Highly Anticipated 32-bit "Due" due When?

No, or to put it another way, no.

One post from David C a few weeks ago and that's been it. It's all very hush hush, even the processor being used is not being revealed, presumably to get the jump on clone makers. I even offered to sign an NDA but got no response.

There's nothing on the developer's mailing list either so either bugger-all is happening or it's going on with a select few out of the public eye. Hmmm, some of the more senior forum members have been very quite lately, maybe they are too busy porting code to an ARM :slight_smile:


Rob

even the processor being used is not being revealed,

Well they did say in the initial announcement:-

We’re using the SAM3U processor from ATMEL running at 96MHz with 256Kb of Flash, 50Kb of Sram, 5 SPI buses, 2 I2C interfaces, 5 UARTS, 16 Analog Inputs at 12Bit resolution and much more.

Looks like the Arduino design teams bit off more than they can handle?
The Arduino Due is at least 7 MONTHS late but who's counting.
What I believe why they announced the Arduino Due in Sept.2011 was to freeze others from developing their 32 bit platforms.
Guess what? No one bought it and now other platforms like the PIC32 will be eating their lunch. ]:slight_smile:

Grumpy_Mike:

even the processor being used is not being revealed,

Well they did say in the initial announcement:-

We’re using the SAM3U processor from ATMEL running at 96MHz with 256Kb of Flash, 50Kb of Sram, 5 SPI buses, 2 I2C interfaces, 5 UARTS, 16 Analog Inputs at 12Bit resolution and much more.

And then recently said

We have changed processor a couple of times because we want to have something powerful enough to cover many of the things you guys are already doing with Arduino and with other compatible platforms plus adding the power of the 32b. And don't worry it is a standard ARM processor, everything it can do with it at low level is already available in the datasheet of the processor chosen for the task. Please do not ask about the processor, this is the one secret we keep until release date.

I get why they are doing it (the clone makers must be circling) bit it's a real pain. I'd like to be studying the data sheet to get up to speed or even buy an eval kit.

And don't worry it is a standard ARM processor,

That is useless information, almost nobody cares what the core is, presumably an M3 but that doesn't really matter as the average person's C code will just run as before. It's the memory and IO that are of interest and that does vary a lot with different chips.

We haven't been given any useful information, what about the IDE, a new one based on VS (as per AVS5/6)?, the old IDE (please no). Eclipse? How many serial ports? 5v or 3v3 IO? Debugging support?

I guess we just have to wait, but it's been 7 months with no information is getting it's getting pretty tedious.


Rob

Yes but I assumed it would be from Atmel and one of that series.
The Raspberry Pi on the other hand has a processor that you can't get the data sheet of. It is from Conexant and they have a habit of making you sign an NDA before they will give you the password to open their data sheets.

They have released a partial data sheet for the Pi processor but that just covers the Arm peripherals on the chip. Nothing about the video engine or any of the hardware details. It is a very bad company to choose but the guy doing it works for them.

Yeah I see they are all calling for schematics, not much chance by the sound of it.

partial data sheet for the Pi processor but that just covers the Arm peripherals on the chip

I guess they have to do that so the community will get involved to write drivers.

the guy doing it works for them.

I bet he has access to the good stuff, sounds a bit like undocumented system calls that (supposedly) allowed M$ to produce better software than their competitors.

I think I'll stick with Arduino, the RPi looks nice in many ways but it has too much of what I don't need and not enough of what I do. But I guess the target demographic is not curmudgeony old farts who like to DIY :slight_smile:


Rob

Graynomad
You state:

Eclipse? How many serial ports?

What do you mean by that.
I'm asking because I'm currently working on a serial monitor in eclipse and I'm thinking about supporting 3 serial ports simultaneously.
I got it "kind off" to work (hard coded com name; only one port ....)
If you have experience on this any feedback is welcomed.
Best regards
Jantje

Sorry I have no experience with that, I was just mentioning things we'd (or at least "I'd") like to know about the new Due and the juxtaposition of "serial ports" and "Eclipse" was coincidental :slight_smile:

I do however like the idea of supporting multiple serial ports but can't help with doing that in Eclipse.


Rob

Rob
Glad to hear you are not aware of any blocking issues with eclipse and serial ports.
Best regards
Jantje

I'm not "aware" of a lot of things, for example if there's any serious blocking issues with faster-than-light travel, but that doesn't mean they don't exist :slight_smile:


Rob

Rob
The more I know the more I know there is llitle I know.
So just like you I'm aware there is little I'm aware about :astonished:
Therefore I'm always on the lookout for people who are aware of things in my space of interest. If they are "aware" of something it may save me lots of time.
And given the huge amount of unawareness saving time is a hard job. Luckily we know the answer is to all questions is 42
Best regards
Jantje

Little do they know how little I know about the little they know. If only I knew what the little that they know, I'd know a little. I'll have to keep my little ears open you know.

The Goon Show, Tales of Old Dartmoor, Series 6, Episode 21


Rob

Graynomad:
I think I'll stick with Arduino, the RPi looks nice in many ways but it has too much of what I don't need and not enough of what I do.

Very well put. If only the RPi had some ADCs and more GPIO, I think it would dethrone Arduino as the microcontroller king. RPi has nailed two very important aspects that made Arduino great: 1) Price and 2) Grass roots exposure at schools & colleges. I'd say the exposure has been viral & global & immediate.

With ADCs and more GPIO and better documentation, RPi can do to Arduino what Arduino did to Parallax basic stamps.

One clear advantage RPi has over Arduino is the programming language. If I could choose any language I'd choose Matlab script or Octave because of the vector programming power over matrices. That's a pipe dream of course. My second choice would be Python, RPi's default language.

I will be watching RPi closely. In the meantime, I plan on buying the 32bit "Due" when it comes out in October (my prediction). It'd be nice if someone found a way to link the RPi to the Due.

randomvibe:
It'd be nice if someone found a way to link the RPi to the Due.

Ethernet shield and network cable? (in most cases you can connect 2 network cards by just plugging a network cable in the network cards without using a router)
You'll have to use fixed IP addresses in this case.
Best regards
Jantje

Pinout of the Raspberry PI GPIO header -> http://www.raspberrypi.org/archives/384
So it has I2C, serial and SPI. I'm waiting to buy a Raspberry till there is enough online documentation on how to use these pins. I would like to connect an Arduino to the Raspberry for a robot. For a programming noob like me the raspberry is to difficult to program but if there is enough online info/tutorials then maybe it's worth buying. I bought a book to learn Python some time ago, might be useful :slight_smile:

it has I2C

It does but at the moment there is no drivers for it, they are hoping some one will write one.

There's been a lot of discussion about the DNC pins, you would think they'd use them for something useful like more IO.

if there is enough online info/tutorials then maybe it's worth buying.

It will take a while but should happen. I don't know if those ports (SPI etc) have drivers yet, they are hoping that the community will write a lot of the drivers last I heard.

EDIT: Guzzumped by Mike.


Rob

Is the end near for Arduino? If it's only a matter of time before the overly hyped RaspberryPi gets drivers for SPI and I2C, and eventually adds 12bit ADCs (or even 16bit), and if R-Pi keeps the price equal to or lower than the Arduino Mega 2560, the end is near. Just like vacuum tubes when transistors came out.

Single board computers (or microcomputers) will overtake microcontrollers in the foreseeable future. I think it's in Arduino's best interest to expedite the 32-bit "Due" or dump it and make the leap to a microcomputer.

Is the end near for Arduino?

No, it is a totally different beast to the arduino and is not well suited to a lot of arduino like applications.
It is very poor at generating precise timing and has very feeble output pins and it has an operating system on it which is always the death knell for any real embedded application.

I just read on a blog (deleted the page and can't find it now) that the RPi will draw 700mA. That can't be right can it?

EDIT: I just read on their forum that it's more like 300mA but then someone else said nearer to 600.


Rob