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#71
PIC / PIC-USB-4550 program does not ...
Last post by emil_bbb - February 07, 2026, 11:25:50 PMThe board works with the Blinking LED program. However when I program the F4550 with my own software, the software does not work. If I program the F4550 with my K150 the software works. Here is the message that I get when I try to execute the software after programming the F4550 with the PIC-USB-4550 board. https://ibb.co/VW4dDNrZ
What can I do in order to make my software work when I programm the F4550 with the PIC-USB-4550 board ?
What can I do in order to make my software work when I programm the F4550 with the PIC-USB-4550 board ?
#72
FPGA / I've just updated my E80 CPU p...
Last post by Stokpan - February 07, 2026, 01:06:39 AMHi everyone,
A few months ago, I completed my undergraduate thesis demonstrating that a CPU in VHDL for educational purposes is feasible using only the elementary digital design theory taught at my university. Along with the CPU, I wrote an assembler and created an environment that allows for assembly programming and simulation via GHDL with a single hotkey.
The CPU was tested on three EDAs and two FPGA boards. One of the GHDL developers recommended I try the Olimex GateMateA1-EVB, and I am glad I did.
I have spent the last month working to bring the E80 to this platform. Although the CPU is simple, the design is based 100% on structural VHDL and flip-flops; it is "novel" enough that EDAs often cannot infer their own optimized components, making it a great stress test for the open-source tools.
The hardest part was getting a stable flow running on Windows. I encountered several inconsistencies:
I also found that many existing toolchain scripts for Windows are overly complicated, often requiring subsequent runs of the same batch file with different options just to finish a build.
I worked hard to make this process as smooth as possible for the end user, providing a "one-click" batch flow that handles the version mixing and multi-file synthesis automatically. You can find the detailed setup and the Windows-specific instructions here:
https://github.com/Stokpan/E80?tab=readme-ov-file#example-3---testing-on-the-olimex-gatematea1-evb-on-windows
(Yes, I didn't use resistors for the LEDs. Two reasons: this build will soon be replaced by serial output, and I have partial color blindness which makes it really difficult to see the LEDs without full brightness)
Hopefully, this work helps other authors and students support this great and cost-effective board!
A few months ago, I completed my undergraduate thesis demonstrating that a CPU in VHDL for educational purposes is feasible using only the elementary digital design theory taught at my university. Along with the CPU, I wrote an assembler and created an environment that allows for assembly programming and simulation via GHDL with a single hotkey.
The CPU was tested on three EDAs and two FPGA boards. One of the GHDL developers recommended I try the Olimex GateMateA1-EVB, and I am glad I did.
I have spent the last month working to bring the E80 to this platform. Although the CPU is simple, the design is based 100% on structural VHDL and flip-flops; it is "novel" enough that EDAs often cannot infer their own optimized components, making it a great stress test for the open-source tools.
The hardest part was getting a stable flow running on Windows. I encountered several inconsistencies:
- The Programmer: The openFPGALoader included in the latest oss-cad-suite failed to upload—the config LED would flash for a fraction of a second, but the bitstream wouldn't stick. I found that the version in the older cc-toolchain-win package works perfectly.
- The P&R: Conversely, the older p_r utility struggled with my design, whereas the new nextpnr-himbaechel in the oss-cad-suite works flawlessly.
- The Driver: The recommended driver installation guidelines didn't work in my tests, and I had to find the correct driver from the Zadig utility by trial-and-error.
- VHDL Elaboration: Most recommended Yosys-GHDL combinations seem optimized for single-file designs. Since my project uses multiple files and custom libraries, I had to implement a specific sequence using GHDL for elaboration and Yosys for synthesis.
I also found that many existing toolchain scripts for Windows are overly complicated, often requiring subsequent runs of the same batch file with different options just to finish a build.
I worked hard to make this process as smooth as possible for the end user, providing a "one-click" batch flow that handles the version mixing and multi-file synthesis automatically. You can find the detailed setup and the Windows-specific instructions here:
https://github.com/Stokpan/E80?tab=readme-ov-file#example-3---testing-on-the-olimex-gatematea1-evb-on-windows
(Yes, I didn't use resistors for the LEDs. Two reasons: this build will soon be replaced by serial output, and I have partial color blindness which makes it really difficult to see the LEDs without full brightness)
Hopefully, this work helps other authors and students support this great and cost-effective board!
#73
New Products release / FOSDEM 2026
Last post by olimex - February 05, 2026, 10:26:00 AMFOSDEM: Where Open Hardware and Open Source Minds Meet. Last weekend the largest open hardware and open software conference, took place in Brussels. We ran RVPC Soldering workshop and talk about EUR 20 OSHW IoT Smart Home Server https://olimex.wordpress.com/2026/02/05/fosdem-2026-the-biggest-open-source-hardware-and-software-event-in-europe/ #iot #smart #home #server
#74
ESP32 / Re: ESP32-PoE
Last post by LubOlimex - January 26, 2026, 04:41:10 PMIt builds without issues here.
Maybe use the 3.3.5 version of the ESP32 library like me or re-install it.
QuoteUsing library Ethernet at version 3.3.5 in folder: C:\Users\olimex\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\esp32\hardware\esp32\3.3.5\libraries\Ethernet
Using library Network at version 3.3.5 in folder: C:\Users\olimex\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\esp32\hardware\esp32\3.3.5\libraries\Network
Using library SPI at version 3.3.5 in folder: C:\Users\olimex\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\esp32\hardware\esp32\3.3.5\libraries\SPI
"C:\\Users\\olimex\\AppData\\Local\\Arduino15\\packages\\esp32\\tools\\esp-x32\\2511/bin/xtensa-esp32-elf-size" -A "C:\\Users\\olimex\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\arduino_build_53441/external-power-sense.ino.elf"
Sketch uses 506247 bytes (38%) of program storage space. Maximum is 1310720 bytes.
Global variables use 25864 bytes (7%) of dynamic memory, leaving 301816 bytes for local variables. Maximum is 327680 bytes.
Maybe use the 3.3.5 version of the ESP32 library like me or re-install it.
#75
ESP32 / Re: New ESP32-POE-ISO - was I ...
Last post by LubOlimex - January 26, 2026, 08:34:16 AMProbably U7 died. Maybe try replacing U7 which is TPS62A02ADRLR(SOT-563-6) and see if it'd work. It is not the easiest soldering job but not the hardest either. Hopefully it is the only component that died.
#76
ARDUINO / Re: Shield LCD16x2 with Arduin...
Last post by Dan - January 25, 2026, 02:14:04 PMI got it to work with Nano 33 BLE. By including this line: #include <avr/dtostrf.h>, in LCD16x2.cpp file.
#77
ESP32 / Re: New ESP32-POE-ISO - was I ...
Last post by chrismacp - January 23, 2026, 04:49:08 PMThanks for the response, happy to hear I don't have to send it back 
For the 12v issue, I applied it to the 5v pin, no other power would have been applied from usb or ethernet.
For the 12v issue, I applied it to the 5v pin, no other power would have been applied from usb or ethernet.
#78
ESP32 / Re: New ESP32-POE-ISO - was I ...
Last post by LubOlimex - January 23, 2026, 03:26:37 PMWhere did you apply 12V to? Maybe it can be fixed by changing a component or two.
#79
ESP32 / Re: New ESP32-POE-ISO - was I ...
Last post by LubOlimex - January 23, 2026, 03:18:09 PMNo, you are good. This is a factory patch applied in hardware revision M1. It is mentioned in the hardware revision changes:
https://github.com/OLIMEX/ESP32-POE-ISO/blob/master/HARDWARE/Hardware-changes-log.txt
https://github.com/OLIMEX/ESP32-POE-ISO/blob/master/HARDWARE/Hardware-changes-log.txt
#80
ESP32 / New ESP32-POE-ISO - was I sold...
Last post by chrismacp - January 23, 2026, 12:36:28 PMHi,
I recently had to buy a new ESP32-POE-ISO as I mistakenly applied 12v to my previous one for a few seconds and it no longer functions (although LEDs do come on).
After unpacking the new unit I noticed it had an extra component ("570F KE") connecting capacitor C26+ to the black box component (DCDC1 I think). I couldn't find a match online to the extra component "570F KE".
I was wondering if this component was to be expected or if I should return this unit? I don't really want something that someone has modified.
Some images (don't seem to open using [img] tags)
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ccucp0A1oC0FB8-1nU1VaNSfdpXIjaSX/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Ahccl6cMLyJu11ljA_Rqvy3IGnk5gCB4/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dgueAAM4adKMQBRIsOjPSFV30N7dl61-/view?usp=sharing
Note: I didn't purchase directly from Olimex, but another store, in Germany.
I recently had to buy a new ESP32-POE-ISO as I mistakenly applied 12v to my previous one for a few seconds and it no longer functions (although LEDs do come on).
After unpacking the new unit I noticed it had an extra component ("570F KE") connecting capacitor C26+ to the black box component (DCDC1 I think). I couldn't find a match online to the extra component "570F KE".
I was wondering if this component was to be expected or if I should return this unit? I don't really want something that someone has modified.
Some images (don't seem to open using [img] tags)
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ccucp0A1oC0FB8-1nU1VaNSfdpXIjaSX/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Ahccl6cMLyJu11ljA_Rqvy3IGnk5gCB4/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dgueAAM4adKMQBRIsOjPSFV30N7dl61-/view?usp=sharing
Note: I didn't purchase directly from Olimex, but another store, in Germany.