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Forum Index : Microcontroller and PC projects : PicoMite: PicoGAME VGA development
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Mixtel90 Guru  Joined: 05/10/2019 Location: United KingdomPosts: 6825 |
I'm well into assembling the first of my version 1.4 boards - recycling the bigger components from one of the prototypes. :) Things are going well so far. Polarity of the USB-A socket is correct and the little capacitors fit better, which makes me happy. The surface mount 3.5mm jack fits correctly, as does the original through-hole one. You can now use male pins and proper links too. :) That's enough for tonight, I'll probably finish it tomorrow. EDIT: Following morning... Added a few more bits (not finished yet) and gave it a brain transplant (borrowed the working PicoMite from the other prototype). We now have a working display (even with the pot missing) and keyboard (using 2N7000 level shifters this time). Need to look for a blue LED. Blue LEDs always make things work better. :) EDIT EDIT: It works! Complete with blue LED. :) I've been modifying my test program so I now need to verify what I found against the circuit, but everything appears to be working as expected. There is actually one dry joint on LB1, but it can wait until I have the iron out again. No panic. Edited 2022-05-14 07:13 by Mixtel90 Mick Zilog Inside! nascom.info for Nascom & Gemini Preliminary MMBasic docs & my PCB designs |
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| al18 Senior Member  Joined: 06/07/2019 Location: United StatesPosts: 205 |
Construction notes for v1.4 state populate R38, R39, R40 and R41 with 10K resistors as part of the keyboard interface. These reference designators are not on the board. |
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| Mixtel90 Guru Joined: 05/10/2019 Location: United KingdomPosts: 6825 |
That's an error in the notes from the prototype, I'll fix it. They are, of course, R33, R34, R35 & R36 as shown on the circuit diagram and on the board. There is another error in the setup details for the full size SD card. GP110 doesn't exist on my Pico and should be GP11. :) That one was just finger trouble. The RS part number for the SMD audio jack was also omitted. (RS 705-1490). Edited 2022-05-14 16:45 by Mixtel90 Mick Zilog Inside! nascom.info for Nascom & Gemini Preliminary MMBasic docs & my PCB designs |
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| al18 Senior Member Joined: 06/07/2019 Location: United StatesPosts: 205 |
Ok, Thanks. I installed the SMD audio jack yesterday - very nice. Lots of solder tabs for mechanical strength. I also went thru my parts stash and found a small screw terminal jack that fit perfectly into the holes for the power jack. |
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| Mixtel90 Guru Joined: 05/10/2019 Location: United KingdomPosts: 6825 |
That's handy to know. :) I've just found that the PS21 terminal block from Bitsbox fits. The holes are on 5mm centres. Mick Zilog Inside! nascom.info for Nascom & Gemini Preliminary MMBasic docs & my PCB designs |
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| Mixtel90 Guru Joined: 05/10/2019 Location: United KingdomPosts: 6825 |
@thwill Just sent you a couple of 1.4 boards and an audio jack, now I know that things fit. :) I think the next post is on Monday though. Edited 2022-05-14 22:44 by Mixtel90 Mick Zilog Inside! nascom.info for Nascom & Gemini Preliminary MMBasic docs & my PCB designs |
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thwill Guru Joined: 16/09/2019 Location: United KingdomPosts: 4047 |
Excellent. I'm just clearing the decks of other projects so I can give it some attention ... at least for a couple of weeks until the judging of the MMBasic Programming Challenge 2022. Thanks again, Tom Game*Mite, CMM2 Welcome Tape, Creaky old text adventures |
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| al18 Senior Member Joined: 06/07/2019 Location: United StatesPosts: 205 |
Got it put together. Boy are there lots of parts on this board. If I’m using two of the 9 pin NES controllers, do I need to use any links on LB1? Can you post the updated test program so I can test the controllers? |
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| Mixtel90 Guru Joined: 05/10/2019 Location: United KingdomPosts: 6825 |
LB1 only affects the three analogue inputs, which aren't used by the controllers. LB1 can be used in 3 ways: 1) It can be used if you want to use any of those inputs as digital, to give pull-up or pull-down resistors. 2) It can be used for external paddle controllers, in which case LB1 is set as pull-down and the paddle (usually a 100k pot) is connected between 3V3 and the analogue input. You can then read the position of the paddle. 3) With the link removed you can connect a potentiometer between 3V3 and GND, with the slider on the analogue input. JS1 works like this. Note that if you want to use a RTC module then you have to remove the links for GP26 and GP27 and they are no longer available for anything else as they become I2C signals. The Controllers only use digital signals on different pins. :) I'll sort the program out soon. Probably later today. Did you enjoy building it? Mick Zilog Inside! nascom.info for Nascom & Gemini Preliminary MMBasic docs & my PCB designs |
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| thwill Guru Joined: 16/09/2019 Location: United KingdomPosts: 4047 |
Hi Mick, the two boards and audio jack arrived safely and the first of them is now at the top of the pile for construction when I get a couple of quiet hours. Thank you very much. @Volhout if you PM me your address I will forward you the second board as promised. Best wishes, Tom Game*Mite, CMM2 Welcome Tape, Creaky old text adventures |
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| Mixtel90 Guru Joined: 05/10/2019 Location: United KingdomPosts: 6825 |
Excellent! :) You'll be pleased to know that I've found some stray silk screening on the bottom of the 1.4 boards. It's about using the GP15 mode control, which isn't there now. :) It's not particularly easy to see the back text on the setup I normally use. It makes it a bit too easy to miss things. I really must fix that. lol Here's the version 1.4 PicoGame test program: BASfiles.zip Like my hardware, it keeps changing a bit... Mick Zilog Inside! nascom.info for Nascom & Gemini Preliminary MMBasic docs & my PCB designs |
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| al18 Senior Member Joined: 06/07/2019 Location: United StatesPosts: 205 |
I will install a DS3231 RTC, so I will install the Up links for GP26 and GP27 to activate 10k pull-ups. |
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| al18 Senior Member Joined: 06/07/2019 Location: United StatesPosts: 205 |
I also noticed D6 is now just a regular 3mm LED. I may need to put some heat shrink on the legs and bend it 90 degrees for the case. |
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| Mixtel90 Guru Joined: 05/10/2019 Location: United KingdomPosts: 6825 |
The little RTC module has its own pull-ups, you don't need to fit the LB1 links for GP26 and GP27. Yep - when I did away with the mode switching there was no need for the bi-colour LED. That freed GP15 for the fire button on the other port. Mick Zilog Inside! nascom.info for Nascom & Gemini Preliminary MMBasic docs & my PCB designs |
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| al18 Senior Member Joined: 06/07/2019 Location: United StatesPosts: 205 |
I’m using the larger DS3231 module with the CR2032 battery and have removed the glass diode to disable the battery charging. Peter’s PicoMiteVGA has 10k pull-ups on SDA and SCL |
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| Mixtel90 Guru Joined: 05/10/2019 Location: United KingdomPosts: 6825 |
Oh, right - then I don't think it will plug in directly anyway. I might be wrong, I didn't allow for that. Mick Zilog Inside! nascom.info for Nascom & Gemini Preliminary MMBasic docs & my PCB designs |
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| al18 Senior Member Joined: 06/07/2019 Location: United StatesPosts: 205 |
Won’t plug in directly - I installed header pins on the board and will use DuPont wires to connect the module. My Ds3231 module has two 4.7k resistor packs installed. I’ll try it with and without the 10k pull-ups and let you know. Edited 2022-05-18 01:40 by al18 |
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| thwill Guru Joined: 16/09/2019 Location: United KingdomPosts: 4047 |
Hey Mick, There are 7 holes (circled red below) in the 1.4 board that I don't understand the purpose of, can you enlighten me ?  Best wishes, Tom Game*Mite, CMM2 Welcome Tape, Creaky old text adventures |
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| Mixtel90 Guru Joined: 05/10/2019 Location: United KingdomPosts: 6825 |
I can indeed. :) The group of 3 at the top is for an optional in-line 200R multi-turn preset pot to replace both R16 and VR1. Some people may have one already. It's mentioned in the notes, I think. The top corners of it are indicated by little corner marks on the pcb. The others allow you to install Volhout's circuit instead of the standard one for the audio. Once again, ISTR that this is in the notes. If you are using the voltage regulator there is little between them. Volhout uses resistors in the C5 and C6 positions and capacitors in the other positions - the hole centres are wrong, obviously, so I added additional holes to make things easy. Mick Zilog Inside! nascom.info for Nascom & Gemini Preliminary MMBasic docs & my PCB designs |
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| thwill Guru Joined: 16/09/2019 Location: United KingdomPosts: 4047 |
Thanks Mick. You expect me to read the notes/manual, what fresh madness is this ??? Best wishes, Tom Game*Mite, CMM2 Welcome Tape, Creaky old text adventures |
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