PICKINI V4 - an easy to build, self adjusting PI detector

[GeoMax]

Hi Bente_one,

I see that you are from Berlin/Germany. I'm from Dortmund/Germany but many times I'm in Berlin. To write you a personal note is disabled so I try this way. Maybe we can catch-up and talk about our common MD hobby by a coffee or so when I'm in Berlin next time. If you are interested, send me an email to [email protected]

Chris

[bernte_one]

hi Chris, not good to post a e-mail adress here
you are welcome in this forum, or german detektorforum.de

[SaltyDog]

Hi Bernard,

I am wanting to have a play around with your code. I assume you are using mikroC for code development, correct?
Are you using the free or paid version? .. and is it available for MAC OS X ?

Cheers

[6666]

I will no longer be offering my kits to the trolls in this forum .... It will go on sale as a commercial product ...
You reap what you sow ..

What happened to your project, did it work, did you sell it , is it on the net somewhere ?

[F117]

@SaltyDog

I developed the Pickini project on a Windows 7 Virtual box running in Ubuntu 14.04 LTS - at the time.
- mikroC PRO for PIC v5.61 -- I had a license at work
- MPLAB IDE v8.83 - for the PicKit3 programmer

I assume you can also use the MPLAB C compiler for PIC16 - after replacing some mikroC specific library functions.

Not sure if these are available for MAC OS / Linux ?

- Bernard

[waltr]

@SaltyDog

I developed the Pickini project on a Windows 7 Virtual box running in Ubuntu 14.04 LTS - at the time.
- mikroC PRO for PIC v5.61 -- I had a license at work
- MPLAB IDE v8.83 - for the PicKit3 programmer

I assume you can also use the MPLAB C compiler for PIC16 - after replacing some mikroC specific library functions.

Not sure if these are available for MAC OS / Linux ?

- Bernard

The newer MPLAB-X runs on MAC, Linux and Windows. It is written in Netbeans Java.
This uses the XC8 compiler so there will be some code changes needed.

These are Free downloads from Microchip.

[dbanner]

Hi waltr, yes, indeed. I have bionic puppy installed on my laptop, and it has a link to install the compiler.

[SaltyDog]

@SaltyDog

I developed the Pickini project on a Windows 7 Virtual box running in Ubuntu 14.04 LTS - at the time.
- mikroC PRO for PIC v5.61 -- I had a license at work
- MPLAB IDE v8.83 - for the PicKit3 programmer

I assume you can also use the MPLAB C compiler for PIC16 - after replacing some mikroC specific library functions.

Not sure if these are available for MAC OS / Linux ?

- Bernard

Thanks Bernard,

I will try MPLAB-X, will let you know when I have completed the port to the new/different compiler ..

@waltr Don't you mean the XC16?

Cheers

[Mdtoday]

Thanks Bernard,

I will try MPLAB-X, will let you know when I have completed the port to the new/different compiler ..

Cheers

@Saltydog,
The port will be minimal, a few bit defines and PWM routine changes. Just write direct to the registers for timers or PWM.

MikroC uses a complete definition of register and bit

for instance ADCON0.ADON = 1; // ADC on

In XC8 it would be ADON=1;

So for the timer setup it would be something like this;

// Timer0 timebase - for sound generation
PS0 = 1;
PS1 = 1;
PS2 = 0; //prescaler / 16
PSA = 0;
TMR0CS = 0; // FOSC / 4 --> 8 MHz
TMR0IE = 1; // timer0 interrupt enable

I did port the Pickini 4 project to XC8 some time ago and had it working on a PIC18F1829 no worries.
Thought I would be smart and use the MCC setup which also worked...but then when making some changes one day, a software update occured and it crashed and the MCC file became corrupt, lost that part although the main C code was fine.

Will share the code when I get back to tidying it up but I have paying work and a lot of other projects lined up so might be a while.
Can send it via private mail if you like as a reference but for general sharing here it would add confusion and I would much rather wait and have it completed and share it as a complete project as my take on the Pickini design.



Cheers

Mdtoday

[Mdtoday]

That was meant to read PIC16F1829....

[F117]

@MdToday,
Nice work
Glad to see that somebody picks up the source code and starts modifying it. Otherwise there would be no point in publishing it.
Nice board too ! What are all these 3-way connectors for ?
Are you going to publish your modifications ? Both schematic and software ?

Best regards,
- Bernard

[Mdtoday]

@MdToday,
Nice work
Glad to see that somebody picks up the source code and starts modifying it. Otherwise there would be no point in publishing it.
Nice board too ! What are all these 3-way connectors for ?
Are you going to publish your modifications ? Both schematic and software ?

Best regards,
- Bernard

Thanks F117 and thanks for your original work!. I did this one quite a while ago and will revisit.
I had the intention of making a pin pointer based on the Pickini 4 but a long list of projects pushed it back.

Yes, I fully intend to publish this version of course, as a complete project and modified firmware.

I used the PIC16F1829 as it is a very close relative of the PIC16F1824 and I have plenty of them.



On the connectors, one is audio output, the extra connectors are spare analog /digital port pins with Power,Port,GND, also paralleled those same ports plus PWR,GND in one connector.
So options for experimenting. I always bring out unused port pins during prototyping rather than soldering-desoldering wires.
JST connectors are a few cents each, also makes life easier during initial testing.

Final design will be a pin pointer and have less connectors but include 18650 single LIon cell holder and boost regulator on a longer narrower board.

The single cell 3.6 - 12v boost design has been tested with this circuit and there are no issues with noise affecting sensitivity or stability of the detector.

I have some immediate projects to complete so as I get time over the next few months I'll try put it all together.

Cheers

Mdtoday

[waltr]

Thanks Bernard,

I will try MPLAB-X, will let you know when I have completed the port to the new/different compiler ..

@waltr Don't you mean the XC16?

Cheers

No, the PIC16 and PIC18 processors are 8-bit so use the XC8 compiler.
XC16 is a 16-bit compiler used for the PIC24 and DsPIC processors.

[Chiringo]

Dear partners
I have built the pcb of the pickini4, now comes the complicated part ..........
This is the first time that I am going to try to program a pic.
I have the k150 programmer, in the software section I find the following hex files.
Hex for Pickini4.0 - initial comparator offset value = middle

Hex for Pickini4.0 - same as 4.0 but 200 microseconds pulse width instead of 100

Hex for Pickini4.1 - initial comparator offset value read from EEPROM = faster calibration

Source file Pickini v4.2

Hex for Pickini4.2 - sensitivity setting influences the comparator slicing value
Which of them should I choose to program the pic?
Thanks in advance

[F117]

Start with v4.0.
If this works but you want to have full manual control over the sensitivity; switch to 4.2.
The 200 microsecond pulse width is intended for large coils.