Getting Started

Hi there, thanks for the swift delivery.

I have assembled the micro controller circuit and have tried to load the basic program project1.bas however, the text loader fails to load the program.
BV_Com displays error code (0), it says there is a problem with the comment tag //. I typed the program up externally without the comments and I got the same error and it then said there is a problem with the ' function ' syntax.

I have tried typing simple print commands direct into the console and they work. I would appreciate any suggestions as to what is causing the errors and the text file to abort loading.

To load a program into memory the comand 'tload' is used. The procedure is:
new // to clear the ram space
tload // to tell mb to compile the incomming text
Now use the text transfer box to send the text.

However,
for conveniance all of the above is sent to the device in the text transfer dialg box:

The line at the bottom of the box new\n \w200 tload\n \w300 does that when you press send provided the send first box is ticked. So in short, make sure that the text transfer box looks like the one above.

Hi to everyone. I'm a regular(ish) Byvac customer, having first stumbled upon them at the York Radio Rally, several years ago.

Nice to see Byvac move away from Forth (a language to be fair I have never dabbled in) :).

I had some initial problems with the BV500 package (BV500 + display + components + proto-board).

Please check your proto board as the strips down both sides are not continuous - they have 2 gaps each side. Having said that one of my gaps still had the shorting metal link in place.
= I assembled the example circuit but the LED didn't light as the connection to gnd was broken (until I figured out the problem).

Make sure that you use the latest version of BV_COM2 (older versions will not work).
= I had an older version as an icon on my desktop which worked for the very first simplest example, but not any others.

Note that if you "type" in the programs line by line, the lines starting with a # will give an error. I now know that these lines are actually macros which are expanded out by BV_COM2.

Anyway, time to return to the examples.

--Gary

I solved this problem.

I found that I had not set up PSPAD to recognize the syntax of mBasic so when I tried to load the file, it wouldn't recognize the code.
Having set up PSPAD, I can now transfer .bas files written in PSPAD.

I recently bought your BV500 kit, because I was impressed with the capabilities of the chip. I have come across a problem with the breadboard, however. I have discovered that it does not make consistent contact with the connecting wires or leads of some components. One must jiggle them around for the circuit to work (for a fraction of a second). Also I have this question: Can the MX1 chip run a stored program in stand-alone mode (not connected to the USB)? If so, how can I do this? Your tutorial does not explain this.

It is mentioned at the beginning on page 8 under the heading Functions, but to make it clear you need to do two things for a stand alone system:
1) Simply create a function called 'main' and save that to flash. This function will be run at start up.
2) The the MCLR pin needs to be tied to 3.3V with a 10k resistor.

Main() is going to be a continuous loop and if you have not built in any get out mechanism the system provides one, the instructions are in the Language Guide but I will repeat them here as it seems a sensible place

At reset, within the first half second send '\' which is byte value 92 (0x5c) this will stop main from running and give you the chance to optionally clear the Flash.

Hi Jim, just got my kit having read the Practical Wireless review. I can appreciate the amount of work thats gone into this!
Just working my way through the examples and generally playing.
I'm a long-term PIC user (8/14bit core assembler) but this is my first 3.3v setup. Regarding the LED in the example - theres no limiting resistor shown - is it a 5v LED (ie internal resistor) or is it ok to run plain LEDs directly from a 3.3v processor port?

Actually 3.3v is less desirable for my applications, most outputs will need level convesion - is there a 5v version of the BV500 chip please?
Ta v much
Cheers
Phil
PS the random spam-prevention code for this message happened to be FUT7C - my R/C set is a Futaba 7C, are you an R/C enthusiast Jim?

hello, Phil,
I always run LEDs directly from the port as the PIC outputs have current limiting built in 20 - 25mA. All of the larger microcontrollers are 3.3V so there is not a 5V version, however the BV500 will tolerate 5V on some pins, see the diagram on this page the purple pins are 5V tolerant.

The spam prevention is purley random so quite a coincidence.