D
Don McKenzie
DuinoMite, the dynamite Maximite Compatible Micro-controller/Computer from Olimex.
This project is open source hardware and software.
I expect the usual: "This is spam, not industry news", so please don't hold out, go for it.
Three or four weeks ago, I covered the Maximite Computer, what it was about, and what it was capable of.
To summarize, The Maximite Computer is a small Micro-controller/Computer, based on a top of the range PIC32 micro that
runs the BASIC language from power up. It can be run with a PS2 keyboard, and VGA monitor, or via USB to any computer
that supports USB and can run a terminal program. No compiler needed. Develop your BASIC program then save to a standard
SD card. Any program named "autorun.bas" will automatically run from the card on power up. It has 20 Input-Output pins
on a 26 pin IDC header. BASIC programs can easily be exchanged and saved to a PC using either the terminal program, or
the SD card. Fantastic user support via a very active user forum group. Can be powered from 9 to 12VDC or USB.
http://geoffg.net/maximite.html
http://www.themaximitecomputer.com/
http://www.dontronics-shop.com/the-maximite-computer.html
======================================
In that 3 or 4 weeks, we have moved a long way from this picture of it.
Olimex are bringing out 3 versions of a compatible Maximite board, which we have called the DuinoMite. A play on the
word Dynamite. Maximite is actually an explosive, named after Hudson Maxim, the inventor. He was the brother of Hiram
Stevens Maxim, inventor of the Maxim gun and uncle of Hiram Percy Maxim, inventor of the Maxim Silencer.
You can see the new pictures of the new proto boards, and the full story at:
http://www.themaximitecomputer.com/duinomite-a-maximite-compatible-from-olimex/
As you will see, the boards range from a DuinoMite-Mini with VGA and KBD connectors, right up to a fully cased
DuinoMite-Mega, with things like USB-OTG and CAN right on board.
It has an Arduino shield that is compatible with the Pinquino family, so it should be capable of being programmed in C
with the Pinquino suite of software, if the boot loader and firmware, is changed to suit.
I know Microchip themselves are supporting languages and boards, for Arduino and the PIC32 family, but I haven't had any
interaction with them to date, but I do see this happening in the future with the DuinoMite boards.
MM-Basic had to be remapped to cater for the new pin-out of the Arduino shield, as the original Maximite board was never
designed for shield support.
This is currently being ported from the Maximite to the DuinoMite by Ken Segler. If you don't know Ken:
http://news.cnet.com/2100-1040-238186.html
Ken is known as the Codeman.
http://www.faqs.org/patents/inventor/segler-6/
4 patents this year alone.
All three boards also have the Olimex UEXT connector for Serial, ISP, and I2C comms.
If you want RS-485, you simply plug in a cheap board to do the job. Olimex are in the process of producing a cheap I2C
RTC with battery backup. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEXT
With I2C, you can have 100+ apps hanging on the UEXT bus, as well as serial and SPI.
======================================
I previously mentioned:
TRS-80 Model I, level II on a PIC32 Maximite:
http://kenseglerdesigns.com/cms/sites/default/files/trs-80.jpg
for the thread:
http://www.thebackshed.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=3937&PN=1
Ken now had the DuinoMite-Mini running TRSDOS V2.3 and has split the SD card into four virtual drives.
for the picture:
http://kenseglerdesigns.com/cms/sites/default/files/DuinoMite-Mini-TRSDOS.JPG
for the thread:
http://www.thebackshed.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=4055&PN=1
He is now looking porting it to LDOS. We are talking about operating systems from the early 1980s here.
======================================
Maximite Compatible. The World’s First Arduino Computer. Full Story:
http://www.themaximitecomputer.com/maximite-compatible-the-worlds-first-arduino-computer/
Well it is now the DuinoMite (a Maximite compatible) that will be the World’s First Arduino Computer, as we recently
changed the name. As I haven't heard anyone challenge this claim, I believe my claim is correct.
This one below has 3 AVR micros, and you have to knit all the code together, as it has no Operating System as such:
http://www.adafruit.com/blog/2010/07/19/the-humane-pc-low-cost-avr-arduino-based-computer/
======================================
Maximite Computer now running Unix, 2.11BSD. Thread at:
http://www.thebackshed.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=3925&PN=1
sorry, I can't update this information, as I haven't heard further details.
======================================
Dontronics web pages have been set up as shown below, however prices are not set, as there may be many options to be
finalized, and delivery date could be October-November:
Olimex-DuinoMite:
http://www.dontronics-shop.com/olimex-duinomite.html
Olimex-DuinoMite-Mega:
http://www.dontronics-shop.com/olimex-duinomite-mega.html
Olimex-DuinoMite-Mini:
http://www.dontronics-shop.com/olimex-duinomite-mini.html
Olimex-DuinoMite-Shield-Board:
http://www.dontronics-shop.com/olimex-duinomite-shield-board.html
Cheers Don...
--
Don McKenzie
Dontronics Site Map: http://www.dontronics.com/sitemap
E-Mail Contact Page: http://www.dontronics.com/email
Web Camera Page: http://www.dontronics.com/webcam
No More Damn Spam: http://www.dontronics.com/spam
This project is open source hardware and software.
I expect the usual: "This is spam, not industry news", so please don't hold out, go for it.
Three or four weeks ago, I covered the Maximite Computer, what it was about, and what it was capable of.
To summarize, The Maximite Computer is a small Micro-controller/Computer, based on a top of the range PIC32 micro that
runs the BASIC language from power up. It can be run with a PS2 keyboard, and VGA monitor, or via USB to any computer
that supports USB and can run a terminal program. No compiler needed. Develop your BASIC program then save to a standard
SD card. Any program named "autorun.bas" will automatically run from the card on power up. It has 20 Input-Output pins
on a 26 pin IDC header. BASIC programs can easily be exchanged and saved to a PC using either the terminal program, or
the SD card. Fantastic user support via a very active user forum group. Can be powered from 9 to 12VDC or USB.
http://geoffg.net/maximite.html
http://www.themaximitecomputer.com/
http://www.dontronics-shop.com/the-maximite-computer.html
======================================
In that 3 or 4 weeks, we have moved a long way from this picture of it.
Olimex are bringing out 3 versions of a compatible Maximite board, which we have called the DuinoMite. A play on the
word Dynamite. Maximite is actually an explosive, named after Hudson Maxim, the inventor. He was the brother of Hiram
Stevens Maxim, inventor of the Maxim gun and uncle of Hiram Percy Maxim, inventor of the Maxim Silencer.
You can see the new pictures of the new proto boards, and the full story at:
http://www.themaximitecomputer.com/duinomite-a-maximite-compatible-from-olimex/
As you will see, the boards range from a DuinoMite-Mini with VGA and KBD connectors, right up to a fully cased
DuinoMite-Mega, with things like USB-OTG and CAN right on board.
It has an Arduino shield that is compatible with the Pinquino family, so it should be capable of being programmed in C
with the Pinquino suite of software, if the boot loader and firmware, is changed to suit.
I know Microchip themselves are supporting languages and boards, for Arduino and the PIC32 family, but I haven't had any
interaction with them to date, but I do see this happening in the future with the DuinoMite boards.
MM-Basic had to be remapped to cater for the new pin-out of the Arduino shield, as the original Maximite board was never
designed for shield support.
This is currently being ported from the Maximite to the DuinoMite by Ken Segler. If you don't know Ken:
http://news.cnet.com/2100-1040-238186.html
Ken is known as the Codeman.
http://www.faqs.org/patents/inventor/segler-6/
4 patents this year alone.
All three boards also have the Olimex UEXT connector for Serial, ISP, and I2C comms.
If you want RS-485, you simply plug in a cheap board to do the job. Olimex are in the process of producing a cheap I2C
RTC with battery backup. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEXT
With I2C, you can have 100+ apps hanging on the UEXT bus, as well as serial and SPI.
======================================
I previously mentioned:
TRS-80 Model I, level II on a PIC32 Maximite:
http://kenseglerdesigns.com/cms/sites/default/files/trs-80.jpg
for the thread:
http://www.thebackshed.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=3937&PN=1
Ken now had the DuinoMite-Mini running TRSDOS V2.3 and has split the SD card into four virtual drives.
for the picture:
http://kenseglerdesigns.com/cms/sites/default/files/DuinoMite-Mini-TRSDOS.JPG
for the thread:
http://www.thebackshed.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=4055&PN=1
He is now looking porting it to LDOS. We are talking about operating systems from the early 1980s here.
======================================
Maximite Compatible. The World’s First Arduino Computer. Full Story:
http://www.themaximitecomputer.com/maximite-compatible-the-worlds-first-arduino-computer/
Well it is now the DuinoMite (a Maximite compatible) that will be the World’s First Arduino Computer, as we recently
changed the name. As I haven't heard anyone challenge this claim, I believe my claim is correct.
This one below has 3 AVR micros, and you have to knit all the code together, as it has no Operating System as such:
http://www.adafruit.com/blog/2010/07/19/the-humane-pc-low-cost-avr-arduino-based-computer/
======================================
Maximite Computer now running Unix, 2.11BSD. Thread at:
http://www.thebackshed.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=3925&PN=1
sorry, I can't update this information, as I haven't heard further details.
======================================
Dontronics web pages have been set up as shown below, however prices are not set, as there may be many options to be
finalized, and delivery date could be October-November:
Olimex-DuinoMite:
http://www.dontronics-shop.com/olimex-duinomite.html
Olimex-DuinoMite-Mega:
http://www.dontronics-shop.com/olimex-duinomite-mega.html
Olimex-DuinoMite-Mini:
http://www.dontronics-shop.com/olimex-duinomite-mini.html
Olimex-DuinoMite-Shield-Board:
http://www.dontronics-shop.com/olimex-duinomite-shield-board.html
Cheers Don...
--
Don McKenzie
Dontronics Site Map: http://www.dontronics.com/sitemap
E-Mail Contact Page: http://www.dontronics.com/email
Web Camera Page: http://www.dontronics.com/webcam
No More Damn Spam: http://www.dontronics.com/spam
