PIC32 Color Maximite Microcomputer
To date, the Maximite project is my favorite in the field of handmade microcomputers. Having collected its original black and white version , I later launched RetroBSD on it , then even my Radio-86RK emulator. What is captivating in the project is completeness. Structurally, Maximite is simple, PIC32 does almost all the work. But Maximite is not just an idea in the form of a diagram. For Maximite, the board, the case and, in fact, the firmware have been developed - MMBasic, an advanced BASIC dialect, which gives access to all the peripherals, and it is impressive for Maximite. In a short interview, the author and developer of Maximite, Jeff Graham, told why he actually had to bring the project for such a finished look.
Recently, the author has released a new, color version, and this review is dedicated to her.
So, the possibilities of color Maximite (new and improved features are marked with an asterisk):
Built-in BASIC allows you to maximize the use of all these features. You can even create timer interrupt handlers in the form of subroutines.
Of course, I purchased the designer color Maximite, as last time from Altronics .
')
All the elements with legs, so that, apparently, amateurs in soldering, like me, it was easier. Only one capacitor (C10) is planar and rather small there. Although the snatches were already under him with tin, I had to fidget with soldering in order not to short out.
In the collection.
For comparison, the old and the new Maximite.
That's what you can do with flowers in BASIC.
And this, though not in color, is, after all, a classic.
As the author writes, the ability to generate a color video signal required a 100-foot PIC32 model, where there are three SPI channels. It is clear that at the same time it is required to “drive” three times more data, and since the crystal frequency remains the same, 80 MHz, then objectively, the color firmware works a little slower than the original black and white. Therefore, for the new Maximite there is a version of a pure black and white firmware, in which all the new peripheral features are added in a similar way, and which works in a speed similar to the previous one, in black and white Maximite.
The designer from Altroniks, as well as last time, excellent quality.
In general, I recommend.
Recently, the author has released a new, color version, and this review is dedicated to her.
So, the possibilities of color Maximite (new and improved features are marked with an asterisk):
- PS / 2 keyboard
- VGA video signal (480x432 or 240x216), eight colors (*)
- black and white composite video signal
- stereo sound generation (*)
- real time clock with independent battery (*)
- 20 independent I / O pins
- Connector for Arduino (*)
- SD card (up to 32GB)
- USB connection for file transfer or terminal
- interfaces RS232, I2C, SPI, 1-wire
- dual channel PWM (*)
- ability to update the firmware via USB
- USB power supply
- built-in BASIC font system
- teams working with sprites in BASIC to program games (*)
Built-in BASIC allows you to maximize the use of all these features. You can even create timer interrupt handlers in the form of subroutines.
Of course, I purchased the designer color Maximite, as last time from Altronics .
')
All the elements with legs, so that, apparently, amateurs in soldering, like me, it was easier. Only one capacitor (C10) is planar and rather small there. Although the snatches were already under him with tin, I had to fidget with soldering in order not to short out.
In the collection.
For comparison, the old and the new Maximite.
That's what you can do with flowers in BASIC.
And this, though not in color, is, after all, a classic.
As the author writes, the ability to generate a color video signal required a 100-foot PIC32 model, where there are three SPI channels. It is clear that at the same time it is required to “drive” three times more data, and since the crystal frequency remains the same, 80 MHz, then objectively, the color firmware works a little slower than the original black and white. Therefore, for the new Maximite there is a version of a pure black and white firmware, in which all the new peripheral features are added in a similar way, and which works in a speed similar to the previous one, in black and white Maximite.
The designer from Altroniks, as well as last time, excellent quality.
In general, I recommend.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/161405/
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