flubberlab wrote a SUMP client that works with the Logic Sniffer:
The client is pretty well tested (on WinXP Pro), but only offers a configuration and capture front end. Advanced triggers are not supported, RLE is unimplemented, and there is no waveform viewer. The captured data is exported to a VCD file for external viewing (I use GTKWave).
Via the forum.
You had a lot of unanswered questions about the chipKIT compiler. Here’s some answers from Jason Kajita, a compiler developer. Jason wants to us to emphasize that this is the current plan and subject to change. Thanks for the lengthy answers!
Is there any new open source code in the chipKIT compiler – files that were previously under a restrictive license but are now GPL?
At the moment, the source for the Standard C library is not provided. This is because it contains some code licensed from other companies. We decided to license this code because it had a better performance/size balance than the existing open-source solutions that we evaluated and we need to put our best foot forward for competitive benchmarking purposes. In short, we made the decision to go with the best technical solution, but that meant that we can’t provide source for the library.
My plan is to move the chipKIT compiler over to the Newlib library. This way, everything we need will be under an open-source or public-domain license. We may take a slight performance hit when we move to Newlib, but will be more suitable for chipKIT users. Also, with some new PIC32 devices coming down the pipeline, performance isn’t likely to be an issue.
I understand that the community is skeptical about Microchip’s commitment to the hobbyist community, so I am going to try to get this done sooner rather than later.
Are you familiar with what is restricted on any of the other compilers (C18/24/33)?
The 16-bit compiler (MPLAB C30) is in the same boat. It has library code licensed from another company.
What is the difference between the C32 compiler and the chipKIT compiler for PIC32?
Currently, the chipKIT compiler has features above and beyond the current version of the official MPLAB® C32 compiler. It supports C++ features, but it is not the full C++ solution that we eventually plan to offer with the MPLAB C32 compiler. The chipKIT compiler is based on GCC 4.5.1, while MPLAB C32 v1.12 is based on GCC 3.4.4.
Lots more below…
Drone writes: Now you can 3D print in glazed ceramics at Shapeways. Great! I need some big HV insulators for the electric chair I’m building. Interestingly, prices are based on surface area.
Glazed Ceramics is perfect for any application such as a plate, cup or bowl as it is the first 3D printed food safe material available on Shapeways. Shapeways 3D Printed Glazed Ceramics material properties are exactly the same as standard ceramics as it is produced with fine ceramic powder which is bound together with binder, fired, glazed with lead-free, non-toxic gloss finish.
Thanks Drone! Via the contact form.
Microchip, makers of PIC mircocontrollers, must feel left out of the hobby buzz surrounding the Arduino. Unable to buy Atmel outright, they did the next most sensible thing and released a duo of open source Arduino-compatible boards. Microchip got the guys at Fair Use Building and Research to add PIC support to the Arduino IDE. Existing Arduino sketches will compile, without changes, and play on cheaper, more powerful hardware. On Friday we talked to a bunch of people involved in the project and asked your questions from the forum.
chipKIT source code was released over several days after a huge launch at Maker Faire. There was a lot of internet speculation that Microchip wasn’t being entirely open. Some components, like the bootloader, weren’t released until the end of last week. Other stuff, like the hardware files, are distributed by Digilent instead of the project github.
Everyone on the chipKIT team seems genuinely dedicated to making this project fully open source, that’s great news from traditionally-closed source Microchip. The software, including bootloader, IDE, and compiler, are licensed GPL with source hosted at github. Multiplatform hacks to the Arduino IDE will be merged back into the official client. Both PCBs are done in Eagle and licensed CC BY-SA, but note that they are multi-page and require the non-free version of Eagle to edit.
Microchip still has some work to do. Some of the features advertised on the Max32 box, such as USB and Ethernet, can only be supported with free-as-in-beer-but-not-as-in-speech closed source drivers. This means you can’t share a cool project using the Max32’s ethernet if it includes Microchip’s driver. The community is also barred from porting Microchip’s ‘free’ drivers to Microchip’s own open source development platform. Digilent will release an ethernet/USB shield soon, it will be interesting to see what drivers they provide.
We’re hopeful that the new platform and Arduino IDE integration helps fill the void in open source support for Microchip’s stuff. We’ve been testing Honken and JTR’s open source USB stack on the MAX32, we encourage Microchip to donate a driver to the community as well.
Markus and LisandroP both get a chipKIT board for their excellent questions, and teedeeus and jamodio get free PCB coupons.
Audio of the call is embedded above (mp3? see the forum), a brief list of questions and answers follow the break. Get a copy of the power point.
Thanks for your questions, and thanks to everyone at Microchip and FUBAR Labs for talking with us.
Continue reading “chipKIT conference call: Yes, it’s all open source”
Segfault built the CPLD breakout board from a previous Free PCB Sunday.
If you build a free PCB we’ll send you another one! Blog about it, post a picture on Flicker, whatever – we’ll send you a coupon code for the free PCB drawer.
Via the forum.
schazamp built an FSAR001 experimenter board:
This device, remember, takes 80-265Vrms wall power and puts out a (relatively) clean 5V DC. According to the datasheet, the way this thing works is by monitoring the voltage of the AC waveform and charging a big electrolytic capacitor during the low voltage segments on the leading and trailing edge of the (half-rectified) wave. The controller then discharges the capacitor to sustain the 5V DC. It claims it can handle a maximum load of 35mA
Be careful working with unisolated AC voltage, that stuff will kill you in an instant. We don’t do it.
Via the forum.
Bus Pirate v3b (L), v3.5 (R), v4 (BACK)
Bus Pirate v3.5 is exactly the same a Bus Pirate v3b. We added a much requested shrouded header, and made tweaks to keep manufacturing costs down.
The first batch of 500 Bus Pirate v3.5s is extra special. Seeed has 500 SOIC PIC 24Fj64GA002s sitting around so we made the first board with an SOIC footprint. These are known to be revision B5, an update to A3 used in our first batch of Bus Pirates, and the reason we use software I2C libraries.
Seeed is currently out of Bus Pirate. The next batch that ships, including back orders, should be Bus Pirate v3.5. Adafuit has a pending wholesale order and will get them ASAP. No official word, but we think these are ready – our freebie order for Hackerbot Labs was just shipped.
At Maker Faire SF, Jeri Ellsworth demonstrated this project which uses an Analog Devices AD620 instrumentation amplifier to read electrical impulses and show activity on a wearable LED light bulb head gear.
From the comments on our earlier post: Open source chipKIT compiler works with other PIC32s:
… it should also be working with other MCHP dev tools shortly.
Via twitter.
Markus used the new open source PIC32 chipkit compiler with non-chipkit hardware and programmed the firmware with a picKIT3:
Since I had a board with a PIC32MX795F512H I built some time ago lying around, I tried if I could get some “Arduino”-code running on it. It works.
The linker scripts that ship with mpide assume that the binary is used together with a bootloader, so I provided a new script, which allowed me programming the .hex file using the PICkit3. All necessary files are provided in the attached .zip archive.
It’s nice to be able to use C++ on the PIC32. Finally.
Via the forum.
We go through a lot of prototype PCBs, and end up with lots of extras that we’ll never use. Every Sunday we give away a few PCBs from one of our past or future projects, or a related prototype. Our PCBs are made through Seeed Studio’s Fusion board service.
This week we’re giving away two coupon codes for the fee PCB drawer. Pick your own PCB.
Don’t forget there’s free PCBs three times every week:
You can get the XC9572XL development board for $15.
Continue reading “Free PCB Sunday: Pick your PCB”
Squonk has some useful links if you want to build your own scope:
- A nice HDL example of an oscilloscope using a FIFO and trigger
- A 100 MHz input stage
- A firmware development/improvement for the DSO “Welec 2000a- series”
- The (sad) story about the DSO Quad portable scope (why sad?)
Thanks Squonk! Via the forum.
Michael writes:
I have an old copy of AutoCAD and I am quite happy with it. But often a drawing will be in a newer release and my version of AutoCAD wont read it.
Autodesk DWG TrueView software is a free stand-alone DWG viewer with DWG TrueConvert software included.
It will read and display the latest dwg files and convert them to an earlier version.
Via the contact form.
Andy from the UK was looking to build a simple proof of concept project which would integrate an Arduino and ENC28J60 based ethernet shield (or a Nanode) to connect with his Pachube account to control an RGB LED.
He says:
This article describes a simple application to demonstrate the ENC28J60 EtherShield library. It can be run on a plain Arduino or clone and an ethernet shield based on the ENC28J60 ethernet chip (Note: This is not the same as the official ethernet shield). An alternative is to use the Nanode (see the wiki site at Hackspace) which combines the arduino and the EtherShield into a single compatible board. It also demonstrates the network capability of the board and the control functionality included in the Pachube dashboard application.
Read his detailed project explanation at the Andy’s Life website.
Here’s an open source code project that allows you to program the Arduino core into physically smaller DIP chips, such as the Attiny84, Attiny85 or Attiny2313.
SQKYbeaver posted a linear bench power supply in the project log forum.
i have been working on a linear bench power supply, and have come to the conclusion that the cost of parts will be more than what i cam buy an assembled one for, however i will share what i have come up with so far so that any one interested will be able use what i have started.
Thanks SQKYbeaver!
bearmos found a multifunction MSO:
…it appear to be an MSO, with an OLED display, in a DIP package, for $35
The Xprotolab is the first mixed signal oscilloscope with an arbitrary waveform generator in a DIP module. It measures only 1 x 1.6 inches, and can be mounted directly on a breadboard. The Xprotolab can also be used as a development board for the AVR XMEGA microcontroller.
Another article that might help with bench power supply designs:
Current-Sense Amplifiers with Digital Output and 60V Common-Mode Range
- Offers easy interface with microcontrollers (supports 1.8V logic) by using digital outputs
- Delivers wide 60V common-mode range for robustness under fault conditions
- Includes internal op amp/comparator that allows flexibility in system design: the internal amplifier can be used to limit the inrush current or to create a current-source in a closed loop system; the comparator can be used to monitor fault events for fast response
Thanks rsdio!
Sometimes it’s handy to have a message display when persons enter a specific area. Having the message appear only when someone approaches brings more attention it, and can be useful for holiday displays, directions or warnings. In this project by Jer from Volts and Bytes, an Atmega8 is used to activate a Sure Electronics 0832 LED matrix display when motion is detected by the attached PIR sensor.
The C source and supporting files are available in this zip file.
