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Forum Index : Microcontroller and PC projects : RIP DuinoMite Firmware
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| DuinoMiteMegaAn Senior Member  Joined: 17/11/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 231 |
At least Geoff G. provides an alternative firmware for my hardware or it would have been a total waste of money. 
Like I said before "software quality control is very lacking with open source" 
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vasi Guru  Joined: 23/03/2007 Location: RomaniaPosts: 1697 |
It is still a great board. How about using mikroBasic for PIC32 with it? As for developers, I would suggest to try to adapt (this time, in house) PIC32Lua to it and go from there. What it needs to lua is an I2C driver and a VGA. That's all. Is much faster and is worth the effort. Hobbit name: Togo Toadfoot of Frogmorton Elvish name: Mablung Miriel Beyound Arduino Lang |
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Gizmo Admin Group  Joined: 05/06/2004 Location: AustraliaPosts: 5019 |
Yes I agree, the DuinoMites are still a great board. Just because the firmware development has stalled doesn't mean you cant use the existing firmware. I've got one in a windmill controller and it works perfectly fine. Glenn The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago, the second best time is right now. JAQ |
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djuqa Guru Joined: 23/11/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 447 |
The stagnation of the development project was always a possibility. Hardware expertise does not imply automatically bring software excellence. It was apparent from early on the DM Basic project team members needed extra help with software engineering, than was available to deliver a RELIABLE and CONSISTENT end product. The DMBASIC firmware project is NOT dead, just on Life support. If DM owners want to continue the development, then it can be done, but a more disciplimed approach is needed. Engineered design principles applied. Bench-testing done BEFORE Compilation. Debugging DONE before Release. Real BETA testing done and Bug reports gathered. You have some of the best hardware/software available currently in the Maximite/Duinomite family . MMBasic 3.x Rocks, but lacks some of the great design features that DMBASIC PROMISED but didn't deliver. Lets make DMBasic at least as good as MMbasic 3.x Failing that, Embrace all that is good about MMBasic 3.x VK4MU MicroController Units |
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| JohnS Guru Joined: 18/11/2011 Location: United KingdomPosts: 3661 |
mikroBasic appears to be closed source and non-free so no thanks The idea of redoing all Geoff's changes strikes me as "not gonna happen". Best to live with DM as it is or move to a language not closed off, such as C. The hardware is good. John |
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| Bugs2 Newbie  Joined: 18/05/2012 Location: United KingdomPosts: 29 |
Thanks to the help given by VK4tec on this forum, even I was able to reprogramme a DM Mini with the latest version of MMBasic within a few minutes. Although it only supports some of the interface pins, you still end up with a very useful system at a low price. |
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| vasi Guru Joined: 23/03/2007 Location: RomaniaPosts: 1697 |
John, I addressed this to a Basic user. mikroBasic is great, easy to learn and your applications are lighting fast compared to an interpreter. It allows you to use all pins and peripherals and in time, you will not need an interpreter anymore. Yes, it cost you money, but you pay only once and benefit of all upgrades for free, until the end of your life. All your projects can be open source (if you dare). Hobbit name: Togo Toadfoot of Frogmorton Elvish name: Mablung Miriel Beyound Arduino Lang |
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| vasi Guru Joined: 23/03/2007 Location: RomaniaPosts: 1697 |
I have one question. I know Ken was working on Gameduino interfacing. If that is working ok, then Duinomite is not a dead project (having a color screen at full speed is great). Have Ken released the sources or, a .hex file? I think that this move will be much in the favor of the middle board (can't remember right now the name) form the Duinomite series. This way DMBasic 2.7 can be viable as it is. Hobbit name: Togo Toadfoot of Frogmorton Elvish name: Mablung Miriel Beyound Arduino Lang |
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donmck Guru Joined: 09/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1310 |
Olimex named their Gamediuno board "MOD-VGA", and I should have some next week. http://www.duinomite.com/duinomite-mod-vga-gameduino-based-d esign-is-complete/ Connection is via either the Arduino shield footprint, or the Olimex UEXT connector. I know the software was being worked on, but I don't know if it was fully completed. It will require a response from possibly Ken on this one, for the full story. BTW The Arduino version has been fully tested on the Arduino platform, and this is how I will be selling it initially. Don... https://www.32v8.com/1 |
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| donmck Guru Joined: 09/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1310 |
BTW The MOD-VGA boards mentioned in the previous messages are now available: http://www.dontronics-shop.com/mod-vga-32mb.html Don... https://www.32v8.com/1 |
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| TheReelDill Newbie Joined: 02/07/2012 Location: United KingdomPosts: 2 |
Has anyone tested DM on the new eMega? I downloaded the hex file from github and it did not work at all! OK after compiling the source code though.
Is anyone adding Ethernet functionality to the firmware? Looks like I need to use the DM basic hack and port in the Microchip Ethernet Stack. Not a small job I think! Chris.. |
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| DuinoMiteMegaAn Senior Member Joined: 17/11/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 231 |
Looks like I need to use the DM basic hack and port in the Microchip Ethernet Stack. Not a small job I think!
That's an extreme understatement. 
Having a PIC32 Basic Controller with an Ethernet interface serving up web pages would be a game changer in microcontroller boards. The Basic "SolderCore" board, that uses an ARM Cortex processor, has it but is not enabled.
I would like to add, that the users that bought Raspberry PI and BeagleBone are having the same issues. They opened up their hardware and say "what can I do with my hardware now?" Unless they are proficient, skilled programmers the ansnwer is nothing! They would have to wait until their other "open source users" provide the basic operating code and routines for your hardware. You see, the hardware manufacturers say "we provide the hardware and weasel out on the software by claiming "open source" but when you have an Ethernet interface, the basic routines should already be there and thoroughly tested.
When you open up a MaxiMite box you are READY TO GO. I pay tribute to the great Geoff Graham. If the MaxiMite had an Ethernet interface then it would also be ready to go - Kudos to Geoff Graham! 
Summary "Open Source" software does not provide quality controlled software.
Research both the hardware and software BEFORE you make your purchase!
Hardware manufacturers only want to sell their hardware "upfront" and provide very little support for software that is needed for their hardware.
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| TheReelDill Newbie Joined: 02/07/2012 Location: United KingdomPosts: 2 |
Thanks for a detailed reply DuinoMiteMegaAn. I had not looked at the SolderCore product until now. I am new to arduinos, shields and the like and was not even aware of the Maximite until I purchased the Duinomite  I have now read up on the history of both and taken a first pass look at the 'Basic' source code and it appears structurally well written, although over patched.
Anyhow, I am lucky that I have C and general MC programming experience and highly competent people around me. So adding an Ethernet stack will not be impossible, (sacrifice graphics??) but time is money so to speak and the whole point of sourcing a SBC with built in interpretor was to allow me to speed up product development cycles. Open Source? - There are pro's and con's as you point out. Strangely, cost is not a major factor here, but quality and flexibility are! Maybe Geoff Graham and Olimex could come to a 'commercial arrangement' that would be mutually beneficial and the project goes 360. Wishful thinking I guess.
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| DuinoMiteMegaAn Senior Member Joined: 17/11/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 231 |
If you are looking for Ethernet with a built-in embedded server that attaches to the MaxiMite/Duinomite look no further. I just published, a project topic on a MaximMite/DM embedded web servers.
http://www.thebackshed.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=4885&PN =1&TPN=3 |
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