cheaper large instrument displays - mast mount

ShaunG said:
Yes...it was the stm32f100rb...arrived today and time to start playing :-)

Any code you do have would be much appreciated, pm sent Angus :-)
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The source so far includes a Coocox project file, so should be easy to get going with Coocox and the GCC ARM compiler installed. Just double-click the .cob file and it should load and build.
 
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Going for an Oscar here.



Data coming in from my instruments. This is Seatalk at the moment as I don't have NMEA data, but there's no reason why it can't do both.

Need to get Daylight Saving sorted on the time; it's GMT.
 
nigelmercier said:
Do you want to give my new SeaTalk Interface a try?

SeaTalkIO.png
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I've done a PCB layout for this:

SeaTalk-PCB.png


The narrow right-angle tracks are the ground plane, which would normally be filled with copper. If anyone is interested, I could make boards but with IO terminals instead of the PC pins and the power rail (currently disappearing after R46).
 
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AngusMcDoon said:
If you go all Arduino I will get in a processor rivalry huff and add you to my deputy-nemesis list. :D
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There are lots of quite good graphics displays available for the Arduino platform these days, and with the Mega2560 - there is huge scope for I/O -digital and analogue. I'm working on a multiple function touch screen display -with wind / course information - a stand alone anchor alarm ( inexpensive GPS module). Optional battery condition monitoring etc. Logging barometer All via a simple touch screen box menu system. One Arduino Mega can interface with all this lot - and a display - and I still have pins spare..
My own boat systems are antique by current standards, but can still be monitored -and info extracted, by quite simple means - and the AVR processor is quite capable of doing that.

Ability to update an entire screen is a useful feature, but in many cases what is easier is to work out just what needs updating - and do only that in an efficient way. The Arduino IDE is a fairly easy environment to work in, with numerous hardware support libraries available - and a large following of enthusiastic users.
I salute the 32 bit ARM CPU, but interfacing with real world (boat) hardware, is not the easiest job to tackle. ARM is honestly aimed at embedded very low power systems - rather than non commercial users.
(I do have a Cortex M3 dev board... but haven't made much headway with it I have to admit :rolleyes: )
There's never enough time to explore all the options....
Graeme
 
pagoda said:
There are lots of quite good graphics displays available for the Arduino platform these days...
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Arduino is an alternative hardware platform. I've never used it though as it is as you say aimed more at hobbyists and students. If this project ever gets to the point of making a number of devices then Arduino will be less suitable.

The low power of the ARM Cortex is a real benefit for boat applications. We don't want nimbusgb coming and berating us for using Amps as is his wont.
 
Next in the series. Soon to be on the BBC...



This is the button driver now working. It's interrupt driven rather than polling. The screen says Button 1, Button 2 etc depending on which of the buttons is pressed. Not very clear in the clip. Dylan would not approve.
 
AngusMcDoon said:
Arduino is an alternative hardware platform. I've never used it though as it is as you say aimed more at hobbyists and students. If this project ever gets to the point of making a number of devices then Arduino will be less suitable.

The low power of the ARM Cortex is a real benefit for boat applications. We don't want nimbusgb coming and berating us for using Amps as is his wont.
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I'm equally keen on not using power wastefully, but the entire Arduino hook up I have - including a back-lit colour LCD (320 x 240 until working then going to 5" screen) runs from a USB port without fuss - about 300mA at 5v.
Not a lot of Watts. Allow for some heat loss from 12V>5V (& 3.3V) regulation for power on the boat and it might hit 5 Watts.
Which means not a lot of Amps from the domestic boat battery:)

To be honest, unless you go for larger (backlit) screens, none of the other electronics will consume very much anyway.
Let's each go our own way and see how it turns out :)
 
Seems I am lagging behind everyone else here...I currently have a blinking led on my stm32f100rb. Time to start reading the code for the LCD driver that Angus has sent me and see if I can get me very new c head around it :-)

(Just relieved to have hello world working)

Does anyone need nmea test data? I am off to the boat tomorrow and can set a bunch to capture
 
ShaunG said:
Just about to order veroboard, cable, psu, buttons etc..anything else I am going to need?
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MAX232 (with legs, i.e. in DIL package) and the capacitors to go with it (1uF, low voltage will do, for example 30V). Get 2 chips and 25 caps.

A RS-422 line receiver, something like Farnell part number 1210966. NMEA is RS-422. Get 2 again in case you hoover one by mistake.

Some breadboards, they are more convenient than veroboards at this stage.

Some solid core cable to go into the breadboards, stranded doesn't work too well.

Update if not too late: Some 9 pin D-SUB connectors so that you can connect a serial line to a computer's RS232 port.
 
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That's looking pretty Damm amazing !!!!

I think I am starting to understand the driver code slowly, although I seem to have bits of paper strewn everywhere from the LCD specs with hundreds of comments in the code to try to make it all make sense..I have got to move the boat tomorrow but will carry on learning as much as possible, I figure c for dummies sat on the rail can't be too bad ;)
 
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