BBCMicroBit2017
Introduction/Definition/etc
British Broadcasting Corp's (BBC)
Micro:Bit similar to the
Raspberry Pi Zero W,
but with some twists...
Body
So the Raspberry Pi hails from England,
and BBC is fairly obviously British,
but they don't really cooperate,
near as I can tell...
Old OLPC (One Laptop Per Child)
was the MIT Media Lab's answer
to computing for children, especially
in the developing countries,
but availability was a problem, as
the Ministry of Education had to buy
one for every child in the country to
get it down to the $100 laptop,
but OLPC spawned the Netbook category,
while there are likely millions of
XOs out there,
other spinoff type things have started
worldwide... Raspberry Pi may be
considered one of those, and the
Arduino development boards
concurrently? on the lower end
originally for artist installations,
interactive art that uses electronics,
and the Arduino to make it easy
for artists, afaict..
Enter Micro:Bit, though they have
it micro:bit, smaller lower case, but,
whatever, I'll CamelCase for a bit..
Bluetooth LE built in,
and it has a compass,
accelerometer, and seems to be
dual? core ARM with an array of
25 surface mount Red LEDs
that can spell out ticker tape like
characters, like HELLO,
PRESS A, PRESS B,
buttons on the back,
and a Reset button on the front,
(front/back is relative to what you like,
chips or lights...)
the packaging had a battery case,
for two AAA, included, but
RECHARGEABLES DON'T Work,
alkaline only, or use the microUSB
connector to power it,
plugged in...
Little games are included,
on first run, move the dot,
by motion to the other dot,
and GREAT! displayed...
So something seen out of the box,
unlike RPiZero which doesn't have
a built in "display", thats some accessory
soldering and/or PiPlate...
Bluetooth LE Not Working For Me
but I can't seem to get the
Bluetooth LE working,
there is an official Samsung
Android App and some things on
Android Play, some cost,
and a website
MicroBit.org
with some more information,
something about pressing A
AND B buttons and Reset
on the back,
and it might connect,
but I have my doubts.
including concerns that the sales
clerk at MicroCenter ran the little
sensitive devices thru the security
device under the register counter
(basically a large degausser?)
and fried it... Sensitive devices
including static electricity and
wonder why when you don't
buy their extended warranty,
or similar protection, things
don't work, but user error
is possible, and
more to try with it...
Windows and Mac Only?
Typical corporate and educational
system and M$ Winblows
and Mac OS only,
Android and iOS devices
are listed, but nothing like an
app for the RaspberryPi which
they may be competing against,
will have to look into it...
https://www.microbit.co.uk/app/browsers.html?releaseid=2519128626945290000-a1e9c63e.18a1.4269.775b.18f79ebf8a6d-bbcmicrobitacc82749
releaseid stuff probably bad for you...
https://makecode.microbit.org/uploader
M$ Only
MicroPython Sample Code w Slight Modification
# Add your Python code here. E.g.
from microbit import *
while True:
display.scroll('Hello Jerry!')
display.show(Image.HEART)
sleep(2000)
Links
Background
RPi3in2016
PiDay2016
PreTeenPatience2015
GeekingOutWithRaspberryPi2012
OneLaptopPerChildoplcorg
and others,
look around...
MicroBit
http://MicroBit.org
http://MicroBitWorld.me
Python Editor in WebBrowser
"A MicroPython Script"
http://python.microbit.org/editor.html#
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micro_Bit
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ARM_Cortex-M0
RaspberryPi
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raspberry_Pi
https://www.raspberrypi.org/downloads/noobs/
M$ Takes over your RPi...
with JavaScript,
Blocky
and of course licensing/ legalsleeze...
https://makecode.microbit.org/raspberry-pi
Arduino
https://www.arduino.cc/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arduino
MicroCenter
Not the only place that has them,
but a chain, and some online?
Though many places it says
in store only...
http://www.microcenter.com/product/480034/MicroBit_Go_Kit
with battery case, 2x AAA, cable and paper materials
http://www.microcenter.com/product/480031/MicroBit
just the board, don't know the packaging with it...
http://www.microcenter.com/product/475267/Zero_W
1st one $10
where there was an introductory price of $1 for the first Zero,
well before the ZeroW came out...
http://www.microcenter.com/product/477230/Raspberry_Pi_Official_Raspberry_Pi_Zero_Case
the W fits in the Zero case, afaict...
http://www.microcenter.com/product/461129/Raspberry_Pi_3_Model_B
looks like there is another SKU,
maybe two board manufacturers
and limit one per household...
Combos exist, but don't show
much, if any savings, maybe just
some compatibility suggestion(s)...
Like 32Gig card max...
Conclusion
Summary of experience or similar
Not sure what to make of it,
the device data on MicroCenter website
spec details mentions Board Type: Arduino,
and RaspberryPi, iirc, didn't really say what
the thing is or does, in technical terms,
a microcontroller?, while RPi is a SoC
(system on a Chip) development board,
the Arduino is a microcontroller,
but more to learn...
The Micro:Bit has 23? gold connectors
on the bottom end, and Go packaging
version has a larger boxed packaging
instead of a bare (read no case, has chips on)
board, in antistatic ziploc bag
like the RPiZero W (and not W)
but for RPi you can probably find the case
for another $5-8 to safely transport RPi Zeros,
but water, static, dust, and other problems
in making it portable, afaict...
No accessory cases seen yet for
the Micro:Bit... I guess they think
you can just 3D Print them... /sigh
Or Dremel up something... /NOISE
Unlke RPis, no microSD or SD card slot
on the MicroBit, so not sure how
you would use it exactly
like a RPi, and dual core? ARM,
where RPiZero is single core,
so think RPi1 ssslllooowww speeds?...
(from what I've read)
and MicroBit has an 25 Red LED array
like display included, on the back (/front),
so some idiot lights to get you started,
before doing anything else...
And some buttons A, B & Reset,
but no switch on the battery case,
so have to unplug (JST type?) it...
BlueTooth Connect Failed on Android Apps
For me, these didn't work,
as hoped in getting stuff to
or from the MicroBit
Samsung Official App
Says press A, B and Reset to get a
code like graphic (has to fit on the screen,
larger tablets might, but the Tracfones
are too small, and the app doesn't adjust right)
to enter/ scratch (like lottery cards?)
on the screen of a device, to even connect
to it with Bluetooth LE, but didn't work,
first blush, for me...
Lots of Play store comments/
reviews that it doesn't work for them,
either...
Accelerometer App
By Evo or similar,
didn't connect, for me,
but some better information about how the
white list, black list and environments
work, but still no joy...
Yet...
Discussion
A place for feedback on the page presented
For about $20,
$17+tax, +shipping,
-sales/specials: whatever,
you can get a small
postage stamp (CompactFlash size?)
circuit board, a battery holder,
w 2x AAA batteries,
and small/ very short USB cable
and some paper instructions/small
getting started manual,
for a small dual core? ARM chip
supposedly implementing in the former
EU, Britain, and be the kewl one,
IFF (if and only if) you get it working...
Good luck...
Caveat Emptor (sp?)
Buyer Beware...
What would you do with one?
What systems design/hacking
have you done with similar stuff?
Written any hex files?
Is Processing and an IDE
necessary?
How much overhead is Java
in getting an executable working?
How about AVRDude for the MicroBit?
(Looks like MicroPython is most of it,
for me...)
License
Creative Commons Share and Share Alike,
Non Commercial, Non Derivative,
for the whole site's contents
unless otherwise explicitly stated
Page History
20170811 JerrySpaceIdea
- Do some edits,
- while learning more,
- web browser programs required
- and does the compiling to hex
- Raspian and Pixel link found
- searching for more answers
- Bluetooth Pairing / Scanning Apps
- Not sure about dual core,
- find references
- ~8 MB free on the MicroBit device
- 5x5 RED LED array
- add links
- got a Hello Jerry code working
- uses MicroPython
- but not BluetoothLE from anywhere
- etc
20170809 Jerry
- Jerry created this page to log a little device/
- circuit board/system...
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