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Forum Index : Microcontroller and PC projects : Armmite L4: MM2 compatible PCB

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matherp
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Joined: 11/12/2012
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 10315
Posted: 08:07pm 09 Feb 2019
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This little PCB will plug into a standard 28-pin DIP socket exactly like a MM2. The difference is that it has on board an Armmite L4 with in-built RTC and also a 16Mbyte Flash drive for storing programs and data using the Armmite's Flash file manager and, of course, it can run at ultra-low power consumption.

The pinout is arranged so that most special function pins are in the same place as the MM2: I2C, SPI, COM1, console, PWM1A, 1B, 2A. The Armmite has on on-board DAC and second SPI channel but does not currently support COM2, PWM1C or PWM2B on the MM2 pins. If this PCB is useful I can modify the Armmite firmware so that you can, optionally, use the same pin numbers as the MM2 and therefore most programs would run without any change.

The PCB is just 37 x 20 mm. Soldering itB will require a heat gun as the Armmite chip is a 32-pin QFN and the clock crystal is also a bit tricky. Otherwise all components are 1206 so very easy to solder. The 28-pins on the underside of the PCB are surface mount and at standard 0.3" spacing between rows.



The Armmite has the advantage that it has a built-in bootloader so the MMBasic firmware can be loaded using the console connection by making the "load" jumper. Then it can be set to "run" for normal use.







Schematic:

2019-02-10_055940_ARMdip_-_Project.pdf

Edited by matherp 2019-02-11
 
viscomjim
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Joined: 08/01/2014
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Posts: 925
Posted: 11:27pm 09 Feb 2019
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This is an extremely awesome idea! You never cease to amaze. I am starting to love the low power stuff now playing with solar and some li ion stuff. Appreciate the effort!!!
 
Quazee137

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Joined: 07/08/2016
Location: United States
Posts: 593
Posted: 07:46am 10 Feb 2019
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Can the dac be jumpered to MM2's pin 20 the 47uF cap? Easy enough to pull cap
and add a wire to use the dac. And a MMBasic way to make use of the dac.

Would this fit in between the TFT and board on the backpack?

Also is this MM2, MM+ or MMX code compatible.Edited by Quazee137 2019-02-11
 
matherp
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Posted: 08:21am 10 Feb 2019
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  Quote  Can the dac be jumpered to MM2's pin 20 the 47uF cap? Easy enough to pull cap
and add a wire to use the dac. And a MMBasic way to make use of the dac.


The twin channel dac outputs are on MM2 pins 9 and 10 on the design. Dac output is already supported from Basic in the Armmite firmware.

  Quote  Would this fit in between the TFT and board on the backpack?


Don't know, sorry

  Quote  Also is this MM2, MM+ or MMX code compatible.


Mix of them. All normal MM2 Basic commands + some MMX/Armmite H7 features. No GUI and currently no touch but MM2 touch may be supported.
The big plus over the MM2 is a full file system with all MM+/MMX commands but running on a flash chip rather than an SD card.
I do need to do a manual - it is on the to-do list. Edited by matherp 2019-02-11
 
lew247

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Joined: 23/12/2015
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Posts: 1702
Posted: 08:38am 10 Feb 2019
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  matherp said   This little PCB will plug into a standard 28-pin DIP socket exactly like a MM2.


I must be going stupid in my old age.
I can't see any 28 pin socket or pins on the board
but more importantly, what exactly is an MM2?
I know the MM, MM+, Picromite,Armite,Explore64, E100 but even though I can find references to code for the MM2 on the site here I can't find anything that says what it is
 
matherp
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Posted: 08:52am 10 Feb 2019
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  Quote  I can't see any 28 pin socket or pins on the board


The rectangular pads on the bottom (blue) are to solder the type of header shown in the first post that makes the pins

  Quote  what exactly is an MM2


MM2 is the latest version of the MM (normal 28-pin DIP). There was a version 1 Micromite based on the MX150 (before your time )
 
Quazee137

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Posted: 08:23am 11 Feb 2019
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I really miss interpreted this line.

  Quote  The Armmite has on on-board DAC and second SPI channel but does not currently support COM2, PWM1C or PWM2B on the MM2 pins


Ill need to get one or two and see if it will fit in between the TFT and
the backpack board. I'd like to use these in place of the MM170's I'm
using now as it frees me from using the external RTC/FRAM and makes for
two I2C ports on my Quad pump boards.

Giving me thoughts of adding Ph and conductivity by ways of ADS1115.

Is the SPI fast enough to do the Advanced Graphics of MM+ ?
That on a MM2 would be very very nice.

Any Hat stand version possible? Been using 3.5" and 4" TFT's.


Thanks for YOUR hard work. Now where is your [TIP] button.Edited by Quazee137 2019-02-12
 
lizby
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Joined: 17/05/2016
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Posted: 02:22pm 11 Feb 2019
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  matherp said  No GUI and currently no touch but MM2 touch may be supported.
The big plus over the MM2 is a full file system with all MM+/MMX commands but running on a flash chip rather than an SD card


MM2 touch with full (flash) file system would make for a powerful system--an MM2 upgrade at a comparable speed.
PicoMite, Armmite F4, SensorKits, MMBasic Hardware, Games, etc. on fruitoftheshed
 
matherp
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Location: United Kingdom
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Posted: 04:21pm 11 Feb 2019
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  Quote  MM2 touch with full (flash) file system would make for a powerful system


Touch is actually trivially easy to implement in Basic. Basic interrupt for the IRQ pin and then read the XPT2046 registers

function T.Getdata(command as integer) as integer 'get data from the touch controller
local integer i,j,k
pin(T_CS)=0
i=spi(command)
j=spi(0)
k=spi(0)
pin(T_CS)=1
T.Getdata= (j*256+k)>>4
end function
'
function T.getxy(x() as integer, y() as integer, timeout as integer, samples as integer) as integer
local integer i
timer=0
for i=0 to samples-1
do while timer<timeout and pin(T_IRQ)=1:loop
if timer>=timeout then
T.getxy=0
exit function
else
y(i)=T.getdata(&H90)
x(i)=T.getdata(&HD0)
endif
next i
T.getxy=1
end function
 
lizby
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Posted: 05:25pm 11 Feb 2019
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  matherp said  Touch is actually trivially easy to implement in Basic

I guess I meant touch with an ILI9341 SPI display--is that supported at present?

PicoMite, Armmite F4, SensorKits, MMBasic Hardware, Games, etc. on fruitoftheshed
 
matherp
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Posted: 02:31pm 27 Feb 2019
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PCBs arrived today - one soldered and tested - all seems OK

The last picture show the module plugged into one of BigMik's Mup V3 replacing the MM2.

The ARMdip PCB has onboard RTC, and Flash filesystem.

The gerbers I used are attached

2019-02-28_002931_ARMdip.zip

2019-02-28_003053_ARMdip_-_Schematic.pdf









 
lizby
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Posted: 07:24pm 27 Feb 2019
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Nice looking.

If you put one on one of BigMik's MM2 backpacks, can it run an ILI9341 LCD or is that code not present?

PicoMite, Armmite F4, SensorKits, MMBasic Hardware, Games, etc. on fruitoftheshed
 
matherp
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Posted: 05:55pm 03 Mar 2019
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Forgot to explain. To load the Armmite L4 firmware you should connect a USB UART to the ARMdip as follows:

UART RX to pin 11 (As per the MMBasic console)
UART TX to pin 26 (NB not pin 12 which is normally used for the MMBasic console)

Make the shorting link on the "LOAD" side

Run STM32CubeProgrammer, set the com port to the USB UART, the baud rate to 115200 and the parity to even.

Cycle the power on the ARMdip and then press connect and the STM32CubeProgrammer will connect to the STM32L432's bootloader. Then select the firmware to be downloaded (.bin or .hex) and start programming.

Once the firmware is successfully installed move the shorting link to the "RUN" position and use the normal MM2 console pins for the USB/UART.

No hardware programmer needed Edited by matherp 2019-03-05
 
Quazee137

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Joined: 07/08/2016
Location: United States
Posts: 593
Posted: 06:06am 04 Mar 2019
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matherp

  Quote  UART RX to pin 11 (As per the MMBasic console)
UART TX to pin 26 (NB not pin 12 which is normally used for the MMBasic console)


That is very very nice for me as I brought out 26 to a 3 pin header om my
quad relay controllers for possible ADC use.

Could you please give us a side shot of the board plugged into MUP V3.

That side profile would show its height as compared to a 170 I have in
a MUP V3. That will answer my question of it fitting between TFT and
pcb of 170 back packs board.

Thanks again

In a loop trying to get the ST software.

I give e-mail read e-mail click in e-mail and repeat it
will not just download Edited by Quazee137 2019-03-05
 
matherp
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Joined: 11/12/2012
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Posted: 08:06am 04 Mar 2019
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  Quote  Could you please give us a side shot of the board plugged into MUP V3.




Note the header pins are available in various lengths (see the datasheet ). I'm using the 8.13mm version.
 
Quazee137

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Posted: 03:02pm 04 Mar 2019
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Thanks matherp it looks like I can solder the pins then remove the plastic
part and flow a bit of epoxy to stabilize the pins and trim to fit.

My other thought is to solder a 2mm thick SMD female to the board and pop
some pins into the socket that will work with a batch of 20 of 2.8" that
had the SD holder smashed and with your board I won't need the SD.

It took five tries to get the STM32CubeProgrammer to download.
But I got it.

 
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