Startkit+Ethernet slice for GPIO optocoupler control ?

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mala
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Startkit+Ethernet slice for GPIO optocoupler control ?

Post by mala »

Greetings Everyone.

*warning* I am a completely inexperienced with programming and embedded processors.
I purchased 2 startkits a while back, but as yet have not had time to do anything other than a quick play with the examples.

One of the startkits I have sent to a friend who does have experience with micros and programming C, he has helped in the past with various projects.

We are hoping to use the Startkit and a Ethernet slice as the basis for prototyping a network enabled controller for a few different devices (which will be interfaced by simple optocouplers.)
We require individual control at high speed of 16 optocouplers per "controller"
These controllers will be sent commands other ethernet and multiple controllers would be connected to a PC via network hub or accessible over the internet possibly.

Does what I've described above sound possible using the Startkit and ethernet slice ?
Once prototyped we would move to using a Xmos processor on a custom board, what processor would you recommend ?
Can you see any possible issues moving from a working prototype on a startkit to an off the shelf Xmos processor on a custom board ?

I'd be very grateful for any insight from experienced Xmos developers.
Cheers,
Mala


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Bianco
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Post by Bianco »

Hi, a slicekit with ethernet slice sounds like a better match because it has multiple slice connectors.
There is problably not enough I/O on the startKIT for supporting both the ethernet slice and your control signals. But to be sure check the startKIT hardware manual and the ethernet slice documentation to see if you have enough I/O.
hkiela
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Post by hkiela »

Some disappointment after purchasing the Starkit and some add-on boards.

I received the starkit a few days ago. I want to evaluate Xmos as next step to the 8core parallel Propeller that I have been using for years successfully to make high quality PID servo control for robotics applications and remote measuring nodes connected via ethernet and wifi.

But we need more performance for especially the PID control applications.

I like to start simple and keep cost down, so I decided to buy the startkit. While the first example programs run fine and I get more and more involved in the xmos internals, I got stuck in the demo's for for example the LCD touch. Too little resources on the Startkit for just running the demo.

Even the ethernet webserver demo did not run due too lack of resources.

Nevertheless, I am impressed with what has been delivered so far by you guys at Xmos.

So my questions are:
- Will there be a set of demo's/examples become available for the LCD touch and ethernet for the Startkit?
- Do I need to scrutinise the drivers and exampel code myself to actually make a start with the demo's? This would be quit time consuming. I prefer to use as much as possible example code in my applications.


And the most important question probable for me:
Will there become some kind of low cost Xmos Stamp become available from Xmos taht can be used straight away in own hardware designs. Soem specifications I could imaging:
- 8 core or 16 core device with analog inputs
- usb for user communication from the xmos application to for example a pc
- Plug on usb for programming and debugging
- ethernet (option?)
- 1 sdram memory chip
- 1 SD card slot
- 2 led's
- 1 PCI extender to connect the LCD touch
- All not assigned I/O on a double row pin header.

Henk
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Bianco
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Post by Bianco »

I've ran ethernet on a single-tile XS1-L board, so it certainly should fit resource-wise on a startKIT.
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Bianco
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Post by Bianco »

hkiela,

attached is a demo for the startKIT and ethernet slice.
A precompiled .xe file is in app_simple_webserver\bin\IPV4

Build:
  1. Open xTIMEComposer Command Prompt
  2. Navigate to app_simple_webserver
  3. run: xmake clean (remove precompiled xe)
  4. run: xmake
  5. navigate to app_simple_webserver\bin\IPV4
  6. run: xrun --io app_simple_webserver_IPV4.xe
  7. try ping 192.168.0.1 (assuming the host computer is configured properly)
  8. try to browse to http://192.168.0.1/
Or import the modules in xTIMEComposer...
Attachments
startKIT_ethernet_slice.zip
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startKIT_ethernet_slice.zip
(1.99 MiB) Downloaded 289 times
hkiela
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Post by hkiela »

Ah, it says: Hello World!
Thanks.

Just being new to this xcore controller, what actually had to be changed in the Slice demo to make it work in the Startkit?

Can I do that simpel asd well with the LCD Touch?

KR
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Bianco
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Post by Bianco »

In the Makefile in app_simple_webserver, changed the target to STARTKIT.
And in module_ethernet_board_support added a directory STARTKIT to define the ports for the ethernet module. (The check_slot file can be removed from that dir).
richard
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Post by richard »

A startKIT CHIP-8 Emulator I wrote a while ago contains an updated module_lcd for the startKIT. See the directories app_lcd_demo and module_lcd in the following git repo: https://github.com/xcore/sw_chip8. The API is slightly different (I updated it to use xTIMEcomposer 13 features), but hopefully you can tell how to use it from comments in the headers and from the demo.

If you want to see the changes that were necessary to get it running on the startKIT search for references to the LCD_STARTKIT_PORTS define.
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mala
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Post by mala »

sorry for the very slow reply!

@Blanco thanks for the help, from what I can see from the startkit docs if the EthernetSlice is used then there are still 15 (1 less than I need!) available I/O on J3 (Pi header) and J8 would give another 8 possible I/O ?

Or have I got that totally wrong ? I can't find much detail on the EthernetSlice but I'm presuming that it does not require more than the PCIe slot ?

Thanks for posting the webserver example, now I had better order a EthernetSlice!
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Bianco
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Post by Bianco »

With the ethernet slice connected to the startKIT, J3 and J8 are of course available.
Besides that pins unused by the ethernet slice can also be used on J7, these are: P1E, P1F, P1G, P1H and P4E (all 4 bits).
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