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Not really commodore related, but... [message #209014] Mon, 22 August 2011 15:09 Go to next message
Dombo is currently offline  Dombo
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...this thing reminds me of the good old home computer days when
computers where still fun: http://geoffg.net/maximite.html

I probably won't buy it because I already have too much stuff that I
never use. Obviously it is not commodore compatible in any way, but I
figured this might be of interest to some of you, especially those of
you who long for the good old days where you could just write a simple
BASIC program to put some graphics on the screen and tinker with I/O's
(which is surprisingly hard on a modern PC).
Re: Not really commodore related, but... [message #209015 is a reply to message #209014] Tue, 23 August 2011 05:06 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Clocky is currently offline  Clocky
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Dombo wrote:
> ..this thing reminds me of the good old home computer days when
> computers where still fun: http://geoffg.net/maximite.html
>

Heh, I was just going to post that link... looks like a pretty cool thing,
might just have to get one too. Postage is a bit steep considering I'm in
Australia though, for some reason.
Re: Not really commodore related, but... [message #209016 is a reply to message #209015] Tue, 23 August 2011 13:29 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Dombo is currently offline  Dombo
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Op 23-Aug-11 11:06, Clocky schreef:
> Dombo wrote:
>> ..this thing reminds me of the good old home computer days when
>> computers where still fun: http://geoffg.net/maximite.html
>>
>
> Heh, I was just going to post that link... looks like a pretty cool thing,
> might just have to get one too. Postage is a bit steep considering I'm in
> Australia though, for some reason.

You could try here:
http://www.dontronics-shop.com/the-maximite-computer.html . A few days
ago Don McKenzie (owner of DonTronics) made a posting in
comp.arch.embedded which brought the maximite to my attention.
Re: Not really commodore related, but... [message #209017 is a reply to message #209016] Tue, 23 August 2011 18:20 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Clocky is currently offline  Clocky
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Dombo wrote:
> Op 23-Aug-11 11:06, Clocky schreef:
>> Dombo wrote:
>>> ..this thing reminds me of the good old home computer days when
>>> computers where still fun: http://geoffg.net/maximite.html
>>>
>>
>> Heh, I was just going to post that link... looks like a pretty cool
>> thing, might just have to get one too. Postage is a bit steep
>> considering I'm in Australia though, for some reason.
>
> You could try here:
> http://www.dontronics-shop.com/the-maximite-computer.html . A few days
> ago Don McKenzie (owner of DonTronics) made a posting in
> comp.arch.embedded which brought the maximite to my attention.

That's where it was brought to my attention, albeit in aus.computers ;-)
Re: Not really commodore related, but... [message #209022 is a reply to message #209017] Wed, 24 August 2011 13:47 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Dombo is currently offline  Dombo
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Op 24-Aug-11 0:20, Clocky schreef:
> Dombo wrote:
>> Op 23-Aug-11 11:06, Clocky schreef:
>>> Dombo wrote:
>>>> ..this thing reminds me of the good old home computer days when
>>>> computers where still fun: http://geoffg.net/maximite.html
>>>>
>>>
>>> Heh, I was just going to post that link... looks like a pretty cool
>>> thing, might just have to get one too. Postage is a bit steep
>>> considering I'm in Australia though, for some reason.
>>
>> You could try here:
>> http://www.dontronics-shop.com/the-maximite-computer.html . A few days
>> ago Don McKenzie (owner of DonTronics) made a posting in
>> comp.arch.embedded which brought the maximite to my attention.
>
> That's where it was brought to my attention, albeit in aus.computers ;-)

Since Dontronics is Australian based I would expect postage to be
reasonable for you.
Re: Not really commodore related, but... [message #209032 is a reply to message #209022] Thu, 25 August 2011 12:11 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Chris Baird is currently offline  Chris Baird
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>>>> > ..this thing reminds me of the good old home computer days when
>>>> > computers where still fun: http://geoffg.net/maximite.html

Unfortunately, you need a Windows box to develop firmware for it..
(*cough*cough* my last bunch of flames to this newsgroup :)

> Since Dontronics is Australian based I would expect postage to be
> reasonable for you.

Don's a spammer. Avoid. Don't give him an excuse to 'legally' use your
email address because you're a customer now..

Altronics.com.au were the first to have it: http://www.altronics.com.au/index.asp?area=item&id=K9550
It's a Silicon Chip magazine project.

I'll note there's actually a few other cheaper bitchin-powerful
all-in-one development kits out there, like the LPC/mbed.
( http://australianrobotics.com.au/products/mbed-lpc1768-devel opment-board)

--
Chris
Re: Not really commodore related, but... [message #209033 is a reply to message #209032] Thu, 25 August 2011 16:42 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Don McKenzie is currently offline  Don McKenzie
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On Aug 26, 2:11 am, Chris Baird <ab...@brushtail.apana.org.au> wrote:

> Unfortunately, you need a Windows box to develop firmware for it..
> (*cough*cough* my last bunch of flames to this newsgroup :)

Chris, are you talking about redoing the PIC32 C firmware for the MM-
Basic, or are you talking about the basic program itself?

For BASIC development, the Maximite can be run on any PC that supports
a USB connection, and can run a terminal program.
But it can also just run from a VGA screen and PS2 keyboard.

See:
http://www.dontronics-shop.com/maximite-sm1.html

> Don's a spammer. Avoid. Don't give him an excuse to 'legally' use your
> email address because you're a customer now..

Thanks Chris,

what do you mean legally use?

I have been in business since 1964, and have never posted anyone's
email address in an email message, or on a web page.

And certainly never posted any unfounded accusations in an open forum,
such as you have just done.

> Altronics.com.au were the first to have it:http://www.altronics.com.au/index.asp?area=item&id=K9 550
> It's a Silicon Chip magazine project.

Geoff Graham is the designer-author of the Maximite, and I have worked
in association with him. I have 3 new Maximite boards being released
in the next 1 to 2 months.

Cheers Don...
Re: Not really commodore related, but... [message #209034 is a reply to message #209033] Thu, 25 August 2011 16:46 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Don McKenzie is currently offline  Don McKenzie
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> I have been in business since 1964, and have never posted anyone's
> email address in an email message, or on a web page.

Edited correction:
I have been in business since 1964, and have never posted anyone's
email address in a News group message, or on a web page.

Cheers Don...
Re: Not really commodore related, but... [message #209043 is a reply to message #209014] Fri, 26 August 2011 19:02 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Anonymous
Karma:
Originally posted by: WinstonSmith6079

On Aug 22, 3:09 pm, Dombo <do...@disposable.invalid> wrote:
> ..this thing reminds me of the good old home computer days when
> computers where still fun:http://geoffg.net/maximite.html

Well at $8.44US, I guess that proves gropas' "case" wrong when he
claims that SID chips can't be (and maybe even shouldn't be, as far as
he is concerned...?) reproduced and then sold cheaply to those
interested. Just a guess, but I'm thinking that SID chips would sell
a little bit more than that item would.
Re: Not really commodore related, but... [message #209044 is a reply to message #209043] Sat, 27 August 2011 02:27 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Clocky is currently offline  Clocky
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WinstonSmith6079 wrote:
> On Aug 22, 3:09 pm, Dombo <do...@disposable.invalid> wrote:
>> ..this thing reminds me of the good old home computer days when
>> computers where still fun:http://geoffg.net/maximite.html
>
> Well at $8.44US, I guess that proves gropas' "case" wrong when he
> claims that SID chips can't be (and maybe even shouldn't be, as far as
> he is concerned...?) reproduced and then sold cheaply to those
> interested. Just a guess, but I'm thinking that SID chips would sell
> a little bit more than that item would.

Except the SID is a much more complex device to reproduce, evidently.
Re: Not really commodore related, but... [message #209046 is a reply to message #209043] Sat, 27 August 2011 04:03 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Dombo is currently offline  Dombo
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Op 27-Aug-11 1:02, WinstonSmith6079 schreef:
> On Aug 22, 3:09 pm, Dombo<do...@disposable.invalid> wrote:
>> ..this thing reminds me of the good old home computer days when
>> computers where still fun: http://geoffg.net/maximite.html
>
> Well at $8.44US, I guess that proves gropas' "case" wrong when he
> claims that SID chips can't be (and maybe even shouldn't be, as far as
> he is concerned...?) reproduced and then sold cheaply to those
> interested.

I can tell you that there are chips that cost way less than 1 USD, but
that doesn't prove that "groupas" is wrong.

The $8.44 chip you are talking about is the PIC32 from Microchip, which
is a generic off-the-shelf microcontroller sold by the millions. Only a
very few of those will end up in the Maximite, the rest of them will
find their way in all kinds of other devices. Since the PIC32 is a
relatively recent chip it will be produced with a modern production
process.

Compare that to a SID chip for which the potential customer base is at
best a couple of tens of people provided that the cost of the chip would
be somewhat affordable (< 50 USD). The processes used to produce the SID
chip have become obsolete at least two decades ago. It won't be easy to
find a fab that still supports those processes.

NRE costs are the killer here; unless you figure out a way to sell
hunderds of thousands of SID chips those chips would be prohibitively
expensive if you want to recoup the money you invested.

Of course you don't have to take my (or "groupas") word for it. There
are places that could reverse engineer the SID chip, and fabs were you
could produce those chips (though costly retooling will most likely be
needed). If you really think that producing new SID chips is a viable
business (how many SID chips do you think you can sell?), I suggest you
put your money where your mouth is.

> Just a guess, but I'm thinking that SID chips would sell
> a little bit more than that item would.

The SID may or or may not sell more than the Maximite. But in this day
and age the SID chip will never sell more than the PIC32 processor.
Re: Not really commodore related, but... [message #209047 is a reply to message #209033] Sat, 27 August 2011 08:48 Go to previous messageGo to next message
dott.Piergiorgio is currently offline  dott.Piergiorgio
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Il 25/08/2011 22:42, Don McKenzie ha scritto:

>> Don's a spammer. Avoid. Don't give him an excuse to 'legally' use your
>> email address because you're a customer now..
>
> Thanks Chris,
>
> what do you mean legally use?
>
> I have been in business since 1964, and have never posted anyone's
> email address in an email message, or on a web page.
>
> And certainly never posted any unfounded accusations in an open forum,
> such as you have just done.

PLEASE, we can try to avoid another long-standing commercial practices
flame ???????

TIA and

Best regards for everyone else,
Dott. Piergiorgio.
Re: Not really commodore related, but... [message #209048 is a reply to message #209043] Sat, 27 August 2011 10:51 Go to previous message
Groepaz is currently offline  Groepaz
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WinstonSmith6079 wrote:

> On Aug 22, 3:09 pm, Dombo <do...@disposable.invalid> wrote:
>> ..this thing reminds me of the good old home computer days when
>> computers where still fun:http://geoffg.net/maximite.html
>
> Well at $8.44US, I guess that proves gropas' "case" wrong when he
> claims that SID chips can't be (and maybe even shouldn't be, as far as
> he is concerned...?) reproduced and then sold cheaply to those
> interested.
how exactly? there is no custom made chip in this design at all, its a
generic design based on a generic chipset, which is cheap because it is
generic and sold in numbers of millions (if not billions)

> Just a guess, but I'm thinking that SID chips would sell
> a little bit more than that item would.
how many millions of SIDs are you expecting to sell? i can maybe arrange
something with setup costs, for a first production run of ~ 100.000 chips,
only if you take 10 millions or so ofcourse =P

--

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