Improved performance 5V Arduino Nano/Mega compatible

[pcprogrammer]

Added the MCU to the symbol lib.

Attached is a picture of it.

I filled in all the alternate functions and ordered the pins per port, which makes it big, but does provide more information then just PA.0, PA.1 etc.

Still have to look into the footprint. Just hooked it onto a standard one from EasyEDA, but don't know if that is a good fit.

[DC1MC]

@pcprogrammer - Thanks a lot, I will review it ASAP.

General news: The dev kit and the few MCUs will arrive at 14.02 with DHL Express. I hope they will not rape my wallet for doing the "service" of paying VAT themselfs to the Zoll as I've heard. Let's see.

 Cheers,
 DC1MC

[pcprogrammer]

General news: The dev kit and the few MCUs will arrive at 14.02 with DHL Express. I hope they will not rape my wallet for doing the "service" of paying VAT themselfs to the Zoll as I've heard. Let's see.

I would start saving some spare change if I was you 

It was before the new VAT setup, but I had ordered a big bunch of PCB's from JLCPCB and they used DHL to ship them (Did not even have a choice in it due to the price) and because of the fact that it was over a certain amount, DHL charged not only VAT on the PCB's but also on the shipping costs and added an administrative fee as well. Was a bit of a downer, but the PCB's were still cheap.

[DC1MC]

I have decided that USB voltage is too crappy/dangerous to be considered a "proper" 5V.

So I will merge (via Schottky diodes) Vusb and Vin, build an unregulated power rail out of it and (as much as I hate it) put it in a switcher capable to eat 3-12V and put out either 3V3 or 5V (and/or for dual output luxury variant    ). The problem is that I don't really know what device to use that is available, not obscenely priced and fit the bill.
So kindly please offer your suggestions.

 Cheers,
 DC1MC

[tooki]

I have decided that USB voltage is too crappy/dangerous to be considered a "proper" 5V.

That’s ridiculous. Millions of Arduinos and clones (and countless other devices) successfully run off USB 5V.

So I will merge (via Schottky diodes) Vusb and Vin, build an unregulated power rail out of it and (as much as I hate it) put it in a switcher capable to eat 3-12V and put out either 3V3 or 5V (and/or for dual output luxury variant    ). The problem is that I don't really know what device to use that is available, not obscenely priced and fit the bill.

Do that in a later version if it actually proves necessary.

[ebclr]

Maybe it is too late.

But this CPU is capable of working directly on from 3.3 v to 5V and is exceptionally cheap, can be a good candidate

http://wch-ic.com/products/CH32V103.html?

[DC1MC]

Maybe it is too late.

But this CPU is capable of working directly on from 3.3 v to 5V and is exceptionally cheap, can be a good candidate

http://wch-ic.com/products/CH32V103.html?

Already widely available, no need to design anything for it:
https://de.aliexpress.com/item/1005001474741936.html?gatewayAdapt=glo2deu

Also very easy to program in few simple steps for Windows using professionals 

I finally figured it out, so I document it here in case someone else is interested:

    - Connect a USB-to-serial adapter to the board: adapter RX to board PA9, adapter TX to board PA10. Power the board with a 3.3V supply.

    - Launch WCHISPTool, select the "CH32Vx Series" tab, select Chip model, Download type, COM port and User file.

    - On the board, hold the BOOT0 button down and press NRST.

     - In WCHISPTool, click the "Download" button.

     - If you want to enable further flashing with OpenOCD, click the "Remove Protect" button.

     - Release the BOOT0 button and press the NRST button to start your firmware.

    Note: for this to work, the BOOT1 pin (= PB2) must be kept at a low level. This is the case on the WeAct BluePill+, as PB2 controls an LED connected to the ground.

To find this, I had to google "ch32v103串口下载" and the page describing the procedure was on the first page of results. If you ever wondered how to write "serial flashing" in Chinese... Google Translate is definitely the RISC-V firmware developer's best friend!
3

[pcprogrammer]

I agree with tooki. The USB provided voltage is fine for most usage, but having the ability to disconnect or overrule it is a good thing.

So a diode in either supply chain or a cut able and resolder able can do the trick.

[DC1MC]

Well, the DHL Express inserted the tip only  , for a 68EUR shipment got (and paid) the following lovely message:

Hello DC1MC,
Your DHL Express shipment with waybill number MAKUMBA from NUVOTON TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION has arrived in the country and cleared customs.
There is import duty/tax due on your shipment.
The amount is EUR 25.85 including service fees.
To avoid any impact on delivery, please pay us this amount securely online now. Click here to pay, view the duty/tax calculation and download the relevant documents.

[pcprogrammer]

Yep that looks like what I got when I was waiting for my PCB's.

[DC1MC]

OK, the DHL Express inserted their tip a bit, but at least everything went flawless, so 10 guys waiting to volunteer for manual soldering and the devkit arrived as well in a nice reusable blister pack.
Pictures added to the fist message.
the only issue so far: both the dev board and the programmer have micro-USB connectors  , but at least was cheap.

I have a little bitte (please), if someone knows a bit of Kicad could quickly wipe for me LQFP64 7x7 0.4mm pitch fanout board, just to see if I can manually solder the MCU or do I need to get the assembly as well ?

Now let's have some fun with the SOOOFTWAAARRREEEE !!!!


 Cheers,
 DC1MC

[DC1MC]

So, the first fun with the development kit  !!!

Inserting it "as-is" on the device side gives us a Nuvoton USB mouse and the blinky LED !!!

Code: [Select]

usb 3-9.4.2: new full-speed USB device number 67 using xhci_hcd
usb 3-9.4.2: New USB device found, idVendor=0416, idProduct=b001, bcdDevice= 0.00
usb 3-9.4.2: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=3
usb 3-9.4.2: Product: HID Mouse
usb 3-9.4.2: Manufacturer: Nuvoton
usb 3-9.4.2: SerialNumber: A02008040114
input: Nuvoton HID Mouse as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:14.0/usb3/3-9/3-9.4/3-9.4.2/3-9.4.2:1.0/0003:0416:B001.0011/input/input37
hid-generic 0003:0416:B001.0011: input,hidraw3: USB HID v1.10 Mouse [Nuvoton HID Mouse] on usb-0000:00:14.0-9.4.2/input0
Inserting it on the programmer side gives us a serial port and a nice virtual SD card:

Code: [Select]

usb 3-9.4.2: new high-speed USB device number 68 using xhci_hcd
usb 3-9.4.2: New USB device found, idVendor=0416, idProduct=5200, bcdDevice= 0.00
usb 3-9.4.2: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=3
usb 3-9.4.2: Product: Nu-Link2 CMSIS-DAP
usb 3-9.4.2: Manufacturer: Nuvoton
usb 3-9.4.2: SerialNumber: 130100000016001104481444000004C3
cdc_acm 3-9.4.2:1.1: ttyACM1: USB ACM device
hid-generic 0003:0416:5200.0012: hiddev2,hidraw3: USB HID v1.10 Device [Nuvoton Nu-Link2 CMSIS-DAP] on usb-0000:00:14.0-9.4.2/input3
usb-storage 3-9.4.2:1.4: USB Mass Storage device detected
scsi host6: usb-storage 3-9.4.2:1.4
scsi 6:0:0:0: Direct-Access     MBED     microcontroller  1.00 PQ: 0 ANSI: 0
sd 6:0:0:0: Attached scsi generic sg2 type 0
sd 6:0:0:0: [sdc] 8192 512-byte logical blocks: (4.19 MB/4.00 MiB)
sd 6:0:0:0: [sdc] Write Protect is off
sd 6:0:0:0: [sdc] Mode Sense: 03 00 00 00
sd 6:0:0:0: [sdc] Write cache: enabled, read cache: enabled, doesn't support DPO or FUA
sdc:
sd 6:0:0:0: [sdc] Attached SCSI removable disk


The "SD card" has the following parameters (It activates and auto-mounts as VFAT in Linux when the Offline Program switch is clicked, the second LED of the programmer starts blinking):

Code: [Select]

Filesystem     1K-blocks      Used Available Use% Mounted on
/dev/sdc            4080        16      4064   1% /media/user/NuMicro MCU

Inside the ca. 4MB storage there is one file by default: NU_CFG.TXT with the following content:

Code: [Select]

[Build]
Version=7215r

[Interface configuration]
CMSIS-DAP=0
; 0 = disable
; 1 = enable

Wonderin' if it's editable and what happens if I change the "CMSIS-DAP=0" to "CMSIS-DAP=1"   

 Cheers,
 DC1MC

[pcprogrammer]

Is this what you need?

Edit: I added the EasyEDA file too. (Remove the .txt before using it)

[DC1MC]

Is this what you need?

Edit: I added the EasyEDA file too. (Remove the .txt before using it)

Yes sir, many thanks, if I don't find some Chinesian boards, I will order it these days. I'll see what comes faster while the main PCB is cooking.

Cheers,
DC1MC

[pcprogrammer]

You are welcome 

Keep in mind that I just used the default pad and did not check the hole size for 2.54mm headers. It was just a quick draw to see if this is what you had in mind.

Cheers,
Peter

[DC1MC]

Well, there is a distinct and disturbing lack of 0.4mm pitch QFN breakout boards   

The one and only I was able to found is this one:

https://schmartboard.com/schmartboard-ez-qfp-64-100-pins-0-4mm-pitch-2-x-2-grid-202-0014-01/

That is absolutely perfect, except is in bloody California, again with giant shipping cost and anal probing by whatever courier combined with the German Adler, no more  . Why can't we have anything similar in EU, this deindustrialization shite is pissing me off 

Anyway, I can't pay you properly to replicate the above board, but it seems to be a market for them, really nowhere else to find stuff smaller then 0.5mm pitch. I guess I'll keep my meager resources for the actual boards and test on them, these enormous customs/VAT and shipping costs really kills anything innovative in EU

Sorry for rant, I'll go play with the devkit software, is actually not bad

[DC1MC]

Mouser (where I order now and then and manage to get over the free shipping limit) did had it in stock some time, but is gone, most likely 4 ever 

But they do have a datasheet, if by some celestial wonder want to give it a try, the shape is better visible here:
https://www.mouser.de/datasheet/2/356/202-0014-01-1201620.pdf

[pcprogrammer]

I wonder if JLCPCB joined this VAT handling setup, and you don't get this delivery company ripoff bullshit.

The circuit board you refer to is a bit more work to setup, and do you need the 100 pins option is the question. Without it is less work.

But I thought the decision was made to use the bigger 0.8mm part on the PCB?

[Zoli]

I wonder if JLCPCB joined this VAT handling setup, and you don't get this delivery company ripoff bullshit.
...

For the last order I've paid taxes:

[DC1MC]

I wonder if JLCPCB joined this VAT handling setup, and you don't get this delivery company ripoff bullshit.

The circuit board you refer to is a bit more work to setup, and do you need the 100 pins option is the question. Without it is less work.

But I thought the decision was made to use the bigger 0.8mm part on the PCB?

Sadly it was exactly viceversa with the pitch , and regarding taxes, I don't mind VAT, but the courier fees are pissing me off. JLCPCB at least joined the VAT kabalah and spared us the courier fees.

 Cheers,
 DC1MC

[tooki]

Sadly it was exactly viceversa with the pitch , and regarding taxes, I don't mind VAT, but the courier fees are pissing me off. JLCPCB at least joined the VAT kabalah and spared us the courier fees.

Are you sure you don’t mean “cabal” (a secret group)? Kabbalah is a type of religious mysticism.

[pcprogrammer]

... I don't mind VAT, but the courier fees are pissing me off. ....

If they were honest about it, I would neither, but they brought it as that it is to protect the domestic webshops, but instead it is just raking in money for the government.

The fact that it is also applied to second hand goods pisses me of.

[lastguy]

Not sure I can trust Microchip, I and my friend both have program fly off after 10 years.

[pcprogrammer]

@DC1MC, can you tell us the status of the project?

[DC1MC]

Sure, now I can, because I'm somehow recovered from some pretty bad covid shite and I can stay in the upright position without coughing my lungs out .
I've put the hw issues for next week, when I'll be able to meet the friend that assist me on the issue. In the mean time I've discovered that Nuvoton has for a long time board definition and Arduino stuff for the M4 series, M460 and M480, just not M471. I've installed the stuff, corrected some issues with the file names capitalization under Linux and all the original boards are capable of building binaries with both versions of the Arduino IDE.
Now I'm slowly try to integrate the M471 in the board definition archive, if someone wants to help, I can clone their repository somewhere else on GitHub and then even issue a pull request.

The original Nuvoton repository and board definition:

https://www.nuvoton.com/products/iot-solution/arduino-compatible-platform/

specifically:

https://raw.githubusercontent.com/OpenNuvoton/NuMaker-UNO/master/package_nuvoton_index.json

One interesting thing is that I've issued a full chip erase with their utility and somehow the empty chip does not show up as anything on the USB, I was expecting to go in some DFU or even proprietary mode, but it seems that a bootloader must be installed via the SWD programmer. I'm curious what is the situation with factory new chips if they do have some default bootloader.


That's the updates so far, if there are volunteers for integrating M471 in the existing Nuvoton board definition, please let me know.

 Cheers,
 DC1MC