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BobD

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Joined: 07/12/2011
Location: Australia
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Posted: 03:57pm 17 Jul 2015

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Grogster said I'm inclined to agree with Peter on this one. Perhaps I could whip up a cheap PCB to use the DIL chip. I know the shipping from them can be a little high, but if I bought in 20 or so, then I could factor the shipping into the final cost, and on-sell the boards to members quite affordably, I think.

Food for thought anyway.

Grogs
10 of them comes to 50 pounds incl. 8.80 pounds shipping. If you want shipping with tracking then add 40 pounds to approx. 90 pounds. Shipping for one item is 7.95 pounds. 50 pounds = AU$105.80 or NZ$119.60 today! Then factor in reshipping and the possibility of getting left with some.

Peter's idea of rolling our own may be better but I couldn't code my way out of a paper bag with C.
Bob

Grogster

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Joined: 31/12/2012
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Posted: 05:11pm 17 Jul 2015

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@ Peter - Hmmmm, yes, that is a good idea - I might have a closer look at the sample source code from Microchip then, that goes with that controller. If that is indeed the case(it's just the Microchip source codes), then I could just get the blank PICs from MCD, and program them here with said source code for USB keyboards.

...but it probably is not QUITE that simple - nothing ever is!

@ Bob - yes, once you look at the mathematics, it is not really viable. The shipping cost is the killer really, as even standard airmail from UK works out at twenty bucks in my money - quite costly.

I will look closely at the PIC used, and see if I can find the source code for the USB keyboard - something to have a little read about.....

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

Geoffg

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Joined: 06/06/2011
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Posted: 07:52pm 17 Jul 2015

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Just for everyone's info, I am planning to implement a USB keyboard interface on the MM+ at some stage. I have the code but I have not yet figured out the details. It will be months away so in the meantime you will still need a PS2 keyboard.

Geoff

Geoff Graham - http://geoffg.net

Grogster

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Posted: 02:21am 18 Jul 2015

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Well!

That fixes that problem then(in due course) - no more research for me.

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

MMAndy
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Joined: 16/07/2015
Location: United States
Posts: 91

Posted: 04:07am 18 Jul 2015

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Newbee question ... On the MicroMite+, the commands "RTC GETTIME" & "RTC SETTIME" applys to I2C1 or I2C2?

Geoffg

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Posted: 10:29am 18 Jul 2015

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Welcome to the forum Andy.

At this time the RTC commands use I2C.

I2C2 is still on the ToDo list (see http://geoffg.net/Downloads/Micromite/MMPlusIssues.txt). I2C2 will be master only and when it is implemented I plan to move the RTC commands to I2C2.

GeoffEdited by Geoffg 2015-07-19

Geoff Graham - http://geoffg.net

vegipete

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Joined: 29/01/2013
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Posted: 11:52am 20 Jul 2015

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Grogster said Well!

That fixes that problem then(in due course) - no more research for me.

There's not much research to do. ;-)
The circuit diagram and the ready to burn hex files are provided on the Hobbytronics web site.

Visit Vegipete's *Mite Library for cool programs.

WhiteWizzard
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Joined: 05/04/2013
Location: United Kingdom
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Posted: 12:08pm 20 Jul 2015

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vegipete said There's not much research to do. ;-)
The circuit diagram and the ready to burn hex files are provided on the Hobbytronics web site.

I know they supply software to 'download' into the PIC for the various USB functions, but as far as I am aware, you need their Bootloader on the PIC preinstalled.

So you buy one of their pre-programmed chips (i.e. with their boot loader installed); and then you can change the chips function by downloading a different 'USB pack' over what you already had. So you can't simply load a .hex onto a blank PIC (unless they have now added this!)

I spoke to them on several occasions last year about loading a 'blank' PIC but they are a business trying to protect their software and hence didn't offer a .hex file 'boot loader'.

Edited by WhiteWizzard 2015-07-21

hitsware
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Joined: 23/11/2012
Location: United States
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Posted: 02:01pm 20 Jul 2015

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This won't work ?

Geoffg said Just for everyone's info, I am planning to implement a USB keyboard interface on the MM+ at some stage. I have the code but I have not yet figured out the details. It will be months away so in the meantime you will still need a PS2 keyboard.

Geoff

Grogster

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Posted: 03:11pm 20 Jul 2015

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Definetly not.

They just convert the plug type from one to the other.
Those adapters do not convert the PS/2 protocol to USB, which is what is needed.

You can use these $2 adaptors, with keyboards that support USB and PS/2.
These keyboards(or mice) auto-detect which protocol to use at power-up, based on the responses they get from the computer at that time. This is all done by the keyboard controller chip inside the keyboard(or mouse) at power-up handshaking time, and once the protocol is decided upon, the controller remains in that state while powered.

The little adaptor plug has nothing to do with any of this, and if you put one of these on a USB keyboard, what you then have, is a USB keyboard, with a PS/2 plug - but it is still the USB protocol on those PS/2 pins.

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

sagt3k

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Joined: 01/02/2015
Location: Italy
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Posted: 07:42am 22 Jul 2015

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Geoffg said Welcome to the forum Andy.

At this time the RTC commands use I2C.

I2C2 is still on the ToDo list (see http://geoffg.net/Downloads/Micromite/MMPlusIssues.txt). I2C2 will be master only and when it is implemented I plan to move the RTC commands to I2C2.

Geoff

Hi to EveryBody
I'm developing a PCB with MX170 which shares the RTC and other devices and use I2C especially as slaves. If in MX470 the RTC command is moved to I2C2 and If I2C2 is only master, I can not make the compatibility with the previous 28pin and other HW.
We can not discuss this situation? Thanks

vegipete

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Posted: 10:15am 22 Jul 2015

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WhiteWizzard said I spoke to them on several occasions last year about loading a 'blank' PIC but they are a business trying to protect their software and hence didn't offer a .hex file 'boot loader'.

They use the ds30loader by Mikael Gustafsson, which is GNU GPL according to the source code comments. Downloadable from the Hobbytronics site. There's some setup to do to get MPLAB8 to assemble the source that I haven't examined closely but initially it seems complete.

Visit Vegipete's *Mite Library for cool programs.

Geoffg

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Posted: 10:16am 22 Jul 2015

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I might have misunderstood you but I2C (the first channel will still be master and slave). This applies only to the MX470.

In the MX170 there will be only one channel (I2) and the RTC will continue to use that.

Geoff

Geoff Graham - http://geoffg.net

sagt3k

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Posted: 11:05am 22 Jul 2015

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Concerning MX470 I2C ports:
- I2C1 (first channel will still be master and slave)
- I2C2 (second channel will be only master)
- RTC commands will ONLY work on I2C2 (second channel) ?
Thanks

MMAndy
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Joined: 16/07/2015
Location: United States
Posts: 91

Posted: 03:29pm 22 Jul 2015

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sagt3k

Quote RTC commands will ONLY work on I2C2 (second channel) ?

Is that correct for the MX470?

Edited by MMAndy 2015-07-24

BobD

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Joined: 07/12/2011
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Posted: 05:33pm 22 Jul 2015

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MMAndy said sagt3k

Quote RTC commands will ONLY work on I2C2 (second channel) ?

Is that correct for the MX470?

In a future release. See Geoff's post of 19 July in this thread.

atmega8

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Joined: 19/11/2013
Location: Germany
Posts: 724

Posted: 09:01am 17 Aug 2015

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arghhhh,

wtf (sorry) is the download link for the latest MM+ Version ????

THX

Greg Fordyce
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Joined: 16/09/2011
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 153

Posted: 09:41am 17 Aug 2015

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http://geoffg.net/Downloads/Micromite/Micromite_4.7_Beta.zip Edited by Greg Fordyce 2015-08-18

atmega8

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Joined: 19/11/2013
Location: Germany
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Posted: 09:55am 17 Aug 2015

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Thanks, Greg ;-)

Antom
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Joined: 12/07/2015
Location: Czech Republic
Posts: 4

Posted: 09:51am 18 Aug 2015

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Hi
If someone else is interested in SnadPIC board to use it with Micromite, he will profit of 10% discount more.. Just enter - while checking out - the word :
MICROMITE
:)

SnadPIC Board

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