Looking for a good idea to use my old Panda II board

Archive
1

I just realized that I have hardly ever use my Panda II board that I bought when I just got started with .NETMF and Gadgeteer. It feels a shame to just let it lie there in my drawer unused.

So I thought that maybe I should turn it into something useful. What I’m looking for is an almost out-of-the-box codeshare type solution. Not too interested in spending a lot of time developing on a board that is basically obsolete now.

I am sure there are several people on this forum also sitting with Panda boards just collecting dust now. And I also suspect that there are an equal number of people that made cool things with Panda boards in the past. Maybe someone can come forward with a nice suggestion for the rest of us to give our Panda boards a respectful final job.

Any suggestions?

2

An led strip controller. And who does not love leds :slight_smile: addressable led strip I mean.

3

Good time for this topic…

I just had to reformat and re-install my laptop from scratch.

I used to have VSExpress2010 on it and now I am wondering which Visual Studio Express version I should re-install if I want to undust my old Panda II (led strip controller is indeed a good idea).

I understand that I must use MF SDK v4.1 for Legacy. But it is not clear if I can install VS2012 (Express Desktop Edition), or if I should stick to VS2010 (Express).

I don’t have any specific reasons to use VS2012. Never used it so far so even my Windows projects are VS2010.

Thanks

Barbudor

4

The current NETMF SDK still supports 4.1 (goes back to 3.0)
You can switch this in project properties.
But I’m nut sure about the GHI SDK.
I think it requires you to install a 4.1 Version which might not work with VS 2012.

And you ask why use / not use VS2012:
You might not like the extremely contrast less flat gray look and feel.
But I like it more than 2010 because of it’s overall performance improvements (specially when you develop WPF desktop applications).
You also can Target .NET 4.5 for desktop apps.
For just NETMF it does not really matter I think, as long as you don’t need NEMF 4.3, which is supported by GHI in near future (for all boards that supports 4.2 I think)

5

you can still install the 4.1 SDK on VS2012, I have used VS2012 to program a Panda recently.

6

Hi Brett

Thanks, I will give a go for VS2012.

Could you please confirm the steps after installing VS2012 ?

Is that all ?

I can’t seem to find on the web site the procedure to update the board ?
I remember there were a tool to run and then press some reset button to upload the latest NetMF core to the board.

7

If I remember right the old FW Updater tool is included in the old (4.1) SDK.

8

I found on an old HDD a complete setup for the GHI SDK + OSH SDK.

I’ve been able to install everything over VS2012, update the firmware and just loaded a “Blink” example.

Hourra!!!

My Panda II is still alive and kicking :smiley:

Thanks Brett

Best regards

Barbudor