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Cluso's P2 RetroBlade2 Single Chip Computer (small stock and build to order) - Page 2 — Parallax Forums

Cluso's P2 RetroBlade2 Single Chip Computer (small stock and build to order)

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  • Cluso99Cluso99 Posts: 18,066
    My 3d printer died while tweeking the frame and hinge to fit the screen size precisely :(
    The hotend keeps clogging. After many attempts looks like i need a new tip - my son has spares so i need to get one from him.
  • Those prints were looking really nice.

    I've recently starting making some production parts where we do a few steps (sanding, abrading, etc) after the print. The final parts come up really well, its very hard to tell they were 3d printed

  • Cluso99Cluso99 Posts: 18,066
    I get really good prints from my cheapo Creality Ender 3.
    Putting a schampfer on the edges really makes boxes look so much better. I don't do any post-processing except to trim any external "lumps" or "string". I've got a cheap tool for this.
  • @Cluso99 what 3D printer are you using?
  • Cluso99Cluso99 Posts: 18,066
    Fixed my 3d printer. I think with the heavy rain and high humidity, my PLA+ absorbed moisture and my nozzle clogged. While i cleaned it and reseated the bowden tube, it didn’t totally fix it. I installed a new nozzle, and while at it i replaced the bowden tube with a better one (had it ready but hadn’t seen the need for it). And the bowden clamp at the feed in end (better clamp on the tube (again had it ready).
    All now working fine and i printed my stencil frame an hinge (about 5 1/2 hours) and everything fits :sunglasses:
    I will heat my PLA+ to remove the moisture next week too.

    Here’s a pic of the frame and hinge. Note the provision for screws to hold the stencil in place, but not yet fitted. And a pic of my Creality Ender 3 - under US$200 shipped to Oz.

    CA65BF3C-F3B7-404E-B297-E1E098D63652.jpeg

    CF9667F8-1857-41E3-9471-E339BC19BE48.jpeg
  • @Cluso99 how do you create the paste screen?
  • Cluso99Cluso99 Posts: 18,066
    CJMJ wrote: »
    @Cluso99 how do you create the paste screen?
    Had it made by pcb manufacturer. It’s created as part of KiCad and uses the included footprints or those you make yourself. I created the P2 footprint using the supplied TQFP100 as the base.
  • Cluso99Cluso99 Posts: 18,066
    And after reflow. Can you spot the deliberate error? :wink:
    913D29A3-2B53-450C-A4F0-BC8A15473B81.jpeg
  • Peter JakackiPeter Jakacki Posts: 10,193
    edited 2020-10-30 07:29
    Yes, you left one of the regulators off, the 3V3 1A LDO SOT-89 regulator
  • Cluso99Cluso99 Posts: 18,066
    yes. It wasn't in my parts bin so I thought I would go back to that when I finished, but as you know, the best laid plans aren't always executed as intended :(
  • Cluso99Cluso99 Posts: 18,066
    And then there was life :sunglasses:

    pnut correctly finds and identifies the P2 :smiley:
  • Cluso99Cluso99 Posts: 18,066
    edited 2020-10-30 08:38
    And we're away :sunglasses:

    Into the ROM Monitor and TAQOZ. Wow this is so useful to just test for life!

    1454774B-2089-44E3-977D-3FC48FF338C6.jpeg
  • If you load up the TAQOZ binary you can plug in VGA (normally on P0..4) and view pictures, play audio, play video or just plain change the console output to VGA.

    Load _BOOT_P2.BIX onto the root directory of a FAT32 card. 
    TAQOZ will automatically load and report to a serial console.
    As of June 21, 2020 this defaults to a safe 115200 8N1. 
    Current version is 2.6 which has the basic set of modules loaded as others can be added very easily.
    
     CARD: SANDISK   SD SC64G REV$80 #35190404 DATE:2018/10
    KERNEL            Parallax P2  *TAQOZ RELOADED sIDE*  V2.6 'CHIP' Prop_Ver G 200MHz 200621-1000
       MODULES:
       1508 *TEXT*          VGA BMP TEXT 190800-0000
       1260 *BMV*           BMV VIDEO PLAYER 190800-0000
        772 *WAVE*          WAVE AUDIO FILE PLAYER 190800-0000
        430 *BMP*           BMP FILE VIEWER 190800-0000
       1944 *TIM*           TAQOZ INTERACTIVE MEDIA - AUDIO, TEXT, IMAGE & VIDEO DRIVERS 200403-1200 
       4866 *TIA*           TAQOZ INTERACTIVE ASSEMBLER for the PARALLAX P2 - 200327-2300
       2528 *DISK*          SD DISK REPORTING & FORMATTING TOOLS 190800-0000
       4756 *TAFFS*         TAQOZ FAT32 FILE SYSTEM for SD CARD plus VIRTUAL MEMORY  200621-1000
       1400 *SPIRAM*        LY68L6400 8MB SPI RAM ACCESS 191020-0000
       1774 *DECOMPILER*    A decompiler for TAQOZ 190825-0000
       1312 *RTC*           RV-3028 RTC DATE and TIME 190800-0000
        814 *SMARTPINS*     SMARTPIN FUNCTIONS and drive modes 190800-0000
        400 *P2CLOCK*       P2 CLOCK CONTROL 190800-0000
       2184 *ANSI*          ANSI TERMINAL SUPPORT 200410-0000
        396 *EXTEND*        Primary kernel extensions 200621-1000
       5754 *SPIFLASH*
    MEMORY MAP
      CODE:         09DC4  40,388 bytes
      WORDS:        1C14E  15,905 bytes
      DATA:         01F40  1,138 bytes
      ROOM:                74,634 bytes
    HARDWARE
      PCB           P2      (P2D2)
      CLOCK IN      20.000000MHZ
    DEVICES
      SD CARD       63 GB  SANDISK   SD SC64G REV$80 #35190404 DATE:2018/10
      SPI FLASH     16MB WINBOND $EF40_1800 #4837448895114529879
      USB           Silicon LaBS, EFM8UB3 P2D2v4  USB Bridge UB3_2.5.7A, 0005
    I2C DEVICES
      $36           P2D2 UB USB+SUPPORT  UUID:039BAD5834DEE811A8D742B1A51F80DA
      $A4           RV-3028 RTC
      $C4           Si5351A CLOCK GEN
                    2020/06/21 SUN 12:04:45   28.42'C   Vdd=1.832V
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    TAQOZ#
    
  • Cluso99Cluso99 Posts: 18,066
    I’ve soldered my VGA connector. It’s on p27-31 where VSync is on p27 and the rest are standard on the 4 pin group beginning p28-31.

    Over the w/e I’ll mod Chip’s VGA driver to use these pins and test it out.

    I haven’t tried downloading any code yet. I’m done for the night.

    I have LCD code that’s simple to test a group of 8 pins as all LCD pins including 3V3 and GND go to a prop pin. By poking the pins into the header holes and applying slight pressure I can test without soldering headers.
  • ColeyColey Posts: 1,108
    Nice work Ray, as always ;-)
  • Cluso99Cluso99 Posts: 18,066
    Thanks Graeme. Did I get your name correct, and spelling? My brother’s a ham.

    Missed visiting the UK in August :(
  • Well, if you do want to talk to VGA and interactively change the resolutions etc you can reconfigure the VGA config at memory location $20 for the combined hsyn.red.green.blue and $24 for the vsync like this:
    TAQOZ# 27 $24 ! &31.30.29.28 $20 ! ---  ok 
    
    Then BACKUP BIX as a shortcut to backup to the BIX file then reboot and VGA will default to 640x480x8. Type VGA and console output will appear on the VGA monitor as 106x48 text.

    Some preset HD resolutions are 144p 180p 360p 720p 1080p and 4:3 resolutions are 768v 600v 480v 384v 300v 240v 120v etc
    To change to 1080p at 1 bpp just type 1080p
    For 8 bpp at 360p type 8 bpp 360p

    Try it, it's a lot of fun.
  • ColeyColey Posts: 1,108
    Cluso99 wrote: »
    Thanks Graeme. Did I get your name correct, and spelling? My brother’s a ham.

    Missed visiting the UK in August :(

    I'm a ham too!🤣🤣🤣
  • What's the paste screen made of? It looks like fiberglass. Is it an epoxy or polyurethane? The picture fooled me at first. I thought the paste was on the screen then I realized it was actually holes. I guess whatever was behind it was creating the optical illusion. Thanks for sharing.
  • Cluso99Cluso99 Posts: 18,066
    edited 2020-10-30 20:16
    The screen is stainless steel from JLCPCB. There is a reflection in the pic that is confusing.
    Previously I have used Mylar from oshstencils.com

    The slots for the P2 are so fine it makes visual alignment difficult. I had hoped that I could use my frame concept to auto align but I think this is not going to be possible. Production houses have much better gear where alignment is pinned and is precise every time.

    Oh, and I have to buy new solder paste. My jar has finally gone off - a little dry. Not bad for a use by of 2014!
    I keep it in the original quite sealed jar placed in a ziplock bag with as much air removed as possible and tight with an elastic bag and then in the fridge so about 5C. I decant a tiny amount into a tiny sealed miniature jam jar keep the same way and discard when it dries out. This way I’m not opening the main jar very often.
    I’ll try rejuvenation first - will google how to as I’ve seen it done before.
  • hinvhinv Posts: 1,252
    edited 2020-10-31 16:58
    Cluso99 wrote: »
    My 3d printer died while tweeking the frame and hinge to fit the screen size precisely :(
    The hotend keeps clogging. After many attempts looks like i need a new tip - my son has spares so i need to get one from him.

    Sure would be nice if someone invented an open source print head to precisely extrude solder paste.

    Update: found someone doing it
  • Nice job Cluso. Can I put my name down for one please?

  • Cluso99Cluso99 Posts: 18,066
    edited 2020-10-31 21:20
    hinv wrote: »
    Cluso99 wrote: »
    My 3d printer died while tweeking the frame and hinge to fit the screen size precisely :(
    The hotend keeps clogging. After many attempts looks like i need a new tip - my son has spares so i need to get one from him.

    Sure would be nice if someone invented an open source print head to precisely extrude solder paste.

    Update: found someone doing it
    I'm more interested in part placement ;)
    You need steady hands and lots of time to hand place. Screening paste is the easy part, even if it's difficult to align.
    Interesting how he is filling in the thru holes tho.
  • Great for prototyping! I noticed that it lays a strip of paste shorting across the IC pads which is something that I do manually, and it works well.
  • Cluso99Cluso99 Posts: 18,066
    edited 2020-11-04 23:03
    Success :sunglasses:

    Downloads code from pnut - tick
    Boots from microSD (my LCD clock) - tick

    Here is my LCD running a clock. The USB only provides power. The P2 boots code from the microSD card - there is no Flash chip either.
  • Great progress Ray!
  • Cluso99Cluso99 Posts: 18,066
    edited 2020-11-01 20:07
    Well, if you do want to talk to VGA and interactively change the resolutions etc you can reconfigure the VGA config at memory location $20 for the combined hsyn.red.green.blue and $24 for the vsync like this:
    TAQOZ# 27 $24 ! &31.30.29.28 $20 ! ---  ok 
    
    Then BACKUP BIX as a shortcut to backup to the BIX file then reboot and VGA will default to 640x480x8. Type VGA and console output will appear on the VGA monitor as 106x48 text.

    Some preset HD resolutions are 144p 180p 360p 720p 1080p and 4:3 resolutions are 768v 600v 480v 384v 300v 240v 120v etc
    To change to 1080p at 1 bpp just type 1080p
    For 8 bpp at 360p type 8 bpp 360p

    Try it, it's a lot of fun.
    I will give this a try tonight after work. I don’t have Flash installed.

    So if I boot into TAQOZ and type the sequence above, I presume I will see some text (perhaps just the OK message) on my vga screen? This is all I’m after, just to prove the VGA connector is working.

    While I’m asking, to just test the flash exists (ie read the flash I’d codes), what is the TAQOZ one liner? What are simple write and read back one liners too please?

    This will verify my board is working. Only thing then remaining then is to load up the P2 with code to stress out the power consumption and check the regulators, and P2 heat dissipation.

    I don’t have equipment to test the performance of the ADC although I expect it to be quite good. Will be interesting to see what removing some of the bypass caps will do.
  • The TAQOZ ROM doesn't have any VGA support built-in but you can access SD and Flash.
    .SF to Print SPI FLash
    .SD to Print SD card
    lsio to list I/O pins
    WORDS to list the dictionary words
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