Will the Due be a dud?

And I think its not the controller that makes it arduino, more the apparent simplicity
just a quick look at the raspberrypi makes me think that in order to blink an led there's a little more involved than just plugging it into a computer, and uploading the blink an led sketch

That's why I love arduino... but it seems that the apparent simplicity is in it's IDE

Just have a look at Maple boards... >>> Maple | LeafLabs

It looks as easy as arduino

and here is what they write about it:

In the past, ARM processors were notoriously unfriendly to non-professionals, due to proprietary tool chains, unfamiliar instruction sets, and impenetrable supporting literature. LeafLabs has changed this for Maple by providing a complete ARM platform, built from open source components, which includes an intuitive programming environment and friendly, thorough documentation.

For all the Arduino lovers out there, Maple is offered in an Arduino-compatible format, complete with an Arduino pin layout and programming environment.

I hope this kind of simiplicity could be applied to Raspberry PI too... Though to be honest I have no idea if it's possible to have a single board computer that acts as a microcontroller and runs an OS at the same time so that I could do stuff such as: sending sensor readings over WIFI

Or for example mount the board on an RC car, attach a usb cam and stream it via WIFI while allowing me to control the car

kerimil:

In the past, ARM processors were notoriously unfriendly to non-professionals, due to proprietary tool chains, unfamiliar instruction sets, and impenetrable supporting literature. LeafLabs has changed this for Maple by providing a complete ARM platform, built from open source components, which includes an intuitive programming environment and friendly, thorough documentation.

For all the Arduino lovers out there, Maple is offered in an Arduino-compatible format, complete with an Arduino pin layout and programming environment.

I hope this kind of simiplicity could be applied to Raspberry PI too... Though to be honest I have no idea if it's possible to have a single board computer that acts as a microcontroller and runs an OS at the same time so that I could do stuff such as: sending sensor readings over WIFI

Maple is great, I have one... I wish more people were into it, but it's pretty silent over in Maple-land. Raspberry PI is a different creature. Since it runs Linux, we'll have access to a LOT more code out there. But I don't expect it to be simple, beyond the (likely) limited use cases that people choose to simplify. Simplicity doesn't seem to be an organizing principle of Raspberry PI, like it is for Arduino.

their aims are a bit different - true...
but if it really is just a software problem then some will probably find a way to use an arduino like IDE on it

Question is more likely are some people gonna invest the time to make that a more friendly software? im sure arduino has put in a decent amount of time making things friendly, probably the most time relative to most other platforms

Even more user friendly:

http://labs.teague.com/?p=947

Has anyone heard any news since the makers faire, or the possible specs released in September?

I'm stinging to get the 72Mhz OLIMEXINO-STM32 to let my library run free, but my preference would be the due.

Also, are there any specific technical documents for the cpu architecture or would everything be crammed into the datasheet.
What I mean is, are the things like data type sizes related to general gcc 32-bit sizes, or is it specific to the cpu? ( only ever had 32-bit windows n linux, and I think it is a cpu specific thing. )

Has anyone heard any news since the makers faire, or the possible specs released in September?

Not as far as I know, there are supposed to be some alpha/beta testers with hands on hardware but the information flow from Arduino Inc is essentially non-existent.

I think a few people are eyeing off other 32-bit boards and may jump ship if info is not forthcoming soon.

I've just been working from the SAM data sheet, I don't understand your question about 32-bit sizes.


Rob

cheers, the testers must have vowed to secrecy or something
I was wondering if the size of data types is the same on all 32-bit systems or is it specific to the CPU ( bool 16-bits, float 32-bits... ).

I found the datasheet for the processor, so I will have a squiz in that soon.

pYro_65:
cheers, the testers must have vowed to secrecy or something

The Arduino team has done a very good job staying very silent about this. My theory is that they're doing some of this under Atmel NDA.

The more I see the Project Help section here, the more I am sure that something bigger/faster than UNO and MEGA is needed to cover the more ambitious efforts.

Something to think about, if we get one 32-bit Arm chip going strong maybe we will then be able to use many others. Think about names such as, Due-tiny, Due-mega, Due-alot-more lol.

size of data types is the same on all 32-bit systems or is it specific to the CPU ( bool 16-bits, float 32-bits... ).

Some are, for example int cannot be trusted, that's why you should use uint16_t, uint32_t etc as they are supposed to be portable.

My theory is that they're doing some of this under Atmel NDA.

Quite possible, I just wish there was some more info, for example will the Due support 5v IO? That and many other things wouldn't be under an NDA surely.

And what has been released is just an erroneous dump of the SAM3U data sheet, for example the press release says 16 12-bit analogue inputs, that's not possible on the SAM3U. From that same release

Instead of just releasing the finished platform we are opening the process to the community early on.

Did I miss something? This forum is the community and I've not seen single thing here.


Rob

I also find the lack of information disturbing from an "open source" company/organization.

smeezekitty:
Solid state rectifiers are the only REAL rectifiers.

??? I can probably lay my hands on a 5Y3 here without a huge amount of trouble XD

Quite possible, I just wish there was some more info, for example will the Due support 5v IO? That and many other things wouldn't be under an NDA surely.

I think that question has been pretty well answered with the UNO R3 board which has a new pin on the shield power connector wired to +5vdc called IOREF. A Due board will have 3.3vdc on that same pin. So it will be left to the shield to detect the Vcc voltage level on that pin and either enable or disable I/O pin voltage converters. So the Due won't directly support 5vdc I/O. At least that is what I got out of the few hints given out. Now it's probably the case that some I/O pins on the SAM3U chip on the Due are '5 volt tolerant', not sure there will be enough of them to map to all the standard arduino pin numbers? That will determine if the Due will be able to function will existing shield boards out there or not, I suspect not, but us mere mortals don't know that to date.

Lefty

I'd rather you look for an old trusty mercury vapor tube rectifier, 866 was it? It's what made real radios glow in the dark.

Lefty

You'd burn your hand though :astonished:
But really. With tube rectifiers, they run hot, waste power and fail more often then any other type of tubes. I usually just build a diode replacement when I encounter tube rectifiers.

smeezekitty:
But really. With tube rectifiers, they run hot, waste power and fail more often then any other type of tubes. I usually just build a diode replacement when I encounter tube rectifiers.

True that. Are there any special considerations when substituting solid-state rectifiers for a vacuum tube? I mean other than the obvious voltage and current specs. Was going to try it years ago on a ancient surface grinder that had some pretty scary tubes providing DC to the magnetic chuck, but never quite got around to it.

The output voltage will be higher because the efficiency of the diodes.
For example, a radio with 280v on the plate with a rectifier tube has 310v on the plate with SS rectifiers.
Hasn't blown up yet though :slight_smile:

As well as slightly higher output voltage for semiconductor Vs tube rectifier, there is the issue of natural 'soft starting' that vacuum tube rectifiers exhibited. As it takes some amount of time for the filaments to reach operating temperature and thus allow full current flow, there was a more gradual rise in output voltage and current flow with tubes, much easier on the downstream filter caps and other components. Semiconductors rectifiers allows much higher initial current surge limited only by the impedance of the transformers windings.

Lefty