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Forum Index : Microcontroller and PC projects : Addressable PicoMites

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PhenixRising
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Posted: 02:53pm 16 May 2025
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Inspired by my success with multi-drop serial, was just thinking; so we can assign the console to a UART.

What if we have a design that involves multiple PicoMites. We need a console connection to each one.

I would like my console link to be via Bluetooth. Wouldn't it be cool if we had OPTION CONSOLE ADDRESS = n

Only the corresponding device would be active on the multi-drop UART network.
 
CaptainBoing

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Posted: 03:17pm 16 May 2025
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Don't really know how things are in Pico-land, but what stops you simply attaching a bluetooth module (HC-05) to the console data pins? I think BlueTooth only allows a single connection at a time - might a version out here, but if so, you could use the connection to switch Picos(?)

<Story time>
many moons ago when I was fresh out of being an apprentice, I came up with a scheme for addressable multi-drop... each attached device had a module (I made four - controller and three serial devices for a masive fast Logabax printer, some other small printer and a paper tape punch/reader) that sat between the serial devices and the CPU (Cromemco Z2D) and route through the serial traffic if it had been selected as the recipient... The selection was by communicating out at a higher baudrate to the module... the traffic was seen as badly framed and so ignored by the slower devices so I could talk to the address modules and the serial devices along the same wires but at different speeds. My memory isn't what it is, but say I talked to the modules at 19200 and to the devices at 4800 or whatever.

I wrote a bit of CP/M code to switch the recipient - UTFN.COM (until further notice) which took an address and selected it semi-permanantly so the addressing mechanism was transparent to everything else. It worked but didn't get used as much as you would expect.

All docs and hardware consigned to the skip decades ago but might give you some ideas for your next step
</Story time>

h
Edited 2025-05-17 01:22 by CaptainBoing
 
Mixtel90

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Posted: 03:19pm 16 May 2025
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Erm... Try persuading Tera Term to access multiple devices by address on the same COM port. Once you can do that you are half way there. You only have to tweak all the MMBasic platforms then. :)
Mick

Zilog Inside! nascom.info for Nascom & Gemini
Preliminary MMBasic docs & my PCB designs
 
PhenixRising
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Posted: 03:53pm 16 May 2025
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  Mixtel90 said  Erm... Try persuading Tera Term to access multiple devices by address on the same COM port. Once you can do that you are half way there. You only have to tweak all the MMBasic platforms then. :)


I'm thinking more along the lines of sending a command to let which device is being talked to and the rest to ignore.
 
PhenixRising
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Posted: 04:12pm 16 May 2025
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@Cap'n

UNTFN

That's what I'm talking  

Address 255 = I'm broadcasting
Edited 2025-05-17 02:16 by PhenixRising
 
dddns
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Posted: 04:43pm 16 May 2025
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I have thought about a solution with a WebMite over telnet but I don't even know if telnet supports VT-100 link (just an interesting option for interfacing)
Just been automating my linux box and found that upload via ascii and autosave works brilliant
Edited 2025-05-17 03:00 by dddns
 
PhenixRising
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Posted: 05:00pm 16 May 2025
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  CaptainBoing said  Don't really know how things are in Pico-land, but what stops you simply attaching a bluetooth module (HC-05) to the console data pins? I think BlueTooth only allows a single connection at a time - might a version out here, but if so, you could use the connection to switch Picos(?)



Yeah my first thought was to handle it in hardware and index through the devices.

As you know, the BT connection is the same as wire but without the wire.

If I was talking to PicoMite #1, set an output to redirect RX and TX to Picomite #2, etc.
 
Mixtel90

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Posted: 05:02pm 16 May 2025
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RP2040-zero and some relays to connect the appropriate device to the TX and RX lines.
I'm pretty sure BT can't handle this itself.
Edited 2025-05-17 03:04 by Mixtel90
Mick

Zilog Inside! nascom.info for Nascom & Gemini
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dddns
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Posted: 05:14pm 16 May 2025
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The WebMite would act as a proxy and runs a basic program that emulates VT-100 again and use print@ to display.The switching as proposed by Mixtel
Edited 2025-05-17 03:15 by dddns
 
PhenixRising
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Posted: 05:16pm 16 May 2025
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  dddns said  I have thought about a solution with a WebMite over telnet but I don't even know if telnet supports VT-100 link (just an interesting option for interfacing)
Just been automating my linux box and found that upload via ascii and autosave works brilliant


Anything WiFi is too darned clunky (slow response)

Using a HC-05 or HC-06, the PicoMite simply reads/writes the COM port like it was wired.
 
PhenixRising
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Posted: 05:24pm 16 May 2025
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  Mixtel90 said  RP2040-zero and some relays to connect the appropriate device to the TX and RX lines.
I'm pretty sure BT can't handle this itself.


Not using click-clacks and Bluetooth doesn't come into it. Just want to talk/listen to the device of choice.

External solid state devices can handle it but it would be super slick if the PicoMite could be addressed.
 
dddns
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Posted: 05:25pm 16 May 2025
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ok. it was just a suggestion and I'm not really aware what you want in the end.
To replace the wire with BT would mean 10m range. The esps are anyway a solution and could be implemented but are not. That's why I only thought of PicoMite
 
PhenixRising
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Posted: 05:58pm 16 May 2025
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  dddns said  ok. it was just a suggestion and I'm not really aware what you want in the end.
To replace the wire with BT would mean 10m range. The esps are anyway a solution and could be implemented but are not. That's why I only thought of PicoMite


Oh I use an Android device as a HMI for my industrial controls and couldn't be happier with Bluetooth. Never had an issue and it's cool to be able to walk around a machine and still be connected. I only use it for data input/output, however. The timing critical and safety logic is hard wired.

Anything that requires the internet is handled on the Android device.  
 
dddns
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Posted: 06:00pm 16 May 2025
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  PhenixRising said  
  dddns said  Anything that requires the internet is handled on the Android device.  


Having the pico in a console windows on this would be nice :)
 
Mixtel90

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Posted: 06:05pm 16 May 2025
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But I *like* clicky relays....   :(
You can't say the technology hasn't been well tested, with several million in comms circuits across the world. :)  You can even get them in SMD packages so no dodgy sockets to bother about.



  Quote  Having the pico in a console windows on this would be nice :)

What planet are you on? Can you imagine doing much on yer average LCD screen virtual keyboard? They are horrid. <Shakes head...>

.
Edited 2025-05-17 04:09 by Mixtel90
Mick

Zilog Inside! nascom.info for Nascom & Gemini
Preliminary MMBasic docs & my PCB designs
 
dddns
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Posted: 06:09pm 16 May 2025
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should there be a chip doing serial multiplexing?
 
Mixtel90

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Posted: 06:13pm 16 May 2025
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Why overcomplicate it? Some simple relays. Only one COM port on the Zero. It only listens for a command that is simply ignored by the Picos. Then it switches the appropriate relay. All the Pico RX and TX lines will need pull-up resistors as they are going to be open-circuited when not selected. The master device will only ever connect to one at once.

If you prefer to keep away from relays, use the Zero to select HC05s or something. As long as there is some sort of enable system, otherwise it's back to relays.
Edited 2025-05-17 04:16 by Mixtel90
Mick

Zilog Inside! nascom.info for Nascom & Gemini
Preliminary MMBasic docs & my PCB designs
 
dddns
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Posted: 06:19pm 16 May 2025
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You can do wonderful graphical machine monitors with it e.g. like they ever did with VT-100.
If there is a chip which has an output select and one input, why is that complicated?
But I'm with you but rather find something with mosfet
 
PhenixRising
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Posted: 07:26pm 16 May 2025
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This is 19" but they are available in all sizes. I also use Bluetooth keyboards with mine.

Android is really cool. No messing around, up and running in no time.
 
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