Arron Chapman

The Ethernet part (ENC28J60) alone on the N+2 consumes 150 mA, that along with the on-board led and potentially a uSD card could contribute to quite a bit of waste. If you plan on running your project off of a battery, you obviously want to get the power consumption down as low as you can. I've written up a small class with a single static method, and a single enum to make the process of turning off the peripherals easy.

Usage;

//Turn off the Ethernet controller
PowerManagment.SetPeripheralState(Peripheral.Ethernet, false);
//Turn off the uSD Card
PowerManagment.SetPeripheralState(Peripheral.SDCard, false);
//Turn off the Power LED
PowerManagment.SetPeripheralState(Peripheral.PowerLED, false);

//Turn On uSD Card
PowerManagment.SetPeripheralState(Peripheral.SDCard, true);

I don't have the public source code repositories up for Variable Labs just yet, so I've attached the source below.

 PowerManagment.cs   3.13KB   202 downloads

TWFnaWMgQmx1ZSBTbW9rZSBSZXN0b3JlciBNb2R1bGU=

I purchased one of these and it was rather painless to install eLua with a pre-built binary,

http://www.futurlec....M32_Stamp.shtml

Cuno Pfister (Oberon Microsystems) ported the MF 4.2 to this board among others. They refer to the port for this chip as NETMF for STM32 (F1 Edition),

http://www.windowsfo...42-porting-kit/

http://www.mountaine...df?t=1327064471

I downloaded the Porting Kit 4.2 and browsing the files I find: \MicroFrameworkPK_v4_2\Solutions\STM32Stamp and \MicroFrameworkPK_v4_2\DeviceCode\Targets\Native\STM32\ . The problem is I don't have the foggiest idea how to proceed. Is there a pre-built binary floating around somewhere? I suspect that it is a bit more complicated than just installing the firmawre.

Baxter

I'd suggest asking over at https://netmf4stm32.codeplex.com/

Hi Guys,

since I have bought my first NetduinoI have developed several devices and I would like to try to make some of them a "product" that I can sell or at least propose to investors that may be interested in .
Now all the devices I got are of course prototypes and the cost for making them is much higher than the one I would like they to have once the are in sale.

My question is how can I reduce the cost of making let's say one project a product ?

Is that allow ?

At the moment using the classic NetDuino the device cannot cost less than the price of the netduino it self.


what are the possibility to achieve that ?

thanks a lot

Tell us a bit more about what you're trying to do. Do you want to integrate the Netduino design into your own? Do you want to purchase the Netduinos with a discount and just incorporate an actual Netduino into your design?


In General you are welcome to take the design of the Netduino and incorporate it into your own the design is licensed open source, under CC-BY. The biggest thing here is that you *cannot* call your derived work Netduino, as that is a trademark of Secret Labs and you *must* give proper attribution to Secret Labs for the Netduino design. The design is *not* CC-BY-SA so you are *not* required to share your design in an open source manor.


The SourceCode for the Netduino Firmware is also available under an open source license in this case Apache 2 which has similar terms as CC-BY.


If you want to use actuall Netduinos in your project there are a variety of resellers which offer volume discounts and depending on your volume you may be able to work directly with Secret Labs.

I currently have 1 module available for purchase and am in the process of bringing 3 more to market. I promise this isn’t an advertisement for any of them but I wanted to take a moment and explain the work that goes into building a module for your Netduino Go.

There are 6 basic steps;

• Idea
• Selection
• Prototype
• Design
• Verify
• Produce

Idea. This is arguably the most complicated step, one needs to have an idea for a module. For me these ideas are most commonly things I want for myself, though I also like to look at what the community is missing (where are the sensors!?). In the case of the ProtoModule it seemed that I’d want a stable rarely-changing, hard to screw up platform to prototype the rest of the modules I wanted to build. Breadboards are nice, but jumper wires are messy and can fairly easily come unplugged. So the ProtoModule was born.

Selection. This is the most time consuming step. This is the part where we have to define exactly what our requirements are error margins, physical limitations, electrical limitations, etc. In the case of the Temperature & Humidity Sensor module, we have to ask, what is an acceptable margin of error for the temperature and humidity, obviously 10 degrees Celsius is far too much. After we determine what margins are acceptable we then have to find parts that meet those requirements, this is somewhat easy. The hard part is that while we’d love to deliver a module with 0.000001C margin, the cost would be outrageous, so we have to balance delivering awesome with affordable. This step is mostly spent on my favourite parts supplier (Digikey) and Google. Reading dozens (feels like hundreds of thousands by the time you're done) of datasheets. Reading user reviews and any other source of information on the part.

Prototype. This is where it starts to get fun. At this point we have to order engineering samples or purchase the parts we’re going to use, set it up on a breadboard or ProtoModule and figure out how to use it. I’m not a C/++ developer and working so low level on the uC is a new process for me so I often start by making the device work with my Netduino Classic first. This lets me understand how to use the hardware before I try to write the firmware for it I also use this code to ensure that the part meets my requirements. Then I have to write the firmware for it. Most of the modules are using the STM8S so I have to write an 8-bit C driver (I could use C++ or ASM but I prefer C) for the part. Now that this is done, I have to add the Go!Bus communications to the firmware and write a Managed Code driver to run on your Netduino Go. Then we test it, while it’s still on a breadboard or ProtoModule. I do this now, so I can use the module for a bit to make sure that it meets the requirements we’ve laid out.

Design. This is the boring part of the process. Here we just have to layout the parts on a breadboard and get the traces routed. Again this has to keep in mind the requirements, when using analog sensors we want to avoid having the analog lines cross things they shouldn’t and the like. At this point we talk with Secret Labs who verifies that we comply with the Go!Bus protocol and grants us a license to use the Go!Bus Logo on our board.

Verify. This is the most exciting part. We order prototypes of the PCB we’ve designed. Waiting sucks, and while waiting for them to come in I tend to go over the design 3-4 more times. I will continue to feel like I’ve forgotten something until the day when they arrive. Then I promptly stop whatever I’m doing (eating can wait until later ) and assemble the first one. Flash the firmware, and it’s time to start testing. This is where I start to get a bit giddy if its working (ProtoModule) or rather crabby when it’s not (12-key keypad). When we have one working I’ll start to play with it and see what can be done to make it better. “Do we need an LED?” “Should this be moved?” If were happy with it we move on to the next step, if we're not it’s back to the Design step.

Produce. This is when we make pre-orders available. It’s time to send the designs off to the manufacturer to have the PCBs produced, order the hardware to go on them, and arrange the delivery with the assembly house. Then it’s back to waiting again, about a week for each assembly and manufacturing plus shipping on both. Once everything is in my hands we visually inspect and verify everything, then start flashing them with a test firmware to ensure that everything is behaving. Finally we flash them with the production firmware, update the quantity available on the website and ship any pre-orders.


This process usually takes me about 80-100 hours from beginning to end (even for simple modules) and usually has me collaborating with several people, whom also spend significant amounts of time on the project. It’s quite honestly the most fun I’ve had in in a long time as well. Many thanks to Dear Leader Chris Walker and the team at Secret Labs who’ve given the opportunity to have all this fun, and take what's been one hell of a fun ride learning how to do all of this.

Moderator note
This topic has been split off and closed. If both Fabien and Arron would like the thread removed, a moderator will comply with the request.

Original post
Fabien,
I'm not really sure $75 for a any number of small sensors is even remotely reasonable. I think individual $10-15 sensors are going to be better options for most users, both on price an ease of use. The IDC cable provides a much better user experience than just wires, after all I could do that with a breadboard for much cheaper.

Hello,

Anyone knows if netduino go could handle with Love Electronics pH and Temperature module?

Thank you.

Paulo Norberto

Not directly, the Netduino supports Gadgeteer Socket Types S, U and X . This module uses I. You could (at least in theory) bit bang I2C on that bus, but you'd loose 3 ports and you'd have a lot of work to do.

A mysterious package arrived from the Netherlands today.

I was rather pleasantly surprised to find a Dutch Flag! Many thanks Stefan, it is now permanently attached to my whiteboard.

Oh, there was also a Go!Hacker, but who is interested in that, it's all about the flag!

Thanks Stefan!

Fabien Royer recently had an article on Channel 9 about how to use Modules with the Netduino/+ from that I'm sure you can get all of the information you need to do it with an Arduino.

There is currently a bug in the .NetMF which makes pin 13 unusable as the SPI CS pin. Any other pin should work as expected. If you need to use pin 13 (if your out of pins) you can manually manage the CS by creating an OutputPort and writing the pin either HIGH or LOW as needed before and after you send data to the device. If you choose to manually manage the CS you can pass Pins.GPIO_NONE to the SPI.Configuration constructor for the CS.

I've been searching the forums, and it seems like I2C, SPI, and UART support through NGO isn't there yet (although it looks like it works if you directly write code on the shield).

Is that still the case? If so, when is that expected to be functional?

Heres the deal. The Netduino go communicates with the modules via SPI... always SPI. There is a microcontroller (in most cases) on the module, that module can use whatever protocols it needs (and supports) to communicate with the end hardware (like a temperature sensor).

Now, we do see that I2C, SPI and U(S)ART do not currently work in the Shield Base, when you use it with the N!Go. However (at least for the time being), you can program the Shield Base directly using the UART (TTL) at Digial 0 and Digital 1.

In the coming months (don't ask for specifics, it'll be on the forums as soon as it's available) there will be a few updates one of them will enable these features on the Shield Base. There is also a generic virtualized I/O firmware coming for the STM8S which is the microcontroller that most modules will be able to make use of. This firmware will enable module builders to access the various features (like SPI) directly from the N!Go as if they are local. This will enable someone to build modules rather quickly.

We've started the hangout, feel free to join! https://plus.google....sts/dDKkb9zZUsU To actually join the hangout you'll have to friend me, and I'll make it available to you.

A few of us are planning a Google+ Hangout for tonight around 6:30 PST. We'll chat about Netduino stuff, and anything else interesting. You can join via Google+ (details below) or possibly by calling in from the US.

Friend me on G+ and I'll post the details when it happens. If you want to be on via phone, you'll have to message me your number

For now I have a (hopefully) simple question. I've worked out that I need a separate chip/circuit to drive the motors (i.e., netduino to control the logic, but something else to manage the currents to the motors). Can anyone tell me if something like this motor driver from sparkfun is OK as a starting point: Motor Driver 1A Dual TB6612FNG? If not, can you give me some pointers to something else that would be OK. Since I'm just starting out I don't think I need any super performing system, just something basic to turn a couple of small motors.

Instead of purchasing the bare chip, I would recommend something like the Adafruit Motor Shield, with it you can control up to 4 DC motors and there is already a driver for it.

Welcome to the Netduino and the forums.

Hi All

I am very new to NetDuino and have not bought my first board yet, since I want to do design my rig first to avoid wasting money... And I need some advice on what to buy.

My NetDuio rig needs to be able to control the resistance of 29 differen wires (from another rig that I will build not using NetDuino).

My question is: what kind of components should i get besides the NetDuino Plus board to be able to do this, and what parts of the Duino board can handle increasing the resistance in 1 of the 29 wires/circuit at a time.

Please remember to speeeeak slooooowly when providing feedback. I am no electronic engeneer

Tnx in advance for any feedback.

For something like this the easiest way is likely to use a digital Potentiometer, which is essentially just a variable resistor. A part like the DS1806 from Maxim should work fine, and there is already a Netduino driver for it.