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Geoffg

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Joined: 06/06/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 3292

Posted: 01:28am 09 Jul 2015

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Many of you have heard that I have been busy for the past four months on a new Micromite based on the MX470.

Well here it is... the Micromite Plus.

In short the Micromite Plus has all the features of the standard Micromite plus the following:
- 64-pin MX470 chip with 45 free I/O pins (plus 100-pin chip in the future)
- 100KB for BASIC programs, 108KB RAM and runs at 120MHz.
- Up to four serial ports, two SPI ports and two I2C ports.
- USB 2.0 console interface (in addition to the serial interface)
- SD card support for cards up to 64GB and formatted FAT16 or FAT32
- Support for SSD1963 based displays in 4.3", 5" and 7" sizes
- Support for SPI displays (1.8" to 2.8") as in the Micromite 4.7 Beta
- Touch panel support including interrupts on touch down and up.
- Advanced graphics controls.
- Interface for a PS2 keyboard.
- Can be used as a stand alone computer using the PS2 keyboard and LCD panel.

Grogster has designed a PCB for the MM+ called Explore 64. This has the USB connector, SD card socket and all the I/O pins in a breadboard friendly format. In a later posting Grogs will tell you where you can get the PCB from and the cost.

For a quick introduction to the Explore 64 and the Micromite Plus there is a 12 minute video which is recommended viewing:
https://youtu.be/BkJ2WbzO6dI

The Micromite Plus firmware (Ver 4.7 Beta 20) and the full documentation can be downloaded from:
http://geoffg.net/Downloads/Micromite/Micromite+_4.7_Beta20.zip

There are some more features that need to be implemented and probably a lot of bugs to be found so please treat this as an early beta version. The MM+ has been one of the biggest projects that I have attempted and I have run out of time to finish it as I am about to go overseas. I know that it is dangerous to post new firmware when I will not be in a position to fix bugs but I figured that it would be better to place it in the hands of people who will put it to good use rather than leave it idle while I am away.

To keep track of reported bugs and suggestions I have created a list which you can download from: http://geoffg.net/Downloads/Micromite/MMPlusIssues.txt. I will be active on this forum while I am away and I will update this list as issues are found and reported. However it will be late August before I can act on them.

Geoff

Geoff Graham - http://geoffg.net

MicroBlocks

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Joined: 12/05/2012
Location: Thailand
Posts: 2209

Posted: 02:04am 09 Jul 2015

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The new name is very humble.:)
I would call it the SUPERMite!
Just WOW!!

Microblocks. Build with logic.

kiiid

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Joined: 11/05/2013
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 671

Posted: 02:11am 09 Jul 2015

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That's great, Geoff!

http://rittle.org

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atmega8

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

Posted: 02:14am 09 Jul 2015

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Awesome Geoff!!,

can't wait that my holidays end here in the Bretagne;-).

Need to buy and soldersome MX 470..... C

bigmik

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Joined: 20/06/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 2950

Posted: 03:09am 09 Jul 2015

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Hehe.,

I saw Grogs post of his PCB before I read this one..

Great job Geoff,

I will have to have a play with it..

Regards,

Mick

Mick's uMite Stuff can be found >>> HERE (Kindly hosted by Dontronics) <<<

viscomjim
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Joined: 08/01/2014
Location: United States
Posts: 925

Posted: 03:31am 09 Jul 2015

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This is awesome!!! If this doesn't bring the uMite appeal to the masses, I don't know what will.

paceman
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Joined: 07/10/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 1329

Posted: 03:42am 09 Jul 2015

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Fantastic Geoff - can't wait to have a go with this!

Greg

Zonker

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

Posted: 04:04am 09 Jul 2015

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Wow Geoff..!

Outstanding..! I LOVE all the new GUI objects you have created for the panel... The SD card interface KBD and USB interfaces and program editor form a complete panel computer that is truly AWESOME..! I can't wait to start playing with this fine piece of kit...!

geraldfryjr

Regular Member

Joined: 02/03/2014
Location: United States
Posts: 61

Posted: 05:45am 09 Jul 2015

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Excellent !!!!!

I like this Project a lot!!

Does this also work with the MX460's as well?

I have some 460's, else I will have to get some 470's too.

jer

Edited by geraldfryjr 2015-07-10

Keep on DIYin' !!!

cdeagle
Senior Member

Joined: 22/06/2014
Location: United States
Posts: 265

Posted: 07:35am 09 Jul 2015

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Awesome.

Thanks Geoff and others who have contributed to this project.

Justplayin

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

Posted: 09:13am 09 Jul 2015

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I love what I'm seeing!!! Finally, file storage and LCD display capability on one MM platform. I might not need a Maximite and 8 Micromites to build my clock now.

-Curtis

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

Lou

Senior Member

Joined: 01/02/2014
Location: United States
Posts: 229

Posted: 09:38am 09 Jul 2015

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Great work Geoff,

All that functionality in a chip the same size as the 170 - Wow.
Thanks to you, Peter, and Grogs for bringing it to us.

Lou

Microcontrollers - the other white meat

Geoffg

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Joined: 06/06/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 3292

Posted: 10:48am 09 Jul 2015

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geraldfryjr said Does this also work with the MX460's as well? I have some 460's, else I will have to get some 470's too.

No, it does not. Just the MX470.

Geoff Graham - http://geoffg.net

CircuitGizmos

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Joined: 08/09/2011
Location: United States
Posts: 1427

Posted: 10:51am 09 Jul 2015

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What pin on the 64 pin device is SPI1 IN?

Micromites and Maximites! - Beginning Maximite

nibbler
Newbie

Joined: 18/04/2013
Location: Canada
Posts: 11

Posted: 11:48am 09 Jul 2015

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I think pin 45 is SPI1 IN on the 64 pin IC.

CircuitGizmos

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Joined: 08/09/2011
Location: United States
Posts: 1427

Posted: 11:56am 09 Jul 2015

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I hope not. That is already Com 1 TX. Would be a shame to lose Com1 Tx if you need SPI1 IN.

Micromites and Maximites! - Beginning Maximite

dmasz
Newbie

Joined: 12/09/2013
Location: Poland
Posts: 21

Posted: 12:30pm 09 Jul 2015

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Excellent Work!!! Geoffg and supporters

As Micromite is getting bigger and better may by there is a chance for wireless
connectivity (with any popular module) to be implemented/embedded to basic core software. this will do killing package with the easy of use, speed,rangeof LCD support and........ wireless connectivity. I beg for wireless feature pls pls pls :-)

and once more
Excellent Work!!!! :-))))))))))

nibbler
Newbie

Joined: 18/04/2013
Location: Canada
Posts: 11

Posted: 12:40pm 09 Jul 2015

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I'm looking at a post by matherp here.

Maybe I'm reading the pin list incorrectly. It shows COMM1 Tx as Pin 32 and SPI IN as Pin 45. I'm about to flash a Skinnymite that I just built but will use the silk screening as my guide.

Alan

CircuitGizmos

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Joined: 08/09/2011
Location: United States
Posts: 1427

Posted: 12:46pm 09 Jul 2015

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The matherp pin allocation and the Geoff pin allocation are different. Compare the post with the tables in Geoff's documentation.

Micromites and Maximites! - Beginning Maximite

nibbler
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Joined: 18/04/2013
Location: Canada
Posts: 11

Posted: 01:01pm 09 Jul 2015

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I'm looking at page 11 of Geoff's latest Micromite 4.7 Beta User Manual. You're right. There is a contradiction. I'll have to read some more.

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