Wow, Dan:

It looks like a lot of good stuff on one board. I agree with other's
comments that it sounds like it would make a good general purpose board.
I think I would buy one or more even though I have a similar, but
simpler, board myself.

I can't wait to hear more details! (I haven't had a chance to look
closely at what information you have already supplied, however...)


-- Rich


Dan Michaels wrote:
>
> >> To Roman, TomH, Jinx, RichO, and others:
> >>
> >> After dawdling for months on this project, I finally got around to
> >> designing my PIC botboard - which we talked about some time ago.
> >> Basically, a PIC-based replacement for the 68HC11-based botboards.
> >........
>
> >Preliminary info at:   http://www.oricomtech.com/bot40.htm
> >
> Roman wrote:
> >Looks good Dan! Lots of hobby robot people will
> >like those. Hard to give you actual feedback re the
> >peripherals wihtout some basic circuits, like for
> >the opamps etc, like how many parts you could add.
> >It's nice to be able to add a RC network with cap
> >to ground and or diode, at the opamp input for
> >unusual signal types.
>
> Thanks for the feedback, guys, both onlist and offlist.
>
> No room on the present board for ICSP. Also, the opamp ckts are
> verstaile designs and allow various changes by leaving out & jumpering
> components, etc. Also, separate pullups are provided, and the 2
> inverter ckts have additional output parts:
>
>          pullup
> O----------R7---------| +5v
>
>              +5v
>               |       LM358 or
>               R2      LMC6032
>               |        |  \
>               +--------|+  \             D1/R5
>               |        |    >----+--------|>|-----+---+--->to A/D
> O----C1---R1-------+---|-  /     |       diode    |   |
>               |    |   |  /      |        or      R6  C4
> O----C2-------+    |             |     resistor   |   |
>               |    +-----R4------+                +-+-+
>               R3   |             |                  |
>               |    +-----C3------+                 gnd
>               |
>              gnd
>
> This shows the basic ckt for all 4 amps. Two are inverters, where
> input is to C1 and C2 is grounded. Two are non-inverters, where C1
> is grounded, and the input is to C2 -[the two non-inv do not have
> the output parts - D1/etc].
>
> Note that you can play games with C1/R1 and C2 to make them dc-coupled,
> and fiddle with D1/R5 on the output side to make different ckts, peak
> detect, or low-pass, etc. Gains are adjustable via R1/R4, and BW via
> C1/C3/C4.
>
> The inverters are better for high ac-gain, where you want to limit the
> possibility for oscillation, and the non-inverters can be configured for
> low-gain dc-coupling of sensors. 2 pullups [R7] are available for biasing
> external electret mikes/sensors/etc.
> =================
>
> >
> >Extra 2803 is cool, that gives 8x darlington output
> >drivers.
> >
>
> I did some more fiddling with this area of the pcb, so you can now
> mix and match port B pins "simultaneously" for: direct I/O, ULN2803
> driver control, direct servo control.
>
> So you could could control say 2 servos with their own external power,
> 4 darlington drivers to LEDs/relays/motors/etc with hi-V power, and
> also use 2 port B pins as direct I/O. OR any other combination of 8.
> ===========
>
> >How does LCD connect? Just use a dedicated digital
> >IO port??
>
> Ummm - there aren't enough pins on a PIC40 to add an LCD and still
> have all the other stuff that I have here. However, I "could"
> leave out the ULN2803 and put in an LCD, but .........
>
> Unfortunately, you can only push 40 pins and a small pcb and
> not-smt and still cheap just so far. There's lots of other things
> I wish I could put on there, but ...........
>
> Actually, the idea is to have a basic standalone controller board,
> and also the possibility to stack another SBC on top for additional
> things, and talk between the two via RS-232 - using subsumption
> architecture techniques:
>
> http://www.oricomtech.com/emerge6.htm#Teli2
> =================
>
> >
> >I always find a dipsw or some 0.1 inch jumpers are
> >handy.
> >
>
> On-board dipsw was added in the latest go around. Can also add
> a number of external dipsw and bumper sw - up to 9.
> ============
>
> >Anyway, it looks great! Is it size legal for
> >minisumo (10cm cube) or micromouse (150mm square)??
> >-Roman
>
> Ummmm, don't know. This thing has grown and grown as I have added
> features - started as 2.5"x3.5", now 2.5"x4.1" [6.3cm x 10.4cm].
>
> best regards,
> - Dan Michaels
> www.oricomtech.com
> =======================
>
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