TI-H: Re: EII Info

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TI-H: Re: EII Info


That depends on the microcontroller. The AVRs that
I'm using are programmed via parallel port using a small
wires-only programmer I built using plans off the net.
Search for BA1FB on altavista.com... that HAM's homepage
has schematics and the program to burn the AVRs. The PIC's
programmer is more complicated although you can go homebuilt
with those too.

As for the final price... I don't think it will be much above
$50. Seeing as how the ESF sold for $65 and did quite a lot less
and had several shortcomings (the main one being that the chips
unexpectedly ran out, of course), I don't think that is unreasonable
at all. It depends on what the distributors ask though. I will not
be selling finished units, but I will be selling parts that anyone
with half a brain on his head can use to build a working EII in
in one night. I realize $50 is a lot to pay for an addon for
a $120 calculator... but I don't set semiconductor prices, and if
there is enough interest maybe we can go in on a group buy and
get absolutely awesome savings. The 1MB version of the memory chips
I'm using now costs less than $10 each in quantities of 1000.

Bryan

Kevin Buck wrote:
> 
> So, how does one program a microcontroller?  And, how much do you think
> (approximately), will a built expander cost me?
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Bryan Rittmeyer <bryanr@flash.net>
> To: ti-hardware@lists.ticalc.org <ti-hardware@lists.ticalc.org>
> Date: Sunday, June 07, 1998 8:51 AM
> Subject: Re: TI-H: SPinTerface is JUST a link port with a power supply
> 
> >
> >Wow, its been a while since I've posted. Anyhow...
> >Would you still be interested in doing a SPinTerface
> >version of the EII? Its going to be a lot bigger
> >than the ESF but it will have a module port and
> >it would be great if that port was compatible with
> >all of the other SPinTerface stuff out there. At
> >the very least, are you interested in building
> >finished units? The EII is almost done and I need
> >-qualified- subcontractors. I will be supplying
> >the AVRs and PCBs but it would be your job to
> >solder the thing together and to get the other
> >parts, then test, distribute, and so forth, the
> >device. The idea is to get enough contractors to keep
> >prices down and things moving. Still, I imagine you'll
> >be able to make at least $10 off of each unit... not
> >bad considering they take under 45 min to build using
> >a PCB.
> >
> >On another note... I've started writing the TI-86
> >driver for the EII, but I do not have access to a
> >TI-83 or a TI-85. If anyone out there would be
> >interested in porting my TI-86 code to the TI-85
> >(not especially difficult) or the TI-83 (a bit more work)
> >I'd love to hear from you. I know the TI-85 guys
> >really need a driver so I'll try to get that done myself
> >if nobody else wants to.
> >
> >If you haven't already, check out the EII project
> >homepage: http://www.bridges.edu/horizon/eii/
> >I don't have much word of mouth yet because the TI-85
> >drivers aren't done and the device is still in the
> >testing stage... so if you'd spread the URL around
> >I'd greatly appreciate it.
> >
> >---
> >Bryan Rittmeyer
> >mailto:bryanr@flash.net
> >http://www.bridges.edu/horizon/
> >
> >
> >Richard Piotter wrote:
> >>
> >> Grant Stockly wrote:
> >> >
> >> > Richard, change your web page!  Evertyone thinks splinter things are
> >> > special...  ;)
> >>
> >> REALY!!! I'm actualy so bored with making them! They are nice and
> convinient,
> >> but i realy am kinda sick of how people think it's so great!
> >>
> >> It is great for the small size it allows things to be, but to tell you
> the
> >> truth, it was originaly intended for the ESF, and the ESF died a LONG
> time
> >> ago. IT just happens that the temp sensor and speaker are very small and
> nice,
> >> but I can build internal speakers (dificultly though) or even a partialy
> >> internal speaker. It's also not to hard to make a speaker that plugs into
> the
> >> link port and the temp sensor is just as easy to make on the link port,
> >> actualy a little easier!
> >>
> >> The SPinTerface is JUST a link port with extra wires for a power supply.
> >> That's ALL it is!
> >>
> >> Grant is 100% right. It's not anything realy special! it's just a nice
> plug!
> >>
> >> Some day i'll get to my web page, but with my job (yes I finaly got one)
> and
> >> my other free time spent on this and the BEAM robotics list and building
> cool
> >> robots, I just havn't had time for my web page. Maybe I'll get back to re
> >> writing it later.
> >>
> >> I do know I need to re write it. It still talks about the ESF like it was
> just
> >> released! OLD!!!
> >>
> >> Richard Piotter
> >> richfile@prairie.lakes.com
> >>
> >> The Richfiles TI Hardware and BASIC web page:
> >> http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Lakes/5081/Richfiles.html
> >

-- 
Bryan Rittmeyer
mailto:bryanr@flash.net
http://www.bridges.edu/horizon/
References: