Droids.it - Blogs

555 Contest - Prizes shipped!

DroidsMaster — Thu, 19 May 2011 16:43:03 GMT

As you probably already know, we was sponsor of the cool 555 Contest. Well, the contest has ended and the prizes assigned. We already shipped our prizes to the winners.

Take few minutes to look at how many amazing things you can do with this little chip!

[990.014 MuIn LCD] Firmware update v2.2.4

DroidsMaster — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 15:01:47 GMT

An updated firmware released for the 990.014 MuIn LCD display, it reduces the delay needed between commands on Arduino code and similar devices.

Originally Posted by Astrobeed

attached the update to version 2.2.4 of the firmware.

I did the test with this sketch, is a bit more complex.

Code:

 
void setup()
{
  Serial.begin(19200); 
}
int i;
void loop()
{
   clear();
   for (i = 1; i < 101; i++)
   {
     bargraph(1,4,0,i);
     move(3,i/5);
     if(i>5) printchar(4);
     move(2,10);
     Serial.print(i);
     move(1,5);
     Serial.print(i);
     move(1,15);
     Serial.print(i);
     delay(5); 
   }
}
void changeBaud()
{
  Serial.write(0xFE);
  Serial.write(0x39);
  Serial.write(0x01); 
  delay(3);
}
void clear()
{
  Serial.write(0xFE);
  Serial.write(0x58);
  delay(5);
}
void graphinit()
{
  Serial.write(0xFE);
  Serial.write(0x68);
  delay(3);
}
void bargraph(byte col, byte row, byte dir, byte length)
{
  Serial.write(0xFE);
  Serial.write(0x7C);
  Serial.write(col);
  Serial.write(row);
  Serial.write(dir);
  Serial.write(length);
  delay(5);
}
void printmsg(char *msg)
{
  Serial.print(msg); 
}
void printchar(char c)
{
  Serial.print(c);
}
void move(byte row, byte col)
{
  Serial.write(0xFE);
  Serial.write(0x47);
  Serial.write(row); 
  Serial.write(col);
  delay(3);
}

MuIn USB - How to connect Switches on PortB

Gianni — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 19:50:33 GMT

If you're going to connect some switches on your MuIn USB (using your firmware), you can consider using PORTB since it has integrated pull-up resistors: one pin of the switch will be connected to GND and other pin on PORTB Input. You'll detect the button pressed with some instructions like those:

if (!LATBbits.LATBx) // x=0...7
{
// instructions to execute if button pressed
}
else
{
// instructions to execute if button not pressed
}

To activate integrated pullup resistors you must include portb.h library in top of your program:

#include

and the activate pullup resistors with dedicate function:

EnablePullups();

Notice tha inputs B0 and B1 are also used by I2C peripheral. If you want use them for switches, you must solder the I2C jumper-pads on the botton of MuIN USB however: solder pad 1 with pad 2 to connect an external pullup resistor on B0 and B1.

If you don't do this, pushing a button on B0 will cause also B1 toggling and vice-versa.

A very simple stand for MuIN LCD

Gianni — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 18:24:40 GMT

Is quite simple make a simple stand for your MuIN LCD! All you need is:

A sheet of PVC, at least 110x110 millimeters

Ruler

Cutter

A pencil

A drill

4 F/F hex spacers, 12mm height with screws

A Caliper (optional)

Using Caliper or Ruler, measure your display's dimensions and paint the shapes on PVC using the pencil. The external dimensions I've used for the stand are 110 x 100mm:

Cut the display window using the cutter and drill the 4 holes used to anchor display on the stand

Screw-in the hex spacers on the back side of LCD.

In the following pic you can see I've used 2 F/F 1.2mm Hex spacers on the upper side of LCD and 2 F/M 1.2mm Hex spacers on the back side. On the male side of 2 lower hex spacers I've screwed in 2 F/F 2.5mm hex spacers and then I've attached here a small piece of a protoboard:

The protoboard is then connected on 8 pin male header of muin LCD using a female header soldered on the back side:

Here you can see some other pics:

Finally you can attach LCD on the stand using 4 screws:

On the back side, in order to mantain the assembly in upper position, I've used two common "L" washers mounted on lower hex spacers:

Your simple MuIN LCD stand is ready to display all that you want, just in front of you !!

Luigino?? Whaaat??

DroidsMaster — Sat, 18 Sep 2010 13:27:39 GMT

Yes, the Luigino is born!

What is the Luigino?

Simple: the Luigino is our contribution to the huge world of Arduino microcontroller boards.

Luigino is not a simple Arduino clone, each Luigino project has a special feature, something missing in the Arduino or something to add, or maybe something less of the Arduino, but at a ridicolous price; it is our interpretation of the Arduino project.

Here it is the 1000Pads Luigino. A basic board, available in kit or assembled or bare board. Small, simple, reliable, easy, practical!

Probably one of the cheapest Arduino compatible board on the market today!

Let's say you have made your last Arduino based project, you have to put everything in a box with pots, switch, LED's and so on ... Why put a precious Arduino board inside a box? Just transfer the program in a 1000Pads Luigino! It's cheaper! Same features!

Obviously you can also use Luigino for developing, you need a USB to Serial converter like our 990.004 to program the Chip, then unplug the converter and the board is ready to run your application!

Same form factor of our 1000Pads System: you can easily add RS485, XBee, USB, Proto, etc to the Luigino!

The 1000Pads Luigino will be on sale at the end of September 2010

La MuIn dsPic recensita su settorezero.com!

DroidsMaster — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 14:51:31 GMT

Ringrazio settorezero.com per l'ottima recensione sulla nostra recente scheda MuIn dsPic basata su dsPIC33FJ128GP802!

990.012 MuIn dsPic - Risorse

MuIn LCD Mixed Wired/Wireless Multipoint Data Exchange Example

DroidsMaster — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 15:44:13 GMT

This is an example of the capabilities of the MuIn LCD new boards. The PC can send data and make requests to the MuIn LCD boards. The MuIn LCD�s can read analog/digital devices attached to
the GPIO, can display information sent from the PC, can Beep using the on-board Speaker, and more...

MuIn LCD e sistemi operativi non Windows

DroidsMaster — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 00:11:46 GMT

Originally Posted by Astrobeed

Ho provato la MuIn LCD con Ubuntu 10.04 sia da macchina virtuale (VmWare) che in modalit� nativa.
Con la precedente release di Ubuntu, la 9.04, la MuIn LCD non veniva riconosciuta come device USB di tipo CDC ed era necessario modificare e ricompilare la usblib oltre ad installare alcuni pacchetti aggiuntivi non disponibili sul repository di Ubuntu, in questo caso la procedura di installazione � abbastanza macchinosa e non alla portata di tutti gli utenti perch� richiede una grande dimestichezza con la riga di comando del terminale.
Con l'attuale versione di Ubuntu, la 10.04, la MuIn LCD viene riconosciuta correttamente e montata come /dev/ttyACM0, non si riesce a dialogarci tramite minicom, un semplice programma di emulazione terminale, mentre funziona perfettamente con GTKterm, � necessario rinominare il nome del device perch� quello assegnato � utilizzabile dal programma, basta usare questo semplice comando previo login come root.

sudo ln -s /dev/ACM0 /dev/USB0

In questo modo ACM0 diventa USB0 e pu� essere usato da GTKterm.

Stacking multiple boards

DroidsMaster — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 22:09:30 GMT

Our new MuIn Boards are all the same Credit Card Form Factor, about 85 x 53 mm. All these boards are STACKABLE! This mean you can save space and reduce cables, the application is more compact and reliable...

This is a MuIn USB stacked on a MuIn LCD

This is a MuIn dsPic stacked on a MuIn dsNav and two Motor Drivers Tank 3A, a typical PID navigation system:

This is a MuIn dsPic stacked on a MuIn dsNav and a Tank 3A Motor Driver:

Another two boards available ....

DroidsMaster — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 22:02:04 GMT

This time we are talking about visualization: the MuIn LCD is an intelligent serial LCD Display, with advanced features. What about DSP's? Here it is the MuIn dsPic, if you want to experiment with this powerful MCU or if you need it for your next application; the MuIn dsPic is your board!

The Wait is Over! The new Boards arrived!

DroidsMaster — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 01:52:36 GMT

We just received a small batch of the new Boards!
The manufacturing is pretty good, the quality and performance is, as always, top!!

Here showed the MuIn dsNav and MuIn USB with optional XBee module. XBee, UART, RS485, I2C, these are only few of the features of these new boards, take a look at the specifications in the products section! :cool:

continue ...

990.004 Back in stock!!

DroidsMaster — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 11:56:53 GMT

Our popular FTDI FT232 based USB->RS232 converter is back in stock!

MuIn LCD - Final Testing...

DroidsMaster — Fri, 28 May 2010 20:27:26 GMT

The NEW MuIn LCD is almost ready, we're doing final testing, it will be on sale in mid june, probably....

990.009 Tank 3A Almost ready to launch!

DroidsMaster — Thu, 27 May 2010 02:11:31 GMT

The TANK motor controller is ready, just finish writing documentation and packing the units...