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Forum Index : Microcontroller and PC projects : MM+: Pimp your Skinnymite

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matherp
Guru

Joined: 11/12/2012
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 10277

Posted: 09:32pm 23 Jul 2015

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For anyone who has a Skinnymite already built or a spare Skinnymite PCB and wants to try the new MM+ firmware, here is an easy way to convert it for use with a crystal.

Using a pair of pliers and a soldering iron, pull the GND, Pin-39 and pin 40 pins out of the board.

Then remove three pins out of one of the long pin header strips. Insert these in place of the original pins so that the length underneath is the same as the original pins.

Then it is easy to use a bit of veroboard to mount the crystal and capacitors. You may be able to see in the picture the short link wire that connects the right crystal pin to the correct strip to align with pin 39.

Finally, solder the stripboard to the three protruding header pins. I mounted it upright to keep the skinny character but not obscure the power LED.
Flash the new firmware and you are up and running on MM+b23

Zonker

Guru

Joined: 18/08/2012
Location: United States
Posts: 767

Posted: 12:58am 24 Jul 2015

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Wow.. Awesome idea Peter..! That will be faster than building the new ones...

Grogster

Admin Group

Joined: 31/12/2012
Location: New Zealand
Posts: 9603

Posted: 01:19am 24 Jul 2015

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Yes, that is crafty!

New beast has on-board USB and SD card though.

Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops!

Justplayin

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Joined: 31/01/2014
Location: United States
Posts: 328

Posted: 06:19am 24 Jul 2015

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Hey Grogster,

Is it possible to create a motherboard/daughter board for the SkinnyMite which would add the crystal, SD card, and USB jack. I seem to remember you did not bring the USB pins out but it would be nice to have the USB jack for powering the SkinnyMite.

--Curtis

I am not a Mad Scientist... It makes me happy inventing new ways to take over the world!!

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