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Ethernet Expansion Card Demo Coders Needed — Parallax Forums

Ethernet Expansion Card Demo Coders Needed

saverysavery Posts: 12
edited 2009-01-28 09:44 in Propeller 1
All right gang. We've got the final prototypes complete and ready for demo coders.

I'm looking for individuals that have had experience writing code for the Hydra and have a firm understanding of computer networks (esp TCP/IP and UDP/IP)

The card is an SPI implementation of the W5100 from Wiznet. Check out the data sheet for the chip to get an idea of what you would be dealing with.

If your interested send me a resume to shanemavery at yahoo.com

Comments

  • Parallel UniverseParallel Universe Posts: 46
    edited 2008-05-26 12:45
    This sounds extremely cool! But what exactly is it?
    What all can it do? Will it go into production? Who will be selling it?

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    ·</Parallel Universe>
  • saverysavery Posts: 12
    edited 2008-05-26 18:35
    This is an ethernet card that will give Hydra the ability to communicate TCP/IP (also UDP/IP). The chip itself has the TCP/IP hardwired within it. This means that you could play games with others over the internet, use Hydra as a web server, ftp server, file server, whatever.

    This will go into production very soon. These are the final prototypes. Once I have some people other than me to play with these (thus the call for demo coders) we will go into full production. Andre' can correct this if I'm wrong but I imagine you will be able to purchase these unit in the exact same place you currently purchase the SD storage card and the 512K SRAM card for the Hydra.

    Here are some youtube clips.

    Here I show off the PCB and ping the device - http://www.youtube.com/v/Z9KpC5MwcG4
    This shows the SPI driver writing and reading a byte to the W5100 -http://www.youtube.com/v/VulcSSBJ6_I
    A UDP write and read to the PC - http://www.youtube.com/v/b7exfoPJob0
    Hydra WebServer - http://www.youtube.com/v/QupQJw0WlEE
    TicTacToe on a local network - http://www.youtube.com/v/EqzG31wzOIE
  • Timothy D. SwieterTimothy D. Swieter Posts: 1,613
    edited 2008-06-03 13:52
    Savery - very nice looking module. I enjoyed working with the W5100 in the Circuit Cellar contest and started writing code for the W5100 a while ago, but you are light years ahead. Way to go with such a nice looking module and software. Nice videos too.

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    Timothy D. Swieter

    www.brilldea.com·- uOLED-IOC, RGB LEDs, TLC5940 driver PCB
    www.tdswieter.com
    One little spark of imagination is all it takes for an idea to explode
  • AndreLAndreL Posts: 1,004
    edited 2008-06-06 07:22
    Tim,

    You should do a demo for the new card (if you aren't already), savery has a few more sample units for demo coders still, but time is running out.

    Andre'
  • Timothy D. SwieterTimothy D. Swieter Posts: 1,613
    edited 2008-06-06 15:00
    Good suggestion Andre'.· I considered volunteering, but I don't have a Hydra.· That hasn't stopped me from experimenting with the SD Card I got for my Birthday though.· Perhaps I should volunteer....my time for experimenting comes and goes....what ideas do I have· for ethernet and gaming? Hmm...

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    Timothy D. Swieter

    www.brilldea.com·- uOLED-IOC, RGB LEDs, TLC5940 driver PCB
    www.tdswieter.com
    One little spark of imagination is all it takes for an idea to explode
  • RobotWorkshopRobotWorkshop Posts: 2,307
    edited 2008-06-06 15:04
    It would be cool if at least one person going to the Unofficial Propeller Expo in August could bring one of these cards along with any demos that are already working. Maybe a pair of them so the network can be demonstrated.

    I am bringing my handwired Hydra and hope to finally test out the built-in network port. The Ethernet card sounds pretty cool.

    Any estimate on cost yet and when the regular production cards might be ready?

    Robert
  • AndreLAndreL Posts: 1,004
    edited 2008-06-06 18:18
    I think production will start in about a month, price will be from $79-99 I would imagine. Its not my product, so I can't be 100% sure, it depends on Shane, but I am collaborating with him, so the product comes out nice and clean and what people expect.
  • Timothy D. SwieterTimothy D. Swieter Posts: 1,613
    edited 2008-06-15 06:44
    Savery - I was thinking about the Wiznet chip again this afternoon. As I was digging through my old notes, I was reminded that the W5100 doesn't have an on-board capability to generate the MAC address. I am curious what you used in your design to generate a MAC address. Did you use a hardcode in software? Do you use an external MAC Chip? I remembered your project and thought it would be a good reference to inquire about the MAC issue. I know that newer W5300 has an on-board MAC.

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    Timothy D. Swieter

    www.brilldea.com·- uOLED-IOC, RGB LEDs, TLC5940 driver PCB
    www.tdswieter.com
    One little spark of imagination is all it takes for an idea to explode
  • AndreLAndreL Posts: 1,004
    edited 2008-06-15 07:48
    Its just hard coded in software.

    Andre'
  • saverysavery Posts: 12
    edited 2008-06-15 16:10
    Andre' is right. It was an address I pulled out of the air. All that is required for functionality is that the MAC address not be the same as the MAC address of the other Ethernet devices in your network. There are some other restrictions about what the address can't be (such as a multicast or broadcast address) but just google "MAC address vendor" and you will get a list of the addresses IEEE has assigned.

    To get your own MAC address is a bit of a hassle. In theory·the MAC address for all·Ethernet devices·should all be unique. I think you have to apply·to IEEE to get a range of addresses assigned to you.
  • Oldbitcollector (Jeff)Oldbitcollector (Jeff) Posts: 8,091
    edited 2008-06-15 16:19
    Just use prefix "008010" It's Commodore and I can pretty much guaranty that
    you will never see it anywhere else.. [noparse]:)[/noparse]

    OBC

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  • Timothy D. SwieterTimothy D. Swieter Posts: 1,613
    edited 2008-06-15 23:56
    When I was experimenting at home I just soft coded teh MAC address. I remember a long thread on this topic in the Circuit Cellar forum a while back. I believe there is an IC out there that can be bought that has the ability to give a MAC address. It was a small memory chip with the MAC built in. I need to look that up again if I was going to do a design.

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    Timothy D. Swieter

    www.brilldea.com·- uOLED-IOC, RGB LEDs, TLC5940 driver PCB
    www.tdswieter.com
    One little spark of imagination is all it takes for an idea to explode
  • RobotWorkshopRobotWorkshop Posts: 2,307
    edited 2008-06-18 20:00
    For MAC addresses why not borrow some from obsolete NIC's? Just think of how many ISA NIC's, 10MB NIC's, etc that have just been pitched! I know I have extra's laying around that may eventually be scrapped. That way it should be unique.

    Robert
  • Timothy D. SwieterTimothy D. Swieter Posts: 1,613
    edited 2008-06-20 23:49
    Borrowing of MAC address is some of the solution that were proposed during the Circuit Cellar contest. Those solutions are OK from teh hobby point of view, but some of the participants were evaluating the WIZnet W5100 for product use, which meant they need an alternative solution. One could register for a MAC ID and then each firmware would have be different. Or, I think there was a chip that offered MAC. I see that the new W5300 from WIZnet has a built in MAC, which makes life easier on the designer.

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    Timothy D. Swieter

    www.brilldea.com·- uOLED-IOC, RGB LEDs, TLC5940 driver PCB
    www.tdswieter.com
    One little spark of imagination is all it takes for an idea to explode
  • Harrison.Harrison. Posts: 484
    edited 2008-06-21 01:12
    Dallas produces a 1-wire device that contains a valid ethernet MAC address that you can use. I believe these are primarily designed for use in their DSTINI java+ethernet devices.

    DS2502-E48 (48-Bit Node Address Chip)
    www.maxim-ic.com/quick_view2.cfm/qv_pk/3748
    search.digikey.com/scripts/DkSearch/dksus.dll?Detail?name=DS2502-E48%2B-ND

    The device is expensive if you are planning to mass produce your product. The good thing about using 1-wire is that you can always decide to purchase an OUI from IEEE and use a cheaper 1-wire device to store your MAC address without having to redesign your PCB. I've also heard of people using cheap 1-wire silicon serial number devices to generate the last 3 bytes of the MAC address (this obviously only works if you have an OUI).
  • Timothy D. SwieterTimothy D. Swieter Posts: 1,613
    edited 2008-11-08 00:49
    Savery, Andre -

    Any updates on the card you were making for the Hydra? It has been a while since I have checked in the this forum and I don't see another thread on this topic.

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    Timothy D. Swieter, E.I.
    www.brilldea.com - Prop Blade, LED Painter, RGB LEDs, uOLED-IOC, eProto fo SunSPOT, BitScope

    www.tdswieter.com
  • saverysavery Posts: 12
    edited 2008-11-08 08:57
    Cards are done. They are sitting here next to me ready to be sent to the masses. I need to get some documentation in order and package it all up. VERY SOON!!!
  • saverysavery Posts: 12
    edited 2008-11-08 09:00
    Here's a youtube link for a game I wrote that uses the Ethernet daughter cards. Here I'm trying to show why a game developer would choose UDP over TCP. Enjoy!

  • Bob Lawrence (VE1RLL)Bob Lawrence (VE1RLL) Posts: 1,720
    edited 2009-01-27 03:46
    Item code 27933
    Price $59.99

    www.parallax.com/Store/Accessories/Communication/tabid/161/CategoryID/36/List/0/Level/a/ProductID/540/Default.aspx?SortField=ProductName%2cProductName

    jumpin.gif

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    Aka: CosmicBob
  • Timothy D. SwieterTimothy D. Swieter Posts: 1,613
    edited 2009-01-28 09:44
    Cool. Good spotting Bob.

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    Timothy D. Swieter, E.I.
    www.brilldea.com - Prop Blade, LED Painter, RGB LEDs, uOLED-IOC, eProto for SunSPOT, BitScope
    www.tdswieter.com
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