DiyLightAnimation

Hardware => Lynx USB DMX Dongle => Topic started by: Snowmizer on February 16, 2009,

Title: Dongle Parts Coop???????
Post by: Snowmizer on February 16, 2009,

I got 2 PCB's on the way in the Dongle coop, but is there going to be a coop for the parts kits or is everybody on their own with these?

Title: Re: Dongle Parts Coop???????
Post by: memphislights on February 16, 2009,

I believe that you are on your own.

With shipping from Mouser.com, parts + shipping came out to 48.88 for me.

Title: Re: Dongle Parts Coop???????
Post by: Greg on February 16, 2009,

And the PIC will require programming.  If you don't have a programmer you'll either have get one  or, just ask here in the dongle area and shortly you'll usually have offers from other members to program your PIC for you.

Greg

Title: Re: Dongle Parts Coop???????
Post by: REM on February 17, 2009,

I wonder if we should maintain a list of users who have programmers and our locations (at least city, state)?? For those willing to program PICs for others of course.

Ron

Title: Re: Dongle Parts Coop???????
Post by: rrowan on February 17, 2009,

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I wonder if we should maintain a list of users who have programmers and our locations (at least city, state)?? For those willing to program PICs for others of course.

Ron

Great Idea.. Opps we already did that :D

http://diylightanimation.com/index.php?topic=549.0

Rick R.

Title: Re: Dongle Parts Coop???????
Post by: REM on February 18, 2009,

Good deal. I compiled that list and put it into an easier to find Wiki page: http://diylightanimation.com/wiki/index.php?title=PIC_Programming

I couldn't come up with a better name for the page so I made it generic. We can add other stuff to it later if we want (i.e. recommended tools for programming and how to use them, etc.)

Ron

Title: Re: Dongle Parts Coop???????
Post by: Ron on February 18, 2009,

Looks good.

Ron

Title: Re: Dongle Parts Coop???????
Post by: KeithTarpley on February 18, 2009,

Greetings,,,

You might want to insure the list of people is still valid.  And I've already been contacted by people who thought it was for programming pics for any hobby or reason.  So you might want to point out it is for the diyla items, etc., unless people want to have net searches bring their names up as programmers for any pics.

Good to have it easily found, within those constraints.

Keith

Title: Re: Dongle Parts Coop???????
Post by: rrowan on February 18, 2009,

Hi rem

Looks good thanks for helping out

Rick R.

Title: Re: Dongle Parts Coop???????
Post by: REM on February 18, 2009,

Good point Keith. I've made an edit.  As far as who is still valid... everyone on there is a regular user and should see this. I'll let them remove themselves if need be.

Ron

Title: Re: Dongle Parts Coop???????
Post by: Greg on February 18, 2009,

How about the Dongle CO-OPs being for PCBs AND PICs instead of just PCBs?

Not that it applies to me since I already have two and only one universe thus far.

Just a suggestion.

Greg

Title: Re: Dongle Parts Coop???????
Post by: rrowan on February 18, 2009,

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How about the Dongle CO-OPs being for PCBs AND PICs instead of just PCBs?

Not that it applies to me since I already have two and only one universe thus far.

Just a suggestion.

Greg

Why Greg it is SO nice of you to voluntary your services to program all of the dongle pics for the new folks. :D

p.s. Normally RJ does not have the time to do parts or mass programming of pics while working on other projects (and full time job). I would think his time is better spent on getting the wireless done.

Cheers

Rick R.

Title: Re: Dongle Parts Coop???????
Post by: REM on February 18, 2009,

That's not a bad idea. If the parts don't really save any money as has been said, it's not worth the manager's effort to sort all of that stuff. We could however offer programmed PICs as an option in a dongle co-op. I know RJ doesn't have that much time. I'd be willing to help out with a co-op like that. I'm new to PICs but I do have a PICkit2 with extension and have successfully programmed an LE.  You guys let me know. I'm an Enterprise Architect for HP/EDS and I work from home here in south Atlanta 99% of the time.

Ron

Title: Re: Dongle Parts Coop???????
Post by: dilgod on February 18, 2009,

Considering that I'll be buying several items thru the coops over the year... it might be an idea that I'd figure out to program a PIC chip. I learning to solder... I might as well learn to program  ;D 

I am sure programming the pic would be easier than soldering  ;D

Where is a good place and the type of PIC kit to buy for all our needs, ie: USB Dongle, Lynx Express, Lynx Freestyle...

With the generous offers to program the PIC chip and by the time I have the PIC programmed 4-5 times + the postage, I might as well own it and learn it and help others as well in the West Coast.

Dilip

Title: Re: Dongle Parts Coop???????
Post by: rrowan on February 18, 2009,

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Considering that I'll be buying several items thru the coops over the year... it might be an idea that I'd figure out to program a PIC chip. I learning to solder... I might as well learn to program  ;D 

I am sure programming the pic would be easier than soldering  ;D

Where is a good place and the type of PIC kit to buy for all our needs, ie: USB Dongle, Lynx Express, Lynx Freestyle...

With the generous offers to program the PIC chip and by the time I have the PIC programmed 4-5 times + the postage, I might as well own it and learn it and help others as well.

Dilip

If you get pic from a coop they will be pre-programmed for you.

As to where to get one. I got mine from microchip.com direct sales link. the pickit2 was around $35 and then I got a cradle off of ebay to place the chips in. Of course the Express board has a connector on it to attach the programmer directly without the cradle.

Rick R.

Title: Re: Dongle Parts Coop???????
Post by: dilgod on February 18, 2009,

There is a myriad of choices... :o

Would this do?
http://www.microchipdirect.com/productsearch.aspx?Keywords=DV164120

Thanks

Title: Re: Dongle Parts Coop???????
Post by: rrowan on February 18, 2009,

The second one is what I purchased

http://www.microchipdirect.com/ProductDetails.aspx?Catalog=BuyMicrochip&Category=Getting%20Started%20Programmers&mid=1&treeid=6

Rick R.

Title: Re: Dongle Parts Coop???????
Post by: REM on February 18, 2009,

And one of these will come in handy:

http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-PIC-MICROCHIP-PROGRAMMER-EXTENSION-ICD2-PICkit2-ZIF_W0QQitemZ250375777501QQcmdZViewItemQQptZBI_Electronic_Components?hash=item250375777501&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318|301%3A1|293%3A1|294%3A50

Title: Re: Dongle Parts Coop???????
Post by: dilgod on February 18, 2009,

Many thanks guys.

Title: Re: Dongle Parts Coop???????
Post by: b_legg on February 19, 2009,

Although I have yet to purchase a programmer, I've seen a lot of folks that are using the one here:

http://www.mcumall.com/comersus/store/comersus_viewItem.asp?idProduct=3170

It's got a pretty good list of supported chips and if the ones we use here are included, I was thinking about picking one up.

Title: Re: Dongle Parts Coop???????
Post by: REM on February 19, 2009,

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Although I have yet to purchase a programmer, I've seen a lot of folks that are using the one here:

http://www.mcumall.com/comersus/store/comersus_viewItem.asp?idProduct=3170

It's got a pretty good list of supported chips and if the ones we use here are included, I was thinking about picking one up.

I tried a JDM out. Mine came with a low-end PIC which I could indeed program. I didn't have any luck with the mid-range PICs though and gave up. I also don't think it can handle the LE PIC: PIC24FJ32GA002SP.

I decided to just splurge and get a PICkit2 and an ZIF extension board. So far no problems at all.

Ron

Title: Re: Dongle Parts Coop???????
Post by: Ron on February 19, 2009,

That's exactly what I did.  I got the PICKit2 from Microchip and a ZIF expansion board from eBay and it has worked great on all my PICs to date.

Ron

Title: Re: Dongle Parts Coop???????
Post by: REM on February 19, 2009,

Well there you go. PICkit2 preferred by 2 out of 2 Rons  ;D

Title: Re: Dongle Parts Coop???????
Post by: RJ on February 19, 2009,

I also perfer it myself. I have used it to plan out all the ICSP on the newer boards so that it will plug directly to the board for programming.

RJ

Title: Re: Dongle Parts Coop???????
Post by: wjt3 on February 19, 2009,

RJ...Is there info on the Wiki about on board programming???  Any special procedures???  I did a quick check but haven't been able to locate it.  That's a great feature...Thanks, Bill

Title: Re: Dongle Parts Coop???????
Post by: RJ on February 19, 2009,

Do not think so but it will be in the updated Express manual to be out about the time everyone gets their coop stuff.

THe only board currently is the express than has it but I am including it on the wireless stuff not yet out also.

RJ

Title: Re: Dongle Parts Coop???????
Post by: wjt3 on February 19, 2009,

Thanks for the feedback. I thought I saw an earlier post that indicated the LE had this option, but I wasn't sure whether others had it as well...Bill

Title: Re: Dongle Parts Coop???????
Post by: Greg on February 20, 2009,

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Why Greg it is SO nice of you to voluntary your services to program all of the dongle pics for the new folks. :D

p.s. Normally RJ does not have the time to do parts or mass programming of pics while working on other projects (and full time job). I would think his time is better spent on getting the wireless done.

Cheers

Rick R.

Rick,

If someone can figure out how it might work out economically to ship the PICs to/from me, I'd be willing to program them no problem.

I didn't realize RJ was still doing the dongle coops himself.  I knew he handles the pcb ordering but the bigger job is packaging, labeling and shipping which I figured he would have handed off at this point.  I'll pay better attention to who's doing what next time.

Greg

Title: Re: Dongle Parts Coop???????
Post by: memphislights on February 20, 2009,

I thought that I would workout how much a dongle parts coop might actually save.

It looks like above 25 units, with a case, the savings would approach $10, and level out at around $12 from 50-75 kits.

I also included some shipping reference costs that might be useful for others interested in running a coop.

If people find it useful, I'd be willing to do the same for RJ's other projects.

Title: Re: Dongle Parts Coop???????
Post by: Rbar on May 14, 2009,

Memphislights,
  There was no uptake on your proposed DMX Dongle coop?
  Rbar

Title: Re: Dongle Parts Coop???????
Post by: wjgiles50 on May 15, 2009,

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Considering that I'll be buying several items thru the coops over the year... it might be an idea that I'd figure out to program a PIC chip. I learning to solder... I might as well learn to program  ;D 

I am sure programming the pic would be easier than soldering  ;D

Where is a good place and the type of PIC kit to buy for all our needs, ie: USB Dongle, Lynx Express, Lynx Freestyle...

 
Dilip

Programming PICS is really very simple.  If you look on Ebay you can find programmers from many sources around $40

You might want one of these too:

http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-PIC-MICROCHIP-PROGRAMMER-EXTENSION-ICD2-PICkit2-ZIF_W0QQitemZ250422377212QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item3a4e563afc&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A1%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50

Bill

Title: Re: Dongle Parts Coop???????
Post by: memphislights on May 15, 2009,

Nope.