hinv said...
Now that clockloop showed us that you can piggy back several props XI on the XO of the crystal connection of another prop, it should be doable to clock the prop from one of the lines on the 13MHz crystal in the zipit.
Take Care,
Doug
No, this was not my idea, but I did verify that a prop or two will work off the xo of another prop that has a crystal.
My estimation is that it will only push 3 or even 4 props....
However I do have 7 props running right now on a single crystal... I had trouble yesterday with running that many on a single crystal.
I'll say this one will work with many props but, I wouldn't connect as many as I did, 7.
The only thing I figured out was that devices like the prop can be dummy programmed, in parallel by "emulating" many props using a single reply master.
I suspect that this dummy programming can be done across the chip spectrum(other microcontrollers, dsp's and fpgas) in similar fashion.
This zipit looks neat, anyone got hires pics of the internal guts and circuit board?
Well, I'm just trying to stuff a single prop inside the zipit, so I hope that I can hang the props XI on the stronger signal side of the crystal without pulling it out of spec. Since it is 13MHz, I should get overclocking (104MHz) and convenience.
Hi guys I am trying to hunt one down "zipit" but is everyone using the zipit 2? someone emailed me and asked if I could use a zipit but told me it was not a model 2?
Hi guys I am trying to hunt one down 'zipit' but is everyone using the zipit 2? someone emailed me and asked if I could use a zipit but told me it was not a model 2?
There are some that have hacked the Z1, but this thread is about the ZipIt Z2.
I sent you a paypal invoice if you want one(I think it was you, but I lost the pm).
mikdiv: I would not go back in time to the Zipit 1 although i have seen that there have been interesting hacks performed on them. As far as I can tell they do not have colour screens.
My comment about connecting XO to XI on another prop was for Clockloop. However, the same comment applies to the AVR. Xtal circuits are notorious for problems because of loading and capacitance of the tracks. To run a wire from the xtal XO to another chips XI is just asking for problems, and it could kill the chip (the one driving XO).
There are pics posted on the ZipIt2. If they are not at the beginning of this thread, then IIRC they are on hackaday. I have reassembled mine.
Hinv thank you this is mikediv I am having nothing but trouble with new website it locked me out I can not access my old account I just payed the paypal request under my divsilverado@yahoo.com account I hope its ok thank you very much by the way sorry it took me so long I can not believe I was unable to even make a new account here I had to make a new email address and everything even though I can not get in under mikediv everytime I tried to make new account it would say my user name was in use ,, then new name but it would say my email was in use ,, then new email and it would complain about somehting else ,, anyway doug thanks I hope you see this in time ,, Guys that's fine I would rather use what everyone else is so I can use all your hard work ,,LOL
doug my email is mikediv@comcast.net I Sent you a msg to your paypal address let me know if everything went ok and thank you again for selling me one
A big thank you I got my zipit in the mail today thank you very much doug/Hinv ? Gee I hope I have your name right this is mikediv it looks like I am going to be stuck with the new name I have given up on trying to get my old account back up
Hey guys I let mine charge up for a few hours but when I press the green button I can not get anyhting on my screen there are 2 green leds in the front that are lit but the screen is black I tried removing the battery and putting it back in but I can not get anything on the screen??? what am I missing thanks.
Thanks that was my intent as well but it seems mine is quite dead ,, I left Hinv a few msg I didn't get any paper work with mine just a small manual once I turn it on the 2 green leds light up but if you try and shut it back off the green leds just stay on but the screen is always blank???? Can I ask you guys ,is your fliptop screen really loose my screen is so bagged out it hardly stays open and will just flop around if you move the whole thing and will not close all the way ???
Hinv I am so sorry man I thought you got my PM yes sir thank you very much I also have to appoligize I got so busy with a work project I do no think I ever sent you the tracking number for UPS (K105 669 590 5) for the return unit I sent back .Doug thank you for sending me out the new unit without waiting for me to send the old one back. I hope this forum gets busy again I still have not gotten Linux working on mine
Don't forget there's a 13MHz low profile crystal there too and 32MB of RAM.
Now what would be REALLY cool would to replace the ARM chip with a propeller and make it access at least 16MB of the attached memory.
If only we had the schematic...
Noooo. Don't try that. What a sad end for the beautiful Zipit. It would be really NOT COOL.
Having opened up my Zipit I would say that it is almost impossible to modify it like that without ending up with a bag of junk. Plus if you did manage it the WIFI would be gone. Driving the display is also an unlikely proposition.
I mean really the Zipit can be flashed with Linux as I have done. Debian in my case. Works a treat. WIFI works to.
Next step is to tack some wires onto the serial port that is available on some test points on the PCB. This is well documented as was linked to somewhere in this thread.
Then the Zipit can be used via serial as a display and keyboard for the Prop. The Zipit can provide WIFI communications for the Prop. It can provide SD card storage.
If we could only find one more general purpose IO line out of the Zipit it could be used as a reset to the Prop and then the Prop could be programmed remotely via the Zipit.
Definately a good use (as I posted on the open source thread) for development and then a color terminal with WiFi. It has it's own mini/microSD too. If the LiPo battery is removed, there is space for a prop using external power. At $10, this is a missed opportunity for some great parts
Would Brads bst run on this???
hinv: has your new one arrived? I am thinking I may require a few more
Comments
No, this was not my idea, but I did verify that a prop or two will work off the xo of another prop that has a crystal.
My estimation is that it will only push 3 or even 4 props....
However I do have 7 props running right now on a single crystal... I had trouble yesterday with running that many on a single crystal.
I'll say this one will work with many props but, I wouldn't connect as many as I did, 7.
The only thing I figured out was that devices like the prop can be dummy programmed, in parallel by "emulating" many props using a single reply master.
I suspect that this dummy programming can be done across the chip spectrum(other microcontrollers, dsp's and fpgas) in similar fashion.
This zipit looks neat, anyone got hires pics of the internal guts and circuit board?
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
Links to other interesting threads:
· Home of the MultiBladeProps: TriBlade,·RamBlade,·SixBlade, website
· Single Board Computer:·3 Propeller ICs·and a·TriBladeProp board (ZiCog Z80 Emulator)
· Prop Tools under Development or Completed (Index)
· Emulators: CPUs Z80 etc; Micros Altair etc;· Terminals·VT100 etc; (Index) ZiCog (Z80) , MoCog (6809)·
· Prop OS: SphinxOS·, PropDos , PropCmd··· Search the Propeller forums·(uses advanced Google search)
My cruising website is: ·www.bluemagic.biz·· MultiBlade Props: www.cluso.bluemagic.biz
I could see it not working, but how could it damage the prop?
There are some that have hacked the Z1, but this thread is about the ZipIt Z2.
I sent you a paypal invoice if you want one(I think it was you, but I lost the pm).
There are pics posted on the ZipIt2. If they are not at the beginning of this thread, then IIRC they are on hackaday. I have reassembled mine.
doug my email is mikediv@comcast.net I Sent you a msg to your paypal address let me know if everything went ok and thank you again for selling me one
Good decision. With so many people on board here I'm inspired to fire up the soldering iron and see what we can do.
You are not the only one having trouble getting logged in under old forum user names.
Hey guys I let mine charge up for a few hours but when I press the green button I can not get anyhting on my screen there are 2 green leds in the front that are lit but the screen is black I tried removing the battery and putting it back in but I can not get anything on the screen??? what am I missing thanks.
I can't be much help either I'm afraid, I blew away the Zipit application and replaced it with Debian.
Sounds like something is busted.
That generally results in a pile of weenie bits at the bottom of the garbage can, but one has to try:.)
It would probably cost more to ship it to Finland than is worth the bother.
Yes, heater, I do have debian installed on my zipit. I got it from http://zipit.rootnexus.org/
I might try z2buntu from http://mozzwald.com/node/50 on another one.
Hopefully mikediv/vetter is squared away(for quite a while now).
http://www.valexonline.com/ZipIt_Wireless_Messenger_Z2A_p/6001.htm?gclid=COCGzeWf5KUCFU0J2godRD-TtA
I'm not sure what the difference is between the Z2A and the regular Z2 but I will let you know when mine comes in.
At that price, I may be ordering a few cases!
Also, I found this nifty summary of the different linux distrobutions here: http://www.notanon.com/zipit/different-linux-distributions-for-the-zipit-z2/2010/05/30/
enjoy
wifi, color LCD 320x240 & qwerty keyboard in a case + battery $10. This is even better than $50.
Now what would be REALLY cool would to replace the ARM chip with a propeller and make it access at least 16MB of the attached memory.
If only we had the schematic...
Noooo. Don't try that. What a sad end for the beautiful Zipit. It would be really NOT COOL.
Having opened up my Zipit I would say that it is almost impossible to modify it like that without ending up with a bag of junk. Plus if you did manage it the WIFI would be gone. Driving the display is also an unlikely proposition.
I mean really the Zipit can be flashed with Linux as I have done. Debian in my case. Works a treat. WIFI works to.
Next step is to tack some wires onto the serial port that is available on some test points on the PCB. This is well documented as was linked to somewhere in this thread.
Then the Zipit can be used via serial as a display and keyboard for the Prop. The Zipit can provide WIFI communications for the Prop. It can provide SD card storage.
If we could only find one more general purpose IO line out of the Zipit it could be used as a reset to the Prop and then the Prop could be programmed remotely via the Zipit.
I have to find some time to get on with that.
http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php?127796-Suggestions-for-100-Open-source-development-on-the-Prop
Would Brads bst run on this???
hinv: has your new one arrived? I am thinking I may require a few more
I'm sure BSTC and BSTL could be run on the Zipit. Just need to get BradC to cross-compile them for ARM.
BST itself maybe tricky as the screen is so small.
Now maybe I will purchase a few dozen more while I have the chance.
http://sweetlilmre.blogspot.com/2010/08/zipit-z2-jtag.html
http://zipit2system.sourceforge.net/?page_id=5