original Pico module is too big to put on wall-plate sized things, that's what drew me to the WS one.

I note that they even break out all the unused pins to pads on the bottom of the module - clever.

The only pin they DID NOT route out, is the RUN/RESET pin which is a shame, cos then you can't have any other circuit reset the Zero module, but that is probably nit-picking.  
Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops!
 
Mixtel90

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Posted: 07:57am 20 Apr 2022
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You need a fine tipped iron to dab a wire onto the reset button - or a nice solenoid to push it for you. :)
Mick

Zilog Inside! nascom.info for Nascom & Gemini
Preliminary MMBasic docs & my PCB designs
 
IanT
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Joined: 29/11/2016
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 82
Posted: 08:14am 20 Apr 2022
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Thanks, they look to be very handy - I've just ordered three to try out. I also have a requirement where the Pico won't quite physically fit and I was going to have to wire wrap a 170 custom board but this is a much easier (& neater) solution.

Regards,

IanT
 
led-bloon

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Joined: 21/12/2014
Location: Australia
Posts: 202
Posted: 09:56am 20 Apr 2022
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I have the WS RP2040-Zero running PicoMite & PicoMiteVGA no problems.
The biggest problem with the device is components both sides of the board
(defeated purpose for castellated edge connectors?). PCB stand-off pins
probably required to add to a new PCB design. The pads beneath the board
are a useless "addon" as they are so tiny to be almost unusable.
But cheap and small with fewer GPIO pins, compared to the Pico.
The Seeed XIAO although slightly dearer and fewer GPIO has components on
one side only.  I have run PicoMIte & PicoMiteVGA ok on this device too.
led
Miss you George
 
Grogster

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Posted: 10:22am 20 Apr 2022
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  led-bloon said  The biggest problem with the device is components both sides of the board(defeated purpose for castellated edge connectors?).


Yeah, I agree with that.  Strange decision on that, when you physically CAN'T mount it flush to the PCB.
Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops!
 
led-bloon

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Posted: 10:25am 20 Apr 2022
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Well technically you can, if you are prepared to cut a huge hole in the PCB
beneath the Zero module!
led
Miss you George
 
Grogster

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Posted: 10:29am 20 Apr 2022
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LOL!!!!      
Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops!
 
led-bloon

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Posted: 10:34am 20 Apr 2022
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Or a wide slot on one side of the PCB and mount the module across it?
led
Edited 2022-04-20 20:34 by led-bloon
Miss you George
 
Mixtel90

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Posted: 11:01am 20 Apr 2022
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...or don't use it and cut a Pico down. At least it can be surface mounted. :)

Looks like this is a header pins only version.
Mick

Zilog Inside! nascom.info for Nascom & Gemini
Preliminary MMBasic docs & my PCB designs
 
Rickard5

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Joined: 31/03/2022
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Posts: 328
Posted: 11:28am 20 Apr 2022
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  Grogster said  To me, it was the size that mattered.   

Are you Quoting my EX now as she left with my Best Friend?
I turned the volume on the monitor to max and could hear sound. Thanks Stanleyella
 
Grogster

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Posted: 12:27am 21 Apr 2022
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Damn.....  
Not really a best friend to do that.
Sorry to hear about that.
Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops!
 
Rickard5

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Posted: 03:44am 21 Apr 2022
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  Grogster said  Damn.....  
Not really a best friend to do that.
Sorry to hear about that.

Well Grogster it wouldn't be a Texas Outlaw Country Music song if it was a stranger   You do know what a Texas Divorce and a tornado have in common?
Somewhere someone is losing a double wide and a pick-up

but more On-Topic is there a MMBasic distro for the Raspberry Pi zero ?
Edited 2022-04-21 13:51 by Rickard5
I turned the volume on the monitor to max and could hear sound. Thanks Stanleyella
 
Grogster

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Posted: 05:02am 21 Apr 2022
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At least you seem to be taking it reasonably well.
Some people, it would just about drive them to suicide - losing not only their girl, but the guy they THOUGHT they trusted as their best mate.  

Back on topic, yes.

Peter(matherp) did do a port for the Pi Zero board, but it has been discontinued.  I forget the exact reason for that now, as there were carrier boards made for that port, but I think it might have just been Peter's hate of the Pi IDE or something like that - apparently not that nice to work with.  I could have that wrong also, just writing down what my mind is thinking right now.

You can still download and use the Pi Zero port firmware, but it just is not being actively developed anymore.  Other members here will probably be able to give you better details then I have up to this point!  
Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops!
 
Mixtel90

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Posted: 06:23am 21 Apr 2022
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Development for the RPi series was stopped because continual changes to the OS, GPIO system and hardware made it very hard work to keep up. As soon as a port was getting close something would change and break it. You can't work like that. Eventually we might get Tom's generic linux version on the Pi series but, personally, I doubt if there will be a native version for it.
Mick

Zilog Inside! nascom.info for Nascom & Gemini
Preliminary MMBasic docs & my PCB designs
 
Grogster

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Posted: 06:39am 21 Apr 2022
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Thanks for that Mick.
Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops!
 
JohnS
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Joined: 18/11/2011
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Posted: 08:13am 21 Apr 2022
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  Rickard5 said  is there a MMBasic distro for the Raspberry Pi zero ?

Have a read around, such as
here

Meanwhile, Tom's MMB4L looks promising.

John
Edited 2022-04-21 18:14 by JohnS
 
thwill

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Joined: 16/09/2019
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Posted: 09:33am 21 Apr 2022
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Hi Rickard,

This is the thread for my MMB4L (MMBasic for Linux) port: https://www.thebackshed.com/forum/ViewTopic.php?TID=14155

There are i686, x86_64 and armv6l (which will run on a PiZ) builds here.

It's very much a WIP and long overdue an alpha 4; I'm still working on it but have recently been distracted by testing MMBasic for Windows and working on stuff related to the PicoGAME VGA.

Note that it currently has no support for hi-res graphics, audio or GPIO, etc. (though the latter can be achieved using SYSTEM calls to access the sysfs interface to the GPIO). Also the serial comms are flakey.

  Mixtel90 said  You can't work like that. Eventually we might get Tom's generic linux version on the Pi series ...


It does already run on the Pi series, it just doesn't have all the bells and whistles people understandably want yet.

  Mixtel90 said  ... but, personally, I doubt if there will be a native version for it


MMB4L is a "native" version, I think you mean a "bare metal" version. I agree that's not on the cards; unless there is a skunkworks project going on behind closed doors the TBS members who might be capable are not interested or don't have the time to write and then maintain such a version.

Your other options for the PiZ are:

- The abandoned PiCromite build if you can get the correct Raspbian version and find the download.

- I think someone posted about having MMBasic for Windows running on a Pi (but it may have been on a Pi 3/4). That requires use of both "Wine" and also an i686 virtual-machine layer.

Best wishes,

Tom
Game*Mite, CMM2 Welcome Tape, Creaky old text adventures
 
lizby
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Posted: 11:39am 21 Apr 2022
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I recently attempted Peter's MMBasic Picromite port, both with (what I think was) Lew's image of stretch + MMB, and with an old version of stretch I had. Both would run, with I/O control, but regularly gave error reports from pigpio which did not keep the program from continuing to run.

I didn't think that was hopeful enough to continue, so I switched to Lua--far from as capable as MMBasic, but able to do the simple pin i/o that I needed.

I've also run MMB4L on the pi--it probably could also do the simple on/off pin i/o using the deprecated sysfs system calls which are supported by all (most?) linux versions which run on hardware which offers gpios.
PicoMite, Armmite F4, SensorKits, MMBasic Hardware, Games, etc. on fruitoftheshed
 
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