8 ms·

Micro Python store is now open and taking pre-orders

unwind 12y ago
Those are some seriously expensive pin headers. Almost comical when compared to the price of the Micro Python board itself, which seems pretty reasonable!
- allegory 12y ago
  To be fair, it's pretty expensive breaking them into chunks and packaging them individually and they're turned pin ones by the looks. This isn't massive production run bags of them.
- codehero 12y ago
  Cheap pin headers are just punched and shoved into nylon housing. They have very little contact with a male connector. These pin headers are machined and have far better contact with anything plugged in.
lasmogbord 12y ago
Python for embedded? How micro is micro? What kind of memory footprint are we talking about compared to C? Garbage collection on an embedded controller?
- choffee 12y ago
  It's a micro version of python so that it can run on embedded devices, this is just a demo board. You can play with the code on your local machine. Differences from CPython are here: https://github.com/micropython/micropython/wiki/Differences https://github.com/micropython/micropython/wiki/Differences
- rm445 12y ago
  > How micro is micro? The reference board for Micropython is the Pyboard, which has a 32-bit ARM chip running around 168 MHz and with 192 kB of RAM. It's legitimately the kind of thing that gets called a microcontroller. Quite a bit cheaper and less powerful than for instance a Raspberry Pi. (Though note the Pyboard isn't significantly cheaper than a RasPi, because it's not being manufactured at the same scale). Regarding memory footprint compared to C, well it's Python. Reading from the Kickstarter page, the interpreter binary is 60 kB and it can run 'hello world' with an additional 4 kB of RAM. And there's memory overhead for Python objects (32 bytes each apart from integers). Garbage collection takes around 4 ms. I got my Pyboard a few weeks ago when the store was opened to people who expressed interest after the Kickstarter campaign had finished. I haven't pushed it on performance yet, but it's easy to use and it works. It feels strange (but great!) to have Python running on such a limited system.
pdknsk 12y ago
I wish there was more detailed technical information on the page. I've been trying to figure out how precise the timer is, or at what frequency you can read from the pins. The answer seems to be provided on pages 112+ in the datasheet of the micro controller, but in a not very easy to understand format for the aspiring programmer without EE knowledge. http://www.st.com/web/catalog/mmc/FM141/SC1169/SS1577/LN1035/PF252144 http://www.st.com/web/catalog/mmc/FM141/SC1169/SS1577/LN1035...
- prattmic 12y ago
  If I recall correctly, at least some of the STM32F4 timers can be clocked at the same frequency as the system clock, so 168MHz maximum. The GPIOs can be configured with a maximum 100MHz clock, though your software likely cannot read the registers that quickly if it is going to do much else. EDIT: The reference manual actually contains a lot of the peripheral details, with the datasheet containing the chip specific details, like clock speed and which peripherals are present. http://www.st.com/stonline/stappl/resourceSelector/app?page=fullResourceSelector&doctype=reference_manual&LineID=1035 http://www.st.com/stonline/stappl/resourceSelector/app?page=...
- chipaca 12y ago
  Ask somebody on IRC (#micropython on freenode)?
brokentone 12y ago
This is way cool for weekend hackers. I think I'm most excited about the python prompt. Using arduinos, writing code, compiling and uploading just to debug an input is super annoying. A live console is way cool.
- thearn4 12y ago
  I have a small python library that does this for stock Arduino boards: https://github.com/thearn/Python-Arduino-Command-API https://github.com/thearn/Python-Arduino-Command-API Not quite as cool as the micro python boards though!
rcarmo 12y ago
I have one of these. It's great, especially because you can just fire up a serial session to it and get a REPL. Here's a little video: https://www.flickr.com/photos/ruicarmo/14877450055/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/ruicarmo/14877450055/
TeeWEE 12y ago
Its cool. But a language like Go would be much better suitable for these microcontrollers.
- hyperbovine 12y ago
  Why?
  - CalRobert 12y ago
    Presumably because Go is hip, new, favoured by people on HN for some reason, etc. ? The attitude that once a new language comes out we need to drop all the old ones is not very helpful. Python is used by many, many people (more than Go, I'd venture) and having it available in something like this instead of having to work with Arduino and others which can be less user-friendly is spectacular.
  - TeeWEE 12y ago
    I'm a python developer myself. I just started with Go. I'm just saying that Go fits microcontrollers better. Its cool to use Python. It doesn't matter much. I'm just saying that cool would also have been a good fit.
    - jpetersonmn 12y ago
      Actually you said "much better suitable for these microcontrollers" which you haven't explained yet. I think that's why you're getting these comments. I don't use GO, and think the Rasberry Pi is better than this thing anyway.
- boynamedsue 12y ago
  Can you elaborate on this? I'd like the understand what you mean.
  - TeeWEE 12y ago
    First of all, if you want to use python, use it. However go is imho more suitable since - Python doesnt do parallel programming well, Go does (and low level programming is often async) - Go compiles to machinecode already (it will be faster, which is often important on lowend hardware) - Go is just as nice to write in as in Python (!debateable i know!) So all in all, python doesnt seem a right fit.
donatj 12y ago
I can get a full raspberry pi for less than one of these though and run linux with python. Seems less useful/practical for a hobbyist.
- matmann2001 12y ago
  The micro python board has a way smaller footprint and consumes less power than a pi. And sometimes, there are projects where a full OS and all the peripherals of the pi are just overkill. Don't discount this board as useless just because you in particular have no need for it.
  - donatj 12y ago
    I didn't say useless, I said less useful to a hobbyist.
    - deckiedan 12y ago
      Depends on the hobby. As a controller for a model railway signal box, for instance, or "arduino, but with an easier language" this could be perfect.
tdicola 12y ago
Very cool board. I wonder how difficult it would be to port the software to other ARM boards like an Arduino Due or Teensy 3.1.
dang 12y ago
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8177695 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8177695

Those are some seriously expensive pin headers. Almost comical when compared to the price of the Micro Python board itself, which seems pretty reasonable!

allegory 12y ago
To be fair, it's pretty expensive breaking them into chunks and packaging them individually and they're turned pin ones by the looks. This isn't massive production run bags of them.
codehero 12y ago
Cheap pin headers are just punched and shoved into nylon housing. They have very little contact with a male connector. These pin headers are machined and have far better contact with anything plugged in.

lasmogbord 12y ago

Python for embedded? How micro is micro? What kind of memory footprint are we talking about compared to C? Garbage collection on an embedded controller?

choffee 12y ago
It's a micro version of python so that it can run on embedded devices, this is just a demo board. You can play with the code on your local machine. Differences from CPython are here: https://github.com/micropython/micropython/wiki/Differences https://github.com/micropython/micropython/wiki/Differences
rm445 12y ago
> How micro is micro? The reference board for Micropython is the Pyboard, which has a 32-bit ARM chip running around 168 MHz and with 192 kB of RAM. It's legitimately the kind of thing that gets called a microcontroller. Quite a bit cheaper and less powerful than for instance a Raspberry Pi. (Though note the Pyboard isn't significantly cheaper than a RasPi, because it's not being manufactured at the same scale). Regarding memory footprint compared to C, well it's Python. Reading from the Kickstarter page, the interpreter binary is 60 kB and it can run 'hello world' with an additional 4 kB of RAM. And there's memory overhead for Python objects (32 bytes each apart from integers). Garbage collection takes around 4 ms. I got my Pyboard a few weeks ago when the store was opened to people who expressed interest after the Kickstarter campaign had finished. I haven't pushed it on performance yet, but it's easy to use and it works. It feels strange (but great!) to have Python running on such a limited system.

pdknsk 12y ago

I wish there was more detailed technical information on the page. I've been trying to figure out how precise the timer is, or at what frequency you can read from the pins. The answer seems to be provided on pages 112+ in the datasheet of the micro controller, but in a not very easy to understand format for the aspiring programmer without EE knowledge. http://www.st.com/web/catalog/mmc/FM141/SC1169/SS1577/LN1035/PF252144 http://www.st.com/web/catalog/mmc/FM141/SC1169/SS1577/LN1035...

prattmic 12y ago
If I recall correctly, at least some of the STM32F4 timers can be clocked at the same frequency as the system clock, so 168MHz maximum. The GPIOs can be configured with a maximum 100MHz clock, though your software likely cannot read the registers that quickly if it is going to do much else. EDIT: The reference manual actually contains a lot of the peripheral details, with the datasheet containing the chip specific details, like clock speed and which peripherals are present. http://www.st.com/stonline/stappl/resourceSelector/app?page=fullResourceSelector&doctype=reference_manual&LineID=1035 http://www.st.com/stonline/stappl/resourceSelector/app?page=...
chipaca 12y ago
Ask somebody on IRC (#micropython on freenode)?

brokentone 12y ago

This is way cool for weekend hackers. I think I'm most excited about the python prompt. Using arduinos, writing code, compiling and uploading just to debug an input is super annoying. A live console is way cool.

thearn4 12y ago
I have a small python library that does this for stock Arduino boards: https://github.com/thearn/Python-Arduino-Command-API https://github.com/thearn/Python-Arduino-Command-API Not quite as cool as the micro python boards though!

rcarmo 12y ago

I have one of these. It's great, especially because you can just fire up a serial session to it and get a REPL. Here's a little video: https://www.flickr.com/photos/ruicarmo/14877450055/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/ruicarmo/14877450055/

TeeWEE 12y ago

Its cool. But a language like Go would be much better suitable for these microcontrollers.

hyperbovine 12y ago
Why?
- CalRobert 12y ago
  Presumably because Go is hip, new, favoured by people on HN for some reason, etc. ? The attitude that once a new language comes out we need to drop all the old ones is not very helpful. Python is used by many, many people (more than Go, I'd venture) and having it available in something like this instead of having to work with Arduino and others which can be less user-friendly is spectacular.
- TeeWEE 12y ago
  I'm a python developer myself. I just started with Go. I'm just saying that Go fits microcontrollers better. Its cool to use Python. It doesn't matter much. I'm just saying that cool would also have been a good fit.
  - jpetersonmn 12y ago
    Actually you said "much better suitable for these microcontrollers" which you haven't explained yet. I think that's why you're getting these comments. I don't use GO, and think the Rasberry Pi is better than this thing anyway.
boynamedsue 12y ago
Can you elaborate on this? I'd like the understand what you mean.
- TeeWEE 12y ago
  First of all, if you want to use python, use it. However go is imho more suitable since - Python doesnt do parallel programming well, Go does (and low level programming is often async) - Go compiles to machinecode already (it will be faster, which is often important on lowend hardware) - Go is just as nice to write in as in Python (!debateable i know!) So all in all, python doesnt seem a right fit.

donatj 12y ago

I can get a full raspberry pi for less than one of these though and run linux with python. Seems less useful/practical for a hobbyist.

matmann2001 12y ago
The micro python board has a way smaller footprint and consumes less power than a pi. And sometimes, there are projects where a full OS and all the peripherals of the pi are just overkill. Don't discount this board as useless just because you in particular have no need for it.
- donatj 12y ago
  I didn't say useless, I said less useful to a hobbyist.
  - deckiedan 12y ago
    Depends on the hobby. As a controller for a model railway signal box, for instance, or "arduino, but with an easier language" this could be perfect.

tdicola 12y ago

Very cool board. I wonder how difficult it would be to port the software to other ARM boards like an Arduino Due or Teensy 3.1.

dang 12y ago

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8177695 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8177695