What Would You do with this MicroPython Single Board Computer and What Would You Need to Do it?

RE: What Would You do with this MicroPython Single Board Computer and What Would You Need to Do it?

mayermakes — Wed, 10 Mar 2021 08:32:49 GMT

I immediately jumped on this page when I read Single board computer..but that is a bit misleading in my opinion, it is an STM32 microcontroller board .

Being able to run micropython or circuitpython does not make it a single board computer. From the term I expected it tu run an OS like linux on which I could implement python programms.
or any RTOS more specific to trinamic typical applications.

If this board would qualifiy as an SBC than my EI.O.T Episode 485: How To Make A Custom PCB From Design To Assembly

would also be an SBC and it clearly is not.

I like the products features in general but the wording is misleading. EDIT: it even Says MCU in the block diagram. so I think the marketing department made that goof.

On first glance its a MCU plattform with the interfaces broken out that trinamic drivers and other products use. I'm a bit inclined to build upon it.

RE: What Would You do with this MicroPython Single Board Computer and What Would You Need to Do it?

colporteur — Tue, 16 Feb 2021 17:01:07 GMT

Great idea RS [mention:55e535b498a841ed8f2949266bc56dc3:e9ed411860ed4f2ba0265705b8793d05] ,on polls for possible reviews.

I find the community members that make posts, provide details I may not have thought about. It also encourages me to contribute by posting something I have discovered or question I might have.

It could be suggested this information could be done on the RoadTest review posting. On the RoadTest review page, I find I'm more focused on the application and not on the finer details of research.

Polls are the think tank of ideas.

RE: What Would You do with this MicroPython Single Board Computer and What Would You Need to Do it?

parasquid — Tue, 16 Feb 2021 09:05:46 GMT

I find the 6v to 50v supply interesting (likely has a built-in buck to provide the 3.3v for the microcontroller). A quick look at the hardware manual and example programs seem to indicate they designed the board for controlling actuators and motors (and logging).

Maybe including a basic (stepper?) motor kit would work best? Or something that can take advantage of the 6v to 50v supply voltage. I'm not sure if the cable for the JST-PH (8 pins) is included in the kit, but that seems to be the only non-jumper type i/o connector there (aside from the usb-c port) so maybe including one would also be useful.

RE: What Would You do with this MicroPython Single Board Computer and What Would You Need to Do it?

Gough Lui — Tue, 16 Feb 2021 05:01:32 GMT

I normally associate Trinamic with motor control stuff, which is why I was a bit confused with this board (where does the motor go?) since it's actually more of a MicroPython-enabled STM32F405RGT6 microcontroller interfacing to RS232, RS485 or CAN fieldbuses.

[View:/resized-image/__size/620x303/__key/commentfiles/f7d226abd59f475c9d224a79e3f0ec07-e1ae0330-7fd5-4ddc-a18f-77e4133b6640/7178.contentimage_5F00_207377.png:620:303]

Would be a great choice if you wanted to say log stuff off the CAN bus to a microSD card (which goes near the bottom, connector just covering the pins!) for later debugging, or as a go-between to interface to other boards which might speak UART, SPI or I2C for actuating a response from other Trinamic evaluation kits (via PyTrinamic). Seems like a good board to have around even if just to interface to the buses over USB although I don't have any RS485 or CAN applications to speak of at the moment ...

- Gough

RE: What Would You do with this MicroPython Single Board Computer and What Would You Need to Do it?

colporteur — Tue, 16 Feb 2021 02:59:11 GMT

I like to see a RoadTest that exercised the card options. How many of the interfaces are out of the box usable or would require something else to work. "Plugging directly into the application for logging data on an SD card or updating subsystems without the need for additional tools"

RE: What Would You do with this MicroPython Single Board Computer and What Would You Need to Do it?

dougw — Tue, 16 Feb 2021 00:56:24 GMT

Interesting card - Cortex M4.

It looks like it has an uSD card connector although the manual doesn't say much about it.

I wonder if this Python can log data to the uSD card.

It looks like it might be a good candidate to add a GPS and display to turn it into an OBDII logger, but I would need more info before using it to tackle such an application.