Note: The Maximite Computer
If you have access to something like the Microchip PICkit III programmer, you can program in the bootloader and latest frimware for the Maximite into this kit.
Read: http://www.googe.id.au/Blog/Entries/2011/6/21_Maximite.html for full details.
This will get the software running OK via the USB port, but you will still have to configure the hardware to suit.
-2011-06-30
Don,
I have had a quick play with the USB 32-bit Whacker and can report:
- You can reprogram the bootloader in the the USB 32-bit Whacker
(will require a PIC32 programmer) and you can then update it with the
Maximite firmware which will MOSTLY work (see below).
- The USB 32-bit Whacker bootloader loads the program into a slightly
different memory location to my bootloader, otherwise the both are
compatible. I MIGHT be able to modify the linker scripts for MMBasic
to produce a version of MMBasic that is compatible with the USB 32-bit
Whacker bootloader but no guarantees. This would be the best outcome
as a purchaser would not need a programmer.
In both cases I will have to modify MMBasic anyway to adjust for
different pin selections between the two designs. As far as I can
tell the only issue is that two of the analog pins will not work on
the USB 32-bit Whacker so it is not a big issue and easily fixed.
The finished port will have to wait for me to get back to Perth as I
can see that there will be some testing and debugging that will be
impossible for me to do on the road (not enough test equipment in a
4WD camper !!).
Geoff
Description: The new version of the UBW32 now uses the PIC32MX795 IC. Based on the work of Brian Schmalz, the UBW32 is a small development board for the new PIC32MX795 32-bit CPU from Microchip. The UBW32 is breadboard friendly and includes all of the external circuitry needed to get the PIC32 up and running. Power can be provided over USB or from an external source. It has 3 push buttons (Reset, and 2 user-defined buttons) and 5 LEDs (Power, USB, and 3 user defined LEDs). All of the 78(!) of the PIC32's I/O pins are broken out. The board comes pre-loaded with a USB bootloader and special UBW firmware that accepts simple serial commands to control the various I/O functions.
If you have used a UBW or Arduino before and are frustrated by the lack of CPU power, lack of memory, lack of I/O pins, or lack of sophisticated software, the UBW32 is just what you are looking for! While only slightly more expensive than the 8-bit UBW, the UBW32 has significantly more I/O and CPU horsepower.
The UBW32 is also a very good stand-alone development platform for the USB PIC32 chip. It contains a simple to use USB bootloader so that you can write your own code and download it to the board without any additional programmer, tools, or software. If you need low-level debugging, you can also attach an ICD2/ICD3 or other PIC debugger.
The PIC32 chip is capable of doing USB OTG, USB Mass Store, USB Virtual Com Port and USB Host roles. There is a footprint on the bottom of the board for a USB connector that will allow you to plug any USB device into the UBW32. There is a jumper that allows you to power the VBUS 5V USB wire if you program your UBW32 to be a USB Host.
Features:
- PIC32MX795
- 128KBytes of RAM
- 512KBytes of Flash
- 78 usable I/O pins
- CPU runs at 80MHz
- USB Bootloader
Documents:
Replaces: DEV-08971
