2009 21 Feb
I have been studying PIC 18F67J50 and have order it to make some tests! Since this pic use a very small package TQFP 64 pin (0.5 mm pitch between pins) it is not possible to just connect some thin wires and connected to the breadboard, so I have ordered this demo board but made a small mistake, it is a 0.8 mm pitch, damn:
Ok, let’s order a proper demo board, this is the result of my first work with TQFP devices using a 0.3 mm tip on the iron (iron? yes, I did it the old way, after all it was my first time! Thanks to my friend dinix to let me use is lab!):
Not bad for a first time! Now I can actually run some live tests with it! This is also my first time with the super power-full nano watt pics from the 18F family!
2009 21 Feb
It has been quite a while since I have last posted about my robot work … well I have been away from this project mainly due to lack of free time, I’ve been trying to develop some commercial projects using microchip pics, trying may way in into the microcontroller world!
From the free time that I’m left from this projects, I have been studying Linux Debian and making lots of tests with my favorite hardware piece, my NAS drive Linksys NSLU2 (aka SLUG) hacked with Debian distro ‘etch’! I have been able to connect a Logitech Quickcam Pro 9000 HD webcam and stream live video (MJPEG - Motion Jpeg) over network from Ethernet, wireless and 3G mobile Internet interface. More on that later has I will make a tutorial on this and post it here (SLUG section)! Also been working with Graham (sunspot.co.uk) on Slug’s I2C channel to control other electronic devices such has I2C digital temperature sensor, PIC 16F690 to control PAN and TILT servos attached to webcam, etc. (just a teaser, more on that later).
So, with all of this stuff going on, somethings had to be stopped … unfortunately my robot was one of the selected! Sorry guys!
This is not the end, I do want to complete my robot, even with so many nice hardware coming up, it is very tenting to give up on my robot and start with a new platform and redesign the all concept! Let’s see what happens and hope for the best 