sliceKIT is here!

[segher]

Yes, that was the problem we faced when deciding whether to make some kind of prototyping board. We couldn't think of enough actually useful things to justify it. There is also a limited prototyping area on the GPIO slice, and if you just need to wire things into a given slot you can solder wires directly to the 20 testpoints each slot has on the coreboard, or header pins can easily be soldered to them.

So what features over and above this do you think would be useful?

I'd prefer to solder things to a breakout board, not the coreboard (is that
the "official" name?) itself, to keep that pristine so that the "LEGO quality"
is not lost. It is great to have the option to solder things directly to the
coreboard, of course.

Maybe this prototyping area on the GPIO slice is enough for most purposes,
or maybe someone will make a nice all-purpose breakout board, or who
knows what. Time will tell :-)

[Berni]

How about making a prototype area slice and including it in the kit? Just a board that brings that card edge connector to a row of pads and then have the whole slice be filled with unconnected pads for prototyping like on the existing XC-1,XC-2 boards. If xmos orders like 100s of those boards the price per board is a few bucks as there is no assembly or parts required.

That way people can build there custom addons on these slices and leave the 'core' board untouched.

[data]

How about making a prototype area slice and including it in the kit? Just a board that brings that card edge connector to a row of pads and then have the whole slice be filled with unconnected pads for prototyping like on the existing XC-1,XC-2 boards.

I like this idea.

I also really like the SliceKit system generally. I was following it for a while, then it suddenly appeared, and it's orderable right now! Nice work.

Agree with the dissatisfaction with the term 'core'. This conflicts with general EE use everywhere else. "Logical core" is a nice compromise I think. But at my company, I think we'll be calling them 'threads' for the foreseeable future.

Aside from that, if we have to start changing our source code over any of this, torches will be lit and tar will be put on the boil.

[Folknology]

Hi folks

I have started 3 projects to help fill some missing gaps in the SliceKit module directory:

ProtoSlice - A prototyping slice for knocking ideas up
FluxSlice - A motion controller slice for DC and stepper motors up to 8 axis
BotSlice - A simple Bot controoler module for controlling small unipolar stepper or unidirectional motors and pulse width based servos

The motion control stuff is based on project designs I already use and really I am just porting them to Xmos SliceKit and wil keep everyone updated with them, monitor the project pages or the git repos linked to the home pages for each project. If there is anything anyone wants included on the motion controllers let me know sooner rather than later.

But my first Slice build will likely be the ProtoSlice as this is the simplest and quickest one to get of the ground and test (not to mention I need a handful of these asap for myself). Thus if anyone has ideas or things they would like to see for a prototyping slice let me know and I will try to incorporate them.

Anyone else building slices?

regards
Al

[dan]

Great stuff! You might want to post the port maps for review - at least for these first projects. There is a file called 'ref_pinout.rst' in the hw_slicekit_system repo which is useful to quickly knock up a Slice Card portmap in a standard format.

Glad to hear that sliceKIT is providing inspiration.

- Dan

[leon_heller]

I've just ordered one, Digi-Key now has eight left.

I'm thinking of designing one or two Slice boards.

Some PCB design details are here:

https://www.xmos.com/node/16091?page=3

but more is required. A proper dimensioned drawing would be nice.

I just got an email saying it had been shipped. I should get it in three days or so.

I can't download any of the relevant PDFs. Can anyone else?

[TSC]

I just ordered a SliceKit Starter too.

Can I get an estimate on when the standalone SliceKit Core board will be in stock at Digi-Key? It's always shown 0 stock since the launch.
EDIT: Lead-time estimate for one board is 8 November 2012.

Images still seem to be absent from the hardware manual PDFs, but present in the matching web pages.

[ale500]

Hei people,

I think I'll also order one, I wish the XTAG-2 to PCIe-style connector were included..., I don't think I need two XTAG-2s :/... and 80 us$ for the LCD board :( ?, I also wish they did something like this with the G4 devices... 3 years ago...

[Bianco]

Hei people,

I think I'll also order one, I wish the XTAG-2 to PCIe-style connector were included..., I don't think I need two XTAG-2s :/... and 80 us$ for the LCD board :( ?, I also wish they did something like this with the G4 devices... 3 years ago...

The LCD Slice does include a display. So 80$ does not seem that unfair.

[ale500]

The LCD Slice does include a display. So 80$ does not seem that unfair.

Oh, I seem to have missed that...