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Forum Index : Microcontroller and PC projects : Introducing the Colour Maximite 2

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SWA-Guy
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Joined: 01/02/2019
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Posted: 06:15am 13 May 2020
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  Quote  Poppy said:
I am looking forward to find out, practically it does not matter here that much as I still have to get some parts via ebay from China (those damned 2mm pitched header sockets, I could not find any other near vendor for those as well) and this will take about 4 weeks or more or if they fail a second run ... or third ... or more ...


Sorry, here I hope the links:
https://www.reichelt.de/buchsenleisten-2-00-mm-2x20-gerade-mpe-156-3-040-p119999.html?&nbc=1
 
TassyJim

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Posted: 06:41am 13 May 2020
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  SWA-Guy said  
  Quote  Poppy said:
I am looking forward to find out, practically it does not matter here that much as I still have to get some parts via ebay from China (those damned 2mm pitched header sockets, I could not find any other near vendor for those as well) and this will take about 4 weeks or more or if they fail a second run ... or third ... or more ...


Sorry, here I hope the links:
https://www.reichelt.de/buchsenleisten-2-00-mm-2x20-gerade-mpe-156-3-040-p119999.html?&nbc=1


They need to be 2 x 40 so I hope that you can joint two together OK.

Jim
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SWA-Guy
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Posted: 08:19am 13 May 2020
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  Quote  TassyJim said

They need to be 2 x 40 so I hope that you can joint two together OK.


For this I have sandpaper in my workshop.javascript:AddSmileyIcon('')
 
Grogster

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Joined: 31/12/2012
Location: New Zealand
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Posted: 08:40am 13 May 2020
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@ SWA-Guy - Hallo.  Es ist schön dich hier zuu sehenn. (It's nice to see you here.)

I am still learning German(as other members from Germany will attest), so please forgive me if this is completely wrong....  
Don't respond with full Deutsche - I will not be able to follow it!

As to the 1000+ hours Peter has devoted to this port, I think he is probably being conservative, but even with that, 1000 hours represents more then 41 days of continuous 24/7 coding......bloody hell.....
Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops!
 
Poppy

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Posted: 10:35am 13 May 2020
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  SWA-Guy said  
  Quote  Poppy said:
I am looking forward to find out, practically it does not matter here that much as I still have to get some parts via ebay from China (those damned 2mm pitched header sockets, I could not find any other near vendor for those as well) and this will take about 4 weeks or more or if they fail a second run ... or third ... or more ...


Sorry, here I hope the links:
https://www.reichelt.de/buchsenleisten-2-00-mm-2x20-gerade-mpe-156-3-040-p119999.html?&nbc=1


Super, danke!

Ich habe natürlich auch schon bei Reichelt gesucht und war noch nicht einmal in der Lage die Teile hier zu finden. Das macht die Sache bei weitem einfacher (bzw. schneller)!



Translation:

Great, Thanks!
Naturally I´ve been searching the Reichelt Shop, too, but I even was not able to find particularly these parts there. This makes things much easier (respectively faster)!





I love this forum ...

Andre ... such a GURU?
 
matherp
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Posted: 09:19am 16 May 2020
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A new release V5.05.02RC28 has been posted on http://geoffg.net/Downloads/Maximite/Colour_Maximite_2_MMBasic.zip at 09:00 GMT 16-05-2020.

This addresses the following issues from RC18:

Fixes the floating point issue raised in this thread
Fixes a lockup that could be caused by framing errors on the serial console port
Fixes an editor bug when after an error the file would open with the cursor one line above the incorrect one under certain circumstances
Fixes an editor bug where CUTTING or DELETING multiple lines and where the selection caused the screen to scroll would leave the screen incorrectly updated.
Enables use of Terminal emulators on LINUX
Removes the need to configure Teraterm to send CRLF when receiving CR on Windows
Edited 2020-05-16 19:20 by matherp
 
darthvader
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Joined: 31/01/2020
Location: France
Posts: 72
Posted: 01:08pm 16 May 2020
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  matherp said  
  Quote  i was curious to know if someone have try this code on the STM32H747I-DISCO board ?


It won't work. Please no-one buy this board or any other STM32H7 variant and expect the CMM2 code to work - it won't


Hello  

I'm little late  

Well , it was the wrong question  
I have mean , do you have try to compile for this board or other stm32h7 boards ?
Like what is do for arduino and other python mcu boards.
Just some #declare in the config file.
It can be interesting to dispatch the MM2 on most of the existing H7 board in a simple way.

Cheers.
Theory is when we know everything but nothing work ...
Practice is when everything work but no one know why ;)
 
JohnS
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Posted: 01:15pm 16 May 2020
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  darthvader said  
  matherp said  
  Quote  i was curious to know if someone have try this code on the STM32H747I-DISCO board ?


It won't work. Please no-one buy this board or any other STM32H7 variant and expect the CMM2 code to work - it won't

I have mean , do you have try to compile for this board or other stm32h7 boards ?
Like what is do for arduino and other python mcu boards.
Just some #declare in the config file.


It's more work than that but you could potentially request the source and rewrite all the needed parts, bearing in mind how very different some of the hardware is.

Start by reading the ST hardware & software doc :)

Among others, the board has far less RAM so you'll have some challenges.

As the waveshare board is only $30 I'm not sure why you'd bother!

John
Edited 2020-05-16 23:31 by JohnS
 
darthvader
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Posted: 01:46pm 16 May 2020
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Hello John,

I know how stm32 work  
The actual avatar is just because my old one was not working.
darthmite

My point was that the H7 Disco have everything on it without adding other cables , board etc.(add this on the $30 from waveshare board).
More basic can be the H7 Nucleo for those that don't need GFX, or just want to control some home gadgets.
And for the source code, it's not actually available on Geoff MMBasic download page.

Cheers.
Edited 2020-05-16 23:48 by darthvader
Theory is when we know everything but nothing work ...
Practice is when everything work but no one know why ;)
 
JohnS
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Posted: 02:03pm 16 May 2020
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Clearly it does not have everything, as I pointed out.

I would not expect the source to be available as yet given the newness of this, but did you ask?

John
 
matherp
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Posted: 02:05pm 16 May 2020
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  Quote  More basic can be the H7 Nucleo f


Search for ArmmiteH7 on this site

  Quote  And for the source code, it's not actually available on Geoff MMBasic download page.


Source will be available once fully released


  Quote  My point was that the H7 Disco have everything on it without adding other cables , board etc.


Possibly but it doesn't meet the design concept of the CMM2 and won't be supported - by me at least
 
robert.rozee
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Joined: 31/12/2012
Location: New Zealand
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Posted: 02:44pm 16 May 2020
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there are good arguments for supporting only a single set of hardware, in order to ensure that a program written for one CMM2 will run on any and all CMM2's. think of, for example, the number of 1980's computers that came out with 'variations' (for example the 16k and 32k ZX spectrum) where you ended up with software that would work on one variant but not another. in general, this hurts the market share of a product.

even today, we have multiple versions of the raspberry pi creating headaches for software developers. not to mention the issues created with 32-bit and 64-bit linux - a problem that i am currently battling with myself. these are the sorts of issues that the CMM2 can sidestep by adopting a uniform design.


i dare say that in time many of the features of the CMM2 version of mmbasic will get back-ported to the micromite code base, and at that time there will be room for variations such as headless ST processor micromites, extra pins repurposed for I/O, etc. but these won't be CMM2's, they will be micromites - a very different beast.

for the moment, we need CMM2's that are all functionally identical, all work the same, and that can all run every piece of CMM2 software that is thrown at them.


all just my opinion, mind you!


cheers,
rob   :-)
Edited 2020-05-17 00:45 by robert.rozee
 
matherp
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Location: United Kingdom
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Posted: 03:00pm 16 May 2020
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  Quote  for the moment, we need CMM2's that are all functionally identical, all work the same, and that can all run every piece of CMM2 software that is thrown at them.


   

At the moment the thing we need more than anything is for as many CMM2 to be built, borrowed or stolen by as many "shedders" as possible before the SC articles come out. The more bugs and issues we can find and fix before then the better.

For example thwill identified an issue using a serial console on Linux. None of the original group did that, we all used Windows or the CMM2 stand-alone.

If anyone wants a fully built boxed CMM2, I have 4 immediately for sale, some Waveshare, some single board. Price each is £85+ postage. I won't be building to sell going forward, these are just ones I have made to test the various iterations of PCBs. All are fully functional and identical from a user perspective to the latest versions. PM me if interested. Will ship anywhere at cost.


 
Geoffg

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Posted: 11:42pm 16 May 2020
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Rob, there may be a number of different looking hardware configurations but they are all the same circuit and run the same firmware and have the same capabilities.  So you will not have the issues that you alluded to.

At this time there are four versions that I know of:

- The original design using the Waveshare plug-in module (shown on the right in Peter's post).  This is good for home builders as nearly everything is standard through hole soldering and the components are easy to find.  The PCB design files for this are in my first post and this is the version that will be published in Silicon Chip's July issue.

- A variation on the above design using resistor packs for the R-2R resistor ladders instead of discrete resistors.  This is a bit easier to build and I believe that WhiteWizard and Grogster might be offering these as kits (not sure on that one).

- A single board design with the STM32 microcontroller soldered direct to the main PCB (on the left in Peter's post).  This is designed for machine manufacture and will be supplied fully built and tested.  You can get the PCB made and solder it yourself but you would need to be VERY good at SMD soldering.

- A version of the single board that CircuitGizmo (Rob) is working on.  We have not seen this yet but knowing Rob it will be simple and inexpensive.

All these designs (except Rob's) were done by Peter. I am not sure if he has posted the PCB files for all of them but you can ask him for them if not.  All of them use the same firmware and we are not planning on creating "special" versions of the firmware for non conforming hardware.  So, you can be assured that a BASIC program will run on any version unchanged.

Geoff
Geoff Graham - http://geoffg.net
 
Raul
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Joined: 06/05/2020
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Posts: 11
Posted: 03:33am 17 May 2020
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Interesting project, pity the limitations and lack of flexibility.

H7 micro-controller used in this project has many more capabilities than what is used by this Basic interpreter. Basic can also be significantly enhanced with additional functionality and flexibility.

Since developers will not be supporting other hardware features, are they prepared to release the firmware as open source or making it available to others that may be interested in expanding it further?

ta R.
 
Turbo46

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Posted: 07:43am 17 May 2020
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matherp, I have been following your CMM2 Graphics post and have one question please.

You have shown ways to create a sprite within the CMM2 but is there a way to SAVE one you have created as a re-usable sprite file? I have not been able to find one in the manual.

Bill
Keep safe. Live long and prosper.
 
TassyJim

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Posted: 08:01am 17 May 2020
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  Turbo46 said  matherp, I have been following your CMM2 Graphics post and have one question please.

You have shown ways to create a sprite within the CMM2 but is there a way to SAVE one you have created as a re-usable sprite file? I have not been able to find one in the manual.

Bill

It would depend on what type of sprite.

For the simple ones like CMM1 style, it would be fairly easy to do in Basic.
PIXEL( x, y ) >> number

For complex ones that you want as a PNG are more difficult. MMBasic can save the full screen to a BMP file. You would then have to load it into your preferred graphic editor to crop and save as PNG.

Jim
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matherp
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Posted: 08:59am 17 May 2020
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  Quote  You have shown ways to create a sprite within the CMM2 but is there a way to SAVE one you have created as a re-usable sprite file? I have not been able to find one in the manual.


The assumption is that you will always load or create sprites as explained in the tutorial. However, I can see that if you wanted to write a sprite editor in MMBasic it could be useful to be able to save the created sprite - is there another use you have in mind?

As Jim says it is very easy to create CMM style sprite files in MMbasic. However, full colour files are another issue. One thing on my to-do list is to generalise the SAVE IMAGE command so that you can save part of an image to a file rather than the whole screen. I think this could go a long way to do what you are thinking. Then you could convert the small BMP file to a PNG off-line or alternatively just load it and use SPRITE READ. Would this do what you want?
 
Grogster

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Posted: 09:15am 17 May 2020
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  Geoff said  - A variation on the above design using resistor packs for the R-2R resistor ladders instead of discrete resistors.  This is a bit easier to build and I believe that WhiteWizard and Grogster might be offering these as kits (not sure on that one).


Yes, I will be supplying both the WaveShare module-based unit until I sell all the stock I have, and then I will be supplying the all-in-one matherp design, with all the SMD on the TOP SIDE OF THE BOARD factory assembled.  The bottom side of the board - not sure if I will manually fit the SDRAM and caps or leave that to the kit builder.  I will PROBABLY pre-fit the SDRAM chip and caps too.

  Raul said  Interesting project, pity the limitations and lack of flexibility.

H7 micro-controller used in this project has many more capabilities than what is used by this Basic interpreter. Basic can also be significantly enhanced with additional functionality and flexibility.

Since developers will not be supporting other hardware features, are they prepared to release the firmware as open source or making it available to others that may be interested in expanding it further?

ta R.


"Pity the limitations and lack of flexibility?!"
WTF?!!!??!!

Why are you here? (rhetorical)
While the H7 might indeed have more capabilities in C then under an interpreter, THIS project is an MMBASIC interpreter-based project.

It always amuses me, that Joe Blogs expects 100% brilliance from whatever release is announced on any platform - despite them not being involved in the development at all.....

If you want to develop something else based on the same hardware, feel free.
But if the current project using this hardware does not meet your expectations, then go look for something else please.  The CMM2 is what the CMM2 is - full stop.
Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops!
 
thwill

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Posted: 09:28am 17 May 2020
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Should we have a "CMM2: what I would have done if I could have been bothered" thread?

I think the problem is that on TBS you have an audience of mostly hardware phreaks so of course they are going to redesign it for you whether you want it or not.

I'm a software guy and an '80s child so I'm delighted. I expect in a couple of years I'll be whining about wanting CSub/Fun support, but until then ...

Best wishes,

Tom
Game*Mite, CMM2 Welcome Tape, Creaky old text adventures
 
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