Totally. idaniel suggests an LMR Global Project. I think I’ve turned the thread around so that it’s about a distributed robot controller with several microcontrollers, each with its own task. I’ve just finished an I²C controller PCB for this robot. I’m populating it and developing the software at the moment.
I was looking at a 466MHz PC last night with 128Mb RAM and a CF interface. it was about the size of a PCI card and had RS-232 , ethernet and USB interfaces. It wasabout $300 which is a little out of the hobbiest’s budget…
Great - Linux is good for you… it will put hair on your chest, you can wrap your own motor windings and write your own drivers…
MP3 player - good idea, I have a friend who did his tivo on a similiar box (faster cpu & tv card though)
Ever seen anyone use a thin client as an embedded controller? <-- I’d like too - garbage? I am so there ! Thin clients of what? Do you have a link to the hardware or software? What does it have an etherport & a chunk of ram?
Client They’re basically an RDP client. They might be PowerPC based, but they have full ATX style breakout at the back - USB, full sound, VGA, RS-232, joystick port, 4x USBs, printer, ethernet PS/2 mouse / keyboard and wireless! I think you can buy XP empbedded for them, but I’m sure they’ll run a hacked down version of Linux.
IN THE DUMPSTER? - you got to be kidding - I hope you salvaged … uhh … ALL of them? If they have enough umph to run as a RDP client, they have enough to run Linux - and they definately have enough to be a wicked cool robot (geeze wireless already in them? - can’t beat that)
You want to send me some (wink wink) - I send you the postage.
Linux From what I can see they are a Linux X terminal. Hoever, tehy appear to have been modified such that the lower level functions cannot be accessed. The manufacturer’s website shows what the menu system should look like and what I see is severaly restricted. More later.
That’s unfortunate. Is it prejudicial or from experience?
The Pickit 2 is certainly popular, but it isn’t free. Building your own programmer gives you an understanding of ICSP which you may not get from buying one. Once you build a programmer you’ll wonder why you ever bought one.
Also, I don’t understand the relevance of the fact that they’re used to program ICD2s.
I always have connection issues when using a JDM. my PICKIT2 (I have 2 of them) and my ICD2 are great and I have only had one or two problems with them. I buy mine in a kit form from www.blueroomelectronics.com and they are fully compatable with MPLAB software. ICSP can be fun but it is hard when playing with a JDM. As I said, I tried to program my ICD2 with a JDM but it would not connect, so I bought blueroomelectronics’s Inchworm+. IF you are going for a kit of these type I would go for his Junebug, as it is a fully compatable PICKIT2 with a tutor on it.
So far the only chip I wasn’t able to program was the 16F818. Even then, I found out why. The programming voltage input has to be set in order for the device to go into programming mode. With the 818 they widened the programming voltage so instead of from 10…13V, it’s 3…13V. The JDM outputs a slightly positive voltage all the time and it was just enough to supply a programming voltage before powerup. I fixed it with a pulldown resistor.
I guess it depends what you want from your hobby. If you just want something you can plug into a servo, program it and go and you have a budget then by all means by a commercial programmer and a commercial MCU board. As far as I’m concerned the lower level you get the better - otherwise you may as well just go out and buy a commercially avaialable robot and save yourself a lot of effort! Where’s the challenge?
I have some PIC24 and I have some PIC24 and dsPIC33 chips that I got as samples. Eveery time I read about homegrown programmers, it’s the 8-it PICS that are mentioned. I was just wondering if it was worth the effort to try and use the JDM programmer for these chips or if I should go and buy a commercial programmer. I’d prefer to build it myself, because that’s the best way to learn how things work. I’ll give it a try, when I get some spare time next week and post my results here.
possible supplement tutorial site So I’ve been looking around for a while and this one looks promising. I think it should be compatible with 16F690, at least for the simple stuff?
Never mind supplimental. I’ve just read this site and I learned some things. This should be your major source of RISC programming information. It’s very idiot-resistant. (Nothing is idiot-proof as some idiots can show massive levels of ingenuity.)
I urge EVERYONE to read this. I’ll try to answer any questions and I’ll help anyone who wants to modify the proces for a different PIC (since I know a few or you have ordered 16F690).
This second one is IDENTICAL to the one I built for $5. The single most expensive component is the ZIP socket and you’ll never use it. There’s a clue int eh name: “IN-CIRCUIT Serial Programming.” I will never understand why people put $10 ZIF sockets on a product that uses ICSP. Is it just me? Am I going nuts?
Yes. this one will work with 16F690. But if you build one it will be cheaper.
