OmniSoC - A Mixed-Signal Microcontroller Experimentation Kit

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Last updated: 1/18/2009

The OmniSoC - A Mixed-Signal Microcontroller Experimentation Kit

Book Written by Chris Paiano

OmniSoC book OmniSoC book packaged with parts kit

The OmniSoC project/experimentation book introduces the reader to electronics; it contains a lesson on basic electronics, and detailed instructions for assembling the kit of parts. The main part is the mixed-signal (digital and analog) microprocessor / microcontroller - the PSoC. The rest of the parts are support pieces; every function of the OmniSoC is performed inside the chip. The four main functions of the OmniSoC kit are:

Cymon - a touch-switch and LED version of the classic handheld game, Simon™

AudiChron - hear time with this clock for the ears; takes advantage of the human ability to catch rhythm and creates a background sound that anyone can tell the time of day from. Useful for audio recordings.

Magnetometer - A metal detector that works by varying an adjustable tone when metals are near the "coil" of traces around the edges of the board.

Theremin - An eerie musical instrument that is played by moving your finger towards and away from the sensor pad; no physical contact necessary!

By reading through the OmniSoC book and building the kit from the assembly instructions, the reader will gain a better understanding of electronics in general, as well as how to build circuitry and how to solder. In addition, there is an introductory lesson on the C programming language included, as that is what the PSoC is programmed with.

If the reader is interested in customizing the OmniSoC program or even creating one from scratch, he or she can purchase an inexpensive PSoC burner here to expand the capabilities of the OmniSoC kit; the microcontroller chip included with the kit may be burned repeatedly for various experiments and projects. With this kit, the reader is constructing an entire PSoC test platform, complete with four touch switches, four different colored LEDs, standard audio output, capacitance sensing, inductance sensing, and precise timekeeping!

OmniSoC source code and PSoC Designer project files are available below.

Author's note, 6/27/2008:
The OmniSoC is an excellent introduction to the PSoC family of microcontrollers. This book was written for a slightly older PSoC, but the concepts and examples still apply. To customize or program this older PSoC, you will need to get a 3rd-party programmer. Cypress lists http://www.hilosystems.com/ as selling a universal programmer called the "All 100" that works just fine with these older PSoCs.

The kit also comes with a pre-programmed PSoC so you can begin experimenting with the kit right away and following along in the book, so you don't need a programmer to learn.

A more advanced and more recent experimentation kit is now available to accompany my July - August 2008 2-part Circuit Cellar magazine article.

Items Available for Online or Mail Order Purchase
These items are now also for retail sale at the independantly-owned Elko Electronics / Radio Shack in Elko, Nevada thanks to the owner, Tom.

Click on a photo below for a larger image

Click the Paypal link to purchase this item online. For mail orders, or calculating international shipping costs, see the address below

Prices below include shipping & handling to the continental United States

For international orders, you must calculate and add your shipping costs to your order for it to be processed.

No Paypal account necessary - pay through their secure site with no fees, direct from your credit card or check card!


Item #	Photo	Description	Price	Purchase
CpE-OS01k		OmniSoC experimentation book, ISBN #1-59196-715-5 packaged with kit of parts (described below - you will need a soldering iron, a standard 9V battery, and a speaker). Also includes CpE-OS01u_v1_2 extra updated PSoC.	$46.00
CpE-OS01b		OmniSoC experimentation book only, ISBN #1-59196-715-5	$25.00
CpE-OS01p		OmniSoC experimentation kit of parts - printed circuitboard and components for a PSoC test platform with four colored LEDs, four touch switch inputs, audio output, PSoC mixed-signal microcontroller pre-burned with the OmniSoC program. Includes schematic diagram of the circuit and the assembly instruction chapter of the book only (not shown). You will need a soldering iron, a 9V battery, and a speaker.	$25.00
CpE-OS01a		Assembled OmniSoC (kit of parts already put together for you - this is a complete PSoC test platform with the OmniSoC program pre-burned into your controller, can be re-burned as many times as you wish with different custom programs!) Also includes CpE-OS01u_v1_2 extra updated PSoC. Note: Does not come with speaker or 9V battery	$35.00
CpE-OS01d		OmniSoC Display Unit - complete, assembled, with speaker and 9V battery mounted on a convenient stand-up display board. This OmniSoC features an on/off switch and has switches installed in place of the jumpers for easier and quicker mode switching. A larger external Theremin antenna has been installed along the top of the display unit for boosted capacitance detection range - this means tighter, more accurate control of the tone generated by moving your hand. Included quick sale/reference insert briefs new users on basic operation, adjustment, features, and functionality. One of these display units is provided at no cost for any storefront that enters into a consignment agreement to sell OmniSoC merchandise. This is the most convenient way to experience what the OmniSoC has to offer. Also includes CpE-OS01u_v1_2 extra updated PSoC.	$45.00
All - 100		Hi-Lo Systems offers a universal FLASH programmer that supports the PSoC CY8C26443, and may be used to customize or reprogram the OmniSoC for other purposes. This programmer is called the "ALL - 100" and may be purchased from: http://www.hilosystems.com Direct product link: http://www.hilosystems.com/hilo/hilo02/hl2110.htm Note: Not necessary for the OmniSoC - this is only if you'd like to experiment with the PSoC microcontroller on your own projects, or to alter the OmniSoC source code	$100.00	Coming soon!
CpE-OS01u_v1_2		OmniSoC Version 1.2 Preprogrammed Update Chip This is a PSoC pre-burned with the latest available OmniSoC firmware. Improvements over the original book release (V1.0) include: Cymon mode puts itself into a low-power sleep mode if there has been no activity for a while. Touch one of the inputs for a second to wake it back up. Theremin and Magnetometer modes have been pre-adjusted to start much closer to usable tones than before. This is an excellent alternative for those that do not want to purchase their own PSoC burning hardware - just remove the old chip and pop this one in. Both are re-programmable for any point in the future should you wish to experiment later.	$10.00

Attention international customers: Please calculate shipping costs for your order with a service of your choice (available at both of our locations) and add this to your order total before paying. Most orders will fit fine into a standard FedEx / UPS / USPS Priority Mail envelope, and will weigh less than 1 pound. We can discuss shipping options in more detail if desired, just send me an email at chris.paiano@gmail.com.

Mail orders send cashier's check or money order along with a short note specifying your order to:

Chris Paiano
Attn: OmniSoC
1370 Sagecrest Dr. #197
Elko, NV 89801

IMPORTANT: Make checks payable to "Chris Paiano" to have your order processed!

For questions on any of the above products, e-mail one of the addresses below and we will get back to you as soon as we have a chance. (Please be patient, there are only two of us!) Orders will be processed within 48 hours of being placed and shipped shortly afterwards. If you are ordering a pre-assembled kit or a display unit, additional time will be required prior to shipping. If you are ordering one of the PSoC programmers, there may be a significant delay before shipping while your item is obtained from the manufacturer.

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Downloads!

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FUAT v0.6.4 (beta) 1/8/2004 UPDATE! - A small application I tossed together in Visual Basic 6, used often debugging any RS-232 serial ASCII character data (I use it to check and correct PSoC communications). I did not intend to release this software, but after my frustration with HyperTerminal's lack of useful ASCII features I decided others might find this useful. It is by no means a stable release, but it is plenty useful as is. Now with a very useful parse and transmit feature, as well as full Hexadecimal and Decimal conversion support! Excellent tool for debugging all sorts of serial projects. Note: You will need the Visual Basic 6 Runtime library installed to use this application.

NEW! -- PSoC Designer Files for OmniSoC version 1.2 (click to download - 316,782 bytes)!

In this update, the following changes/upgrades have been implemented from the original book release:

Cymon now enters a low power-consumption sleep mode after two timeouts have occurred until a button is touched for a good second to wake it back up.
Theremin and Magnetometer have been roughly calibrated to allow quicker adjustments from powerup.
Theremin and Magnetometer's coarse adjustments have been slowed and are more usable.

To update, download the ZIP file containing the project, unZIP to a directory of your choice, open it in PSoC Designer IDE version 4.2 (available freely from http://www.cypress.com), generate, build, and burn. By the way, if PSoC Designer IDE version 4.2 is no longer available for some reason and you have to update the project to a newer version, some custom logic will be deleted and the resulting firmware will not work properly. For this reason, the compiled .HEX file containing the latest firmware for the OmniSoC is included in the zip file above so you do not have to build and compile or debug. Note: you must have a PSoC programming/burning device connected to your computer and the 5-pin header on the OmniSoC board to burn your update! You may purchase what you need in the above product list.

Note: Sometime in 2005, Cypress discontinued the CY8C26xxx series of PSoC chips; new programmers no longer support it. An updated and revised OmniSoC will be recreated on a CY8C27443 28-pin PSoC soon, at which point upgrade chips with the new firmware and valid programmers will be for sale - for those of you who want to experiment with the OmniSoC's source code and reprogram your PSoC. The new chips are far superior to the older, discontinued ones - and will work with the same circuit.

For technical support with either assembly and debugging of the OmniSoC (hardware) or playing with the OmniSoC's source code (software), e-mail the appropriate address below:

(Software) Chris Paiano's e-mail: chris.paiano@gmail.com

(Hardware) Vincent Paiano's e-mail: vincent.paiano@gmail.com

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Links:

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http://www.middlemajority.us	Middle Majority - A politically active site run by video producer Dan Paiano (my uncle) in Jersey
	AddMe - Site I used for free assistance submitting the OmniSoC homepage to major search engines
http://fcd.chrispaiano.com	A link to my Plug and Play Fuel Cut Defend kits for turbocharged Subarus (and other vehicles using a MAP-based fuel cut to prevent overboost)
http://www.cpeproto.com	A link to my engineering site.