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Way of playing AVI files on iPad

AVI (Audio-Video Interleaved) video format is a standard format around the internet. Windows introduced this format in 1992. AVI files carry audio and video data that are played synchronously. Audio and video can be compressed with different codecs and stored in a single .avi file. That can be played with Windows played or another player with the right codecs. If you are MAC used and carry the iPad around, you probably noticed a problem with playing AVI files on these devices. Apple is stuck to MP4 format, which actually is more advanced because it can carry more information than audio and video. 3D graphics, subtitles, and still images also can be packed along in a single file. All benefits and disadvantages you may find on the internet. The user may find a problem playing one or another format on his machine. As we mentioned, without unique apps, there can be a problem playing .avi files on the iPad. Instead of struggling to find one good AVI player probably, it is worth converting them to mp4. There are many video converters available to download. For instance, Aimersoft.com produces an excellent free video converter called Video Converter Ultimate. It supports all standard…

Updating STM32 C template with CMSIS V3

So far, we’ve been using an old template with CMSIS version 1.30. Since then, it was updated several times by adding new Cortex processor families, fixing several bugs, and adding new features. They also changed the folder structure of CMSIS to be more generic. And there is a CMSIS DSP library integrated. With it, you can do complex math tasks using only a few lines of code. So why not upgrading our software template for Sourcery Codebench G++ toolchain with new CMSIS. First of all, download the latest CMSIS package from arm.com/cmsis. You will have to register to access download files—package with CMSIS, DSP library, and documentation weights about 45MB. Since we are working with ST32 microcontrollers, you also need to download STM32F10x Standard Peripheral Library from STMicroelectronics.

Using SVN for embedded projects. Part 1.

Writing software is a complex task. In every microcontroller program, you usually try to reuse previously registered libraries, downloaded code, and other data that is being updated. What if you are developing something in the team? How do you keep track of everything? Storing project files in directories eventually gets messy – finally, you lose track of what’s done. For instance, sometimes, you have written an LCD library and used it in several microcontroller projects. But eventually, you found a bug or optimized code. Usually, you would have to copy new library files in every project to keep updated. This is hard when you already have dozens of projects. There is one way to stay organized by using version control software. In this case, we will talk about SVN. Subversion (SVN) is an open-source system that allows controlling files and folders, keep track of changes made during the time. Simply speaking, SVN is a virtual file system that keeps track of every change in files, and directories. It’s a clever way of storing project files whether you are working alone or in a team. Using this system-wise, you will always have things organized and never lose the version of your…

AVR DDS3 first tests

Soldering is finished next step is to run fast tests on the AVR DDS signal generator to make sure everything works as expected. It appears that rush design has its consequences, but with few tweaks, it works. First of all, errors found on board.:

AVR DDS3 boards have arrived

Finally, some updates on the AVR DDS3 signal generator. The circuit is practically done, and PCBs are made. I decided to go with two microcontrollers on board to make it more functional. One microcontroller, Atmega328P, is gonna be dedicated to user interface and signal generator control. The second Atmega88 is gonna be used for signal generators only. This will give un-interruptable signal output while changing parameters or simply doing signal sweeps.

Downloading binaries using STM32 ST-Link Utility

As you may know, ST also produces its own debugger/programmer called ST-Link. It supports JTAG and SWD interfaces. You can purchase an ST-Link USB adapter, but there is a better option if you are into STM32 microcontrollers and probably own one of the ST32 Discovery boards. Since I have STM32VLDiscovery nearby, this is how to program another STM32F103RBT6 board using only four wires. On the discovery board, locate CN3 jumpers and disconnect them as they connect the discovery board to a debugger.

Flashing STM32 using J-Flash ARM

Last time, we covered the topic of flashing STM32 microcontrollers using the bootloader, which is the most comfortable and cheapest way of loading programs into MCU memory. But this isn’t the only way of doing this. The firmware can also be downloaded using the JTAG adapter, which is also used for debugging. This time we are not digging into debugging but staying only with programming. J-Link software You can download the latest J-Link software from the Segger Download page. You will be asked for an adapter serial number which can be found on the backside of the J-Link adapter.

Microcontroller based apps for android mobile phones

Smartphone devices are as valuable as there are some useful apps there. So I started wondering if there are electronics/microcontroller-related apps that could be useful in daily work. Let’s see what we can find in an in-app store. First of all, we are interested in free apps. Search on AVR microcontrollers gave me coupe results: AVR Fuse Calculator and Using Atmega128 apps. Let’s see what they are capable of.

Interrupt driven AVR USART communication

Simple USART routines are not always practical because waiting transmitting buffer to be ready in a simple loop occupies processor resources. If we do not know when data will be received, we are just wasting resources inside the waiting loop. Another issue arises when multiple data bytes have to be sent/received. In this case, we have to write complex code to deal with the data flow. Since the microcontroller’s specialty is interrupting, it is better to use them to handle communications, improving overall performance and energy saving. Instead of continuously checking if there new data received in the UDR register or checking if send buffer is free, lets us write a more effective USAR communication code with a guardian, which would wake the MCU if it has received a byte via USART. On the other hand, Interrupt mode allows performing other tasks at total capacity while waiting for USART interrupt. Let us implement interrupt driven AVR USART communication example.

Project demo on STM32F103RBT6 using GCC

STM32F103R board is a simple and easy development board to learn STM32 microcontroller programming. Its heart is an STM32F103RBT6 ARM Cortex-M3 microcontroller with 128K of Flash and 20K of SRAM memory. It can be clocked at the maximum 72MHz frequency and considered a medium-density performance line microcontroller. Other features include USB, CAN, seven timers, 2ADCs, and nine communication interfaces. The Development board has several excellent features to get started. First of all, it has an RS232 interface for communicating and accessing the bootloader. There also is a USB 2.0 full-speed interface connector that also can work as the power supply. Next is a JTAG connector to program microcontroller using tools like a J-Link adapter. Two pushbuttons and two programmable LEDs are hardwired to MCU pins alongside all I/Os connectors.