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By Andrew, January 9, 2012 12:35 pm

This is my 200th blog post!

For my 200th bog post I would like to present a preview of a graphical bootloader I'm developing for the handheld computer called the mikroMMB from MikroElektronika.

The firmware is called dsFreeloader and it will allow you to browse through a grid of HEX firmware files and bootload them using the microSD card reader. This means you could load hundreds of firmware files on a single microSD card and then launch them with a tap of a button.

The dsFreeloader firmware supports automatic display rotation using the built-in accelerometer and comes with a few programs like an egg timer app and a flashlight app.

There is still a lot of work to be done before it is ready for any public testing. I have the first version of the user interface working with a few built-in Apps. Right now I am working on the microSD card based bootloader code. This project will need a few months of development and testing before it will be available for download.

I'm developing dsFreeloader using the MikroC Pro for dsPIC compiler and a mikromedia dsPIC33 board.

This is the vertical screen layout for the dsFreeloader firmware.

This is the horizontal screen layout for the dsFreeloader firmware.

A default cube icon is used for any firmware file without a custom icon.

This is the prototype screen for the Egg Timer App. You can adjust the timer by taping on the Hours or Minute boxes.

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By Andrew, December 27, 2011 7:01 pm

I just completed a new touch based game called Snowburst for the mikromedia gaming system.

In the game you have to tap to the screen to melt the falling snowflakes before you get snowed in. If you miss a snow flake the snowbank gets higher. Every 500 points the snowbank starts to melt a bit. You can play with two fingers but be sure to tap only one snowflake at a time. If you tap the status bar at the bottom of the screen you can mute the background music.

Snowburst was created using MikroC Pro for dsPIC 5.40 and VisualTFT.

Tip: Melt the small snowflakes first because they fall the fastest.

Here is the title screen from the Snowburst game.

Can you melt all of the snowflakes before you are covered in snow?

Continue reading 'Snowburst Game Released for the MikroMMB dsPIC33'»

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By Andrew, December 26, 2011 12:49 am

Created just in time for Christmas is a falling snowflakes graphics demo for the MikroElektronika dsPIC 33 Mikromedia board. The demo was created using MikroC Pro for dsPIC and VisualTFT. The demo features a winter theme with randomly generated snow particles. Each snowflake has a random position, size, and speed value.

This is a snowy graphics demo for the Mikromedia board.

Edit: This demo has been expanded into the Snowburst game.

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By Andrew, December 12, 2011 8:00 pm

Since my friends over at MikroElektronika are celebrating their 10th Birthday I wanted to do something special to say thanks.

This evening I created an example for the mikroMedia dsPIC 33 MMB that lets you celebrate a birthday by blowing out a virtual candle. You get to blow out the candle on a cupcake by tapping the touch screen on a mikromedia MMB. After two seconds the candle lights itself up again and you can repeat the process.

MikroBirthday was created using MikroC Pro for dsPIC 5.20 and VisualTFT.

The source code and firmware for mikroBirthday can be downloaded from libstock.com

Let's all have a mikroBirthday today!

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By Andrew, October 25, 2011 8:02 pm

This is my tool to load the current source code file in NotePad++.

MikroElektronika's compiler MikroC PRO has a handy Tools feature that allows you to automate your development workflow. You can specify external programs and command line parameters that you want to run. You can launch these tools from either a button located in your toolbar or with a hotkey. The tools feature is useful if you want to work with a 3rd party chip programmer or bootloader, or if you want to load your current source code file in an external text editor.

I first researched the custom tools feature when I wanted to automate the process of developing my own programs for the MikroElektronika mikromedia dsPIC33 board. This saved me having to manually start up the ds30 loader program every time I wanted to use the bootloader to transfer the latest version of my firmware.

You can download the excellent bootloader software ds30 loader here:
http://mrmackey.no-ip.org/elektronik/ds30loader/

This is my MikroC tool to automate the process of loading a new HEX file onto a mikromedia board using the ds30 loader.

Continue reading 'Automating Development with Tools in MikroC PRO'»

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By Andrew, October 11, 2011 9:54 am

For the past few weeks I have had the opportunity to use MikroElektronika's latest Mikromedia dsPIC33 development board with the new Gaming Shield and Battery Boost Shield. The Mikromedia board is also known as the MikroMMB board. It features a color TFT screen that is touch sensitive and has a 320 x 240 resolution display. The board also has a built-in MP3 decoder chip (VLSI VS1011e) that makes playing sound from a Micro-SD card easy.

The Gaming Shield accessory provides a game pad with arcade style controls, and two integrated speakers for sound playback. The Battery Boost shield allows you to power the Mikromedia Board for hours using two AAA batteries.

My First Mikromedia Project - Mini-Sub Game

For my first project using a Mikromedia dsPIC33 board I created a video game called "Mini-Sub". The game was designed to work with the two button pads and the speakers on the new Mikromedia Gaming Shield. The game was created using MikroC Pro for dsPIC.

In the Mini-Sub game you have to navigate a yellow mini sub through a treacherous ocean filled with naval sea mines. Use the left button pad to control the submarine and the square button to fire torpedoes to clear your path.

It takes 1 torpedo hit to destroy a red sea mine and two torpedo hits to destroy a grey sea mine.

Mini-Sub version 2.1 adds animated rotating sea mine sprites, harder levels, more lives, bonus items, MP3 music playback, and all round improved coolness!

The Mini-Sub game is hosted on libstock.com

You can get the latest version from:
http://www.libstock.com/projects/view/154/mini-sub-game-demo

Here is the title screen for the Mini-Sub game running on a MikroMMB dsPIC33.

The Mini-Sub game is fast paced and loads of fun!

You can pickup different types of bonus items as you play the game.

Your Mini-Sub can fire torpedoes to destroy the sea mines in your path.

Continue reading 'Exploring the Mikromedia dsPIC33 Board and Gaming Shield'»