[time-nuts] Thunderbolt Monitor

Bob Camp lists at rtty.us
Wed Jan 23 21:22:05 EST 2013


Hi

My original comment was in reply to your suggestion of porting Lady Heather into a MSP430. I took that to be your outline of your project. My reply was simply that Lady Heather is a very complex and full featured program. It does *way* more than just look at a serial stream and tell you a few simple things. 

If the project has now changed into something else, then so be it.

Bob

On Jan 23, 2013, at 6:10 PM, Chris Albertson <albertson.chris at gmail.com> wrote:

> You realy can't know if a processor is to large or small until you
> have at least a outline of the software design.    In this case the uP
> is reading test from a serial port at a low data rate.   It is running
> a filter and sending a small amount of text back to the GPS.   So the
> load on the CPU is trivial.    The harder part is sending that data
> off to a larger computer, likely using Ethernet.  It coud use UDP at
> one second per packet.  Depends on how much you want to do on the
> device.
> 
> That MSP430 is going to be used to interface an anemometer (wind cups)
> 
> Mymethod normally is to do as much development as I can on a big
> computer like my Mac.  Then move the software down to the target
> environment.
> 
> TI sells another Launch pad for $18 that uses an ARM.  This is a much
> more capable CPU but for data logging maybe over kill.   But if the
> plan was to host a web server you'd need something like the ARM.
> 
> But actually the AVR inside the Arduino can run a web interface. but
> with ARM powered LaunchPads for $18 I'd go with that.
> 
> On Wed, Jan 23, 2013 at 12:38 PM, James Harrison
> <james at talkunafraid.co.uk> wrote:
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>> Absolutely - however, I suspect the MSP430 might be a little too small.
>> 
>> I'd be looking at something like a Raspberry Pi and a serially
>> attached screen. Adafruit do some lovely boards like these:
>> http://www.adafruit.com/products/1115
>> 
>> It's not $5 but it's not exactly exorbitant. Or just use a Pi and a
>> HDMI capable TV if you have one spare.
>> 
>> Cheers,
>> James Harrison
>> 
>> On 23/01/2013 19:55, Chris Albertson wrote:
>>> You can't compare the size of a Windows binary to a uP RAM.   If
>>> you look inside the .exe file you see that 90% of it is dealing
>>> with the Windows OS.   The actual computations are very, very small
>>> and don't use even half the 16KB Flash.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> On Wed, Jan 23, 2013 at 10:10 AM, Bob Camp <lists at rtty.us> wrote:
>>>> Hi
>>>> 
>>>> Heathdos.exe 123 KB Heather.exe 572 KB Server.exe 176 KB
>>>> 
>>>> (each would be plus what ever they pull from DLL's and the OS)
>>>> 
>>>> Ti LaunchPad MSP-EXP430G2 - MSP 430 version ($4.30):
>>>> 
>>>> MSP-430G2553 Microcontroller:
>>>> 
>>>> 16 KB flash 512 B RAM
>>>> 
>>>> MSP-430G2452 Microcontroller:
>>>> 
>>>> 8 KB flash 256 B RAM
>>>> 
>>>> I suspect you would get about 5% of it into a MSP430.
>>>> 
>>>> Bob
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> -----Original Message----- From: time-nuts-bounces at febo.com
>>>> [mailto:time-nuts-bounces at febo.com] On Behalf Of Chris Albertson
>>>> Sent: Wednesday, January 23, 2013 11:44 AM To: Major L. McGee
>>>> III; Discussion of precise time and frequency measurement
>>>> Subject: Re: [time-nuts] Thunderbolt Monitor
>>>> 
>>>> I was looking into porting much of LH into an Arduino or TI
>>>> Launch Pad (msp430) And then a display would be web based.  But
>>>> then I decided to go back to grad school and there went any free
>>>> time.
>>>> 
>>>> But I think that is that way to go.  The TB is best kept in some
>>>> light-out closet and who wants to stand of a step stool to read
>>>> an LCD when a web interface could put a better display on your
>>>> smart phone or computer
>>>> 
>>>> I did just buy a TI Launchpad.  For $4.30 shipping included I
>>>> could not resist but I have in mind a MUCH smaller project
>>>> 
>>>> On Wed, Jan 23, 2013 at 8:31 AM, Major L. McGee III
>>>> <majorm at sc.rr.com> wrote:
>>>>> I have been following this on the list for a while now and was
>>>>> curious if anyone is actively working on a open source monitor.
>>>>> I see the one made
>>>> by
>>>>> Adam VK4GHZ is no longer being sold.  This got me back on track
>>>>> for
>>>> wanting
>>>>> to make one of my own.
>>>>> 
>>>>> I have been using either tbmon or lady heather but always have
>>>>> issues with
>>>> a
>>>>> usb to serial converter when I start the computer.  It will go
>>>>> haywire and cause it to freeze and make the mouse malfunction.
>>>>> Once I disconnect the converter (I have tried other makes as
>>>>> well) it works fine.  Usually I can reconnect the converter and
>>>>> things will work again.
>>>>> 
>>>>> What I would like to do is make a 2 or 4 line lcd readout to
>>>>> display
>>>> various
>>>>> info.  I really liked VK4GHZ's page type selector knob.  I can
>>>>> see that being very useful.  On a youtube video by n6vmo said
>>>>> the thunderbolt used
>>>> a
>>>>> ASCII Hex and "needs to be converted by using 64 bit floating
>>>>> point math".
>>>>> 
>>>>> So are any of you currently working on this or have decided to
>>>>> quit and
>>>> have
>>>>> any information to share?
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> _______________________________________________ time-nuts
>>>>> mailing list -- time-nuts at febo.com To unsubscribe, go to
>>>>> https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and
>>>>> follow the instructions there.
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> --
>>>> 
>>>> Chris Albertson Redondo Beach, California
>>>> _______________________________________________ time-nuts mailing
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>>>> follow the instructions there.
>>>> 
>>>> 
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>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
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> 
> 
> 
> -- 
> 
> Chris Albertson
> Redondo Beach, California
> _______________________________________________
> time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts at febo.com
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