Voodoo Main Discussion

[ivconic]

Very awkward situation.
I am not used on mikroC PRO for PIC nor am satisfied with how is done.
Generally newer Microchip PICs are HUGE pain in the ....!
Not hobby friendly at all.
Probably because i am much more familiar with AVRs.
Everything is going so smooth with AVRs.
...
Is there any open source IDE for C and this PIC18F4520 "brick"?
Without urgent porting the code to some "normal" MCU... this project will stay alive only for minority of people here.
George George... it was very bad decision from you!
Instead you could pick Atmega... any of those you like.
Things would be much simpler and easier.
And your project will be interesting for million people worldwide.

[surfdetector]

hi guys, via the voodoo menu how to increase sensitivity on small objects. Does somebody have an idea...??

I think that you need to take into account not just the relative small size of the object but also the Time Constant of the target as two targets of the same size but of differing materials will have disparate signal decays.
Start experimenting with the Sample Delay.

[Qiaozhi]

Qiaozhi what version of mikroC PRO for PIC you used?

The version I'm using is 7.6.0.

[Qiaozhi]

... you could pick Atmega... any of those you like.
Things would be much simpler and easier.
And your project will be interesting for million people worldwide.

In the past I've always considered the Arduino (Atmega) development tools as a sort of poor man's alternative to using PIC microcontrollers.
However, recently (and prompted by your enthusiasm for Arduino) I purchased a Uno, and found it remarkably easy to program. In fact, in only a few minutes I had the microcontroller equivalent of "Hello World" running. (i.e. a flashing LED.) After that I purchased some Nano boards, and now I'm hooked.

Is there any open source IDE for C?

Mdtoday is working on porting the mikcroC code to Microchip's XC8 compiler.

[lamoiz]

I think that you need to take into account not just the relative small size of the object but also the Time Constant of the target as two targets of the same size but of differing materials will have disparate signal decays.
Start experimenting with the Sample Delay.

hi Surf, yes i started experimenting with various sample delay values. the small size is at least the dimension of a ring, gold silver or platinum .. for the moment I have results .. medium, ,, but I want to experiment with another frequency of RX and also with another size of wire for that. the voodoo is great for ferrous or non-ferrous analysis, it is really good !

[Qiaozhi]

hi Surf, yes i started experimenting with various sample delay values. the small size is at least the dimension of a ring, gold silver or platinum .. for the moment I have results .. medium, ,, but I want to experiment with another frequency of RX and also with another size of wire for that. the voodoo is great for ferrous or non-ferrous analysis, it is really good !

The idea of having a PI that could distinguish between ferrous and non-ferrous targets (without using target conductivity as the discrimination method) was something I've been working on for some time. Eventually I got the thing working and decided to release it as the Voodoo Project. There's still a lot of development work that could be done on this project, so it's good to see that Mdtoday is porting the code to a more readily accessible compiler, and others (including yourself) are experimenting with the coils. The basic concept actually works, but it would great if others could contribute with various tweaks and improvements. I know this is an advanced project, and it may be daunting to many less experienced members, but then others have complained that there's nothing new in the forum and the existing projects are too simple. It seems that you cannot satisfy everyone.

[ivconic]

In the past I've always considered the Arduino (Atmega) development tools as a sort of poor man's alternative to using PIC microcontrollers.
However, recently (and prompted by your enthusiasm for Arduino) I purchased a Uno, and found it remarkably easy to program. In fact, in only a few minutes I had the microcontroller equivalent of "Hello World" running. (i.e. a flashing LED.) After that I purchased some Nano boards, and now I'm hooked.
Mdtoday is working on porting the mikcroC code to Microchip's XC8 compiler.

Yes it is easy.
But for more complex projects you can still use Arduino IDE to program more serious microprocessors too.
STM32 series for example. ARM cores.
And adopted Cpp used in with IDE is more than powerful.
Combining such Cpp and assembly language, direct port/pin manipulation... at the end you'll get more performances and "horse power" than from the "brick" you picked here.
There is absolutely nothing that can be done with PICs and at the same time not to be done with AVRs.
I respect both. But AVRs are my favorites and much closer to my hearth; because are all much more hobby friendly and thanks to open source community; extremely well supported.
Name "Arduino" is just small tip of a HUGE iceberg that can not be seen on skim look.
Lot of things are going on below the water surface, trust me on this.
...
"...Mdtoday is working on porting the mikcroC code to Microchip's XC8 compiler..."

That's good news!

[Mdtoday]

I am interested in PIC18F45k22 version, if finished, tested and correct.

No Problems, I will post the project files once completed and tested.
I am going to order the REV -C Voodoo PCBs this morning.
Was not planning on going fully into George's project just yet as I am working with KingJL on his ADuM BP TX design, however, I have a little bit of a window now so will do what I can on the porting side but really would like to test on hardware.
My problem is I have a workshop full of SMD parts and only a handful of THD, so have to purchase most parts too.

cheers

[6666]

hi, first of all, i am in testing phase. on the omega and also on a super D.
for the omega, the tx is 300mm and the nulling 110mm. it is made of litz175 / 46 wire. its inductance is 440uh. there are 26 turns.The rx coil is 0.2mm enameled copper. it is tuned with a capacity of 22nf. the dimensions are 140mm-170mm it is oval. there are 166 laps.(10.5mh) the resonance is 10.2 khz. the nulling obtained is 12mv .. for the moment, since nothing is really fixed. the sensitivity is average, a piece of copper is captured at 22cm, which is average given the dimensions, (in hybrid mode on the voodoo). the test on gold and platinum is average too, no more than 15 cm ... but this is only the beginning, because I have not adjusted anything in the parameters of the voodoo. here is.

Thank you for your information, there is very little written about the omega, I will try useing your data, cheers.

[ivconic]

No Problems, I will post the project files once completed and tested.
I am going to order the REV -C Voodoo PCBs this morning.
Was not planning on going fully into George's project just yet as I am working with KingJL on his ADuM BP TX design, however, I have a little bit of a window now so will do what I can on the porting side but really would like to test on hardware.
My problem is I have a workshop full of SMD parts and only a handful of THD, so have to purchase most parts too.

cheers

[6666]

No Problems, I will post the project files once completed and tested.
I am going to order the REV -C Voodoo PCBs this morning.
Was not planning on going fully into George's project just yet as I am working with KingJL on his ADuM BP TX design, however, I have a little bit of a window now so will do what I can on the porting side but really would like to test on hardware.
My problem is I have a workshop full of SMD parts and only a handful of THD, so have to purchase most parts too.

cheers

You should get the pcb working pretty fast.

[Math]

Very awkward situation.
I am not used on mikroC PRO for PIC nor am satisfied with how is done.
Generally newer Microchip PICs are HUGE pain in the ....!
Not hobby friendly at all.
Probably because i am much more familiar with AVRs.
Everything is going so smooth with AVRs.
...
Is there any open source IDE for C and this PIC18F4520 "brick"?
Without urgent porting the code to some "normal" MCU... this project will stay alive only for minority of people here.
George George... it was very bad decision from you!
Instead you could pick Atmega... any of those you like.
Things would be much simpler and easier.
And your project will be interesting for million people worldwide.

GCB.. Great Cow Basic is free opensource simple to use and works great as you would expect!
I switched over to GCB after Mplab IDE 8 stopped supporting new chips.. Mplab X just wouldnt work for me at all
The guys at GCB are pretty quick at getting things working for the latest chips and theyve kept the standalone Pickit3+ Program interface going after getting a license from Microchip.. i think Microchips XC8 compiler youve to pay for on subscription?

[lamoiz]

The idea of having a PI that could distinguish between ferrous and non-ferrous targets (without using target conductivity as the discrimination method) was something I've been working on for some time. Eventually I got the thing working and decided to release it as the Voodoo Project. There's still a lot of development work that could be done on this project, so it's good to see that Mdtoday is porting the code to a more readily accessible compiler, and others (including yourself) are experimenting with the coils. The basic concept actually works, but it would great if others could contribute with various tweaks and improvements. I know this is an advanced project, and it may be daunting to many less experienced members, but then others have complained that there's nothing new in the forum and the existing projects are too simple. It seems that you cannot satisfy everyone.

it is very exciting to do R&D for coils .. especially for this really nice project ..

[6666]

GCB.. Great Cow Basic is free opensource simple to use and works great as you would expect!
I switched over to GCB after Mplab IDE 8 stopped supporting new chips.. Mplab X just wouldnt work for me at all
The guys at GCB are pretty quick at getting things working for the latest chips and theyve kept the standalone Pickit3+ Program interface going after getting a license from Microchip.. i think Microchips XC8 compiler youve to pay for on subscription?

I've had a lot of fun with GCB, got me writing PIC code which works, hate avr's

Pics are just so much easier to work with, once you have a hex file, just open ONE factory supplied piece of sotware, plug in the pickit, plug in the chip and burn the hex. done .

With avr's there is not just one piece of software that works with attiny 12 and up, you gotta mess around working out fuses.
You have to find multiple software that will burn the avr you want, then find a burner ICSP schematic that works and drivers, or fart around with arduino as an ISP which does not support all avr chips, just a nightmare

[godigit1]

it is very exciting to do R&D for coils .. especially for this really nice project ..

Agreed I'm learning allot building for this project.
Just for update my 18 inch coil is very good on a pi cant wait to test it on the Voodoo.

Tried to fire up the power supply but only - 2.5 volts on the -5 rail so I think the 79l05 is bad.

Be Well