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busa
Regular Member

Joined: 12/02/2015
Location: Australia
Posts: 81

Posted: 11:38pm 04 Apr 2016

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Received it today from Silicon Chip and as the magazine article said it is very easy to construct. Even the 3 smd's were not too bad for my shaky old hands. Would like to thank everybody on this forum for the ideas and programming articles that have been forthcoming on this amazing Micromite. I am doing things today that a few short years ago I would have thought impossible. Next up is Geoff's Garage parking assistant, it sure makes my effort look a little backward. http://www.thebackshed.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=7589&KW=busa.
CFunctions I would love to learn but not today, having too much fun.
Tomorrow the world!!

Busa

Geoffg

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Joined: 06/06/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 3169

Posted: 01:58am 05 Apr 2016

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I'm glad that you liked it.

Just a couple of questions...
- What components were replaced with SMDs?
- Could you still use thru hole components if you wanted to?

I went to the trouble of designing that PCB using thru hole components to make it easy for constructors and I thought that the magazine would appreciate that... but, now it appears that they have gone SMD on me. It seemed like it was only a little while ago that they insisted that I only used single sided PCBs !!

Geoff

Geoff Graham - http://geoffg.net

busa
Regular Member

Joined: 12/02/2015
Location: Australia
Posts: 81

Posted: 02:16am 05 Apr 2016

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Gday Geoff,
The 3 smd's were the 47mf and the 2 10mf caps and yes you could use through hole if you wanted to. My kit came with the smd's so that is what I went with. Was my second attempt at soldering smd and I found it relatively easy although I wouldn't want to do too many of them.
Busa

LouisG
Senior Member

Joined: 19/03/2016
Location: Australia
Posts: 121

Posted: 02:45am 05 Apr 2016

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I bought a Backpack too. I managed the three SMDs OK and when I fired it up was thrilled to see the MM 5.1 banner. But when I tried to configure the ILI9341 all I got was

> OPTION LCDPANEL ILI9341,L,2,23,6
Error: Pin 23 is invalid
>

It took me a week to finally discover that Silicon Chip had sent me an MX270 chip (the USB version) with the kit instead of an MX170. I requested the proper chip and am now into my third week waiting.

Benzol
Regular Member

Joined: 07/01/2015
Location: Australia
Posts: 64

Posted: 05:35pm 05 Apr 2016

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I was also confused by the SMDs which are not marked for any polarisation. I found out later polarisation is not required but I had already soldered in through-hole components. Not an issue, just part of learning.
I have used the backpack to build a touch screen controller for the lighting circuits on my solar battery storage system. I really appreciate the work you have put into the micro Geoff. It really is remarkable.
The biggest problem I have had is cutting a square hole in perspex for the screen. Looks pretty ugly.
db

busa
Regular Member

Joined: 12/02/2015
Location: Australia
Posts: 81

Posted: 05:47pm 05 Apr 2016

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The kit I bought from Silicon Chip came with a clear cutout perspex screen that fits a UB3 jiffy box. Finishes it all off nicely with the touch screen sitting flush with the perspex. Very happy with the kit, only thing needed was the jiffy box.

I also believe you can purchase just the perspex screen from SC.

BusaEdited by busa 2016-04-07

Phil23
Guru

Joined: 27/03/2016
Location: Australia
Posts: 1664

Posted: 01:29am 06 Apr 2016

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busa said Gday Geoff,
The 3 smd's were the 47mf and the 2 10mf caps and yes you could use through hole if you wanted to. My kit came with the smd's so that is what I went with.
Busa

My experience too with the Silicon Chip supplied kit.

It was a little off putting, but had to go with them as local replacements were not available. Created a little bit of a challenge with eyesight & just an old Weller station on hand.

Lightrock
Newbie

Joined: 19/05/2014
Location: Australia
Posts: 26

Posted: 01:57am 06 Apr 2016

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The Publishers Letter in the April Silicon Chip is worth a read online - particularly the second last paragraph "Overall we think the Micromite BackPack will change the design approach for a large range of electronic projects. ----". Also an editor's apology for being "overwhelmed with orders for kits" at the end of Jeff Monegal's letter re 'Micromite LCD BackPack is a great project' in the Mailbag section. http://www.siliconchip.com.au/Issue/2016/April
Another three fantastic 'Mite projects. Congratulations Geoff.

lew247

Guru

Joined: 23/12/2015
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 1676

Posted: 08:10am 20 Jun 2016

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I bought the backpack from Silicon Chip and I have to say I'm extremely disappointed.
The delivery time to the UK was reasonable, the post dear
but what is REALLY annoying is they didn't include a copy of the article with it.

No instructions, no code nothing.

Really frustating, yes it's going to be dead easy to build when I get round to it, even for me who can't see properly these days and have shaky hands but the lack of any info with it really has put me off wanting to order anything else.
And you cannot buy the magazine in the UK unless you subscribe which I wont be doing as it's too dear.

RonnS
Senior Member

Joined: 16/07/2015
Location: Germany
Posts: 120

Posted: 11:51am 21 Jun 2016

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hi,

all information that you need can be found on geoff's website

http://geoffg.net/MicromiteBackpack.html

i like the LCD Backpack very much - I have an RTC added a Beeper and RF Modules now controlling therefore some valves of heating and water garden

Ron

....

.....

Edited by RonnS 2016-06-22

Geoffg

Guru

Joined: 06/06/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 3169

Posted: 01:59pm 21 Jun 2016

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That is a sophisticated project - congratulations. It is great to see the backpack in a practical, real world application.

Geoff

Geoff Graham - http://geoffg.net

mikeb

Senior Member

Joined: 10/04/2016
Location: Australia
Posts: 173

Posted: 03:16pm 21 Jun 2016

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Hi All,

Silicon Chip. What can I say. Have been a subscriber since its inception but lately wondering why ? Leo's rants are usually amusing.
I guess it's worth it cos every now and again something like Geoff's stuff comes along.

Bought the Parking Assistant, just for a play. Bought the ultrasonic module with its matching

laser cut jiffy box panel. It's a shame that the precision laser cut holes are the wrong bloody spacing for the transducers

.
Seriously ? How hard is it ?

Bought two 44 pin MM kits. Gotta be a better way than stick the components on a piece of paper with tape. Anyway, the programmed

micro's were......blank

. But they must have been programmed because it said so on the paper they were stuck to. Never mind. No biggie. I have a Pickit 3.

{ did you post this in the wrong topic? Glenn. }

@ Glenn

Thought it went with some of the comments above. Perhaps not.
Feel free to delete if you think it appropriate. Edited by mikeb 2016-06-24

There are 10 kinds of people in the world.
Those that understand binary and those that don't.

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