GRBL Firmware Audit

Software Maslow Firmware
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2 thoughts for consideration:

  1. With the due and the mega both running now, would it be worthwhile to go through the mega firmware and make the settings match the due? This would essentially be more of a GRBL 1.1 update on it so the two systems are similar. Such as Matching the baud rate and the variables. Make them “speak the same language.”

  2. Work on the Mega firmware to get similar movement compared with the due… soft start / stop. This would mean changing some of the mega movement routines and attempting to incorporate the magic sauce that is in the due, but for an 8 bit processor.

This are not intended to be philosophical “is it possible” questions, but more of “would anyone find value in it?”

I think the mega isn’t fully utilized. The due is underutilized in its use for maslow. By revamping the mega firmware to be more like the due, many of the “upgrades” would become a flash and not buying a new controller. I think all this M2 upgrade hype is over the simpler z axis rather than an improved controller and the promise of universal software that is better than what is available. This has not yet been realized though some are slaving away to make it so. I’m trying to consider “the rest of us.”

Progress on webcontrol has apparently come to a screeching halt as of June and progress on the mega firmware stopped about a year ago though there are several pull requests that have not been processed. I’ve merged a number of the changes and added a couple features (spindle speed control, as well as some that others have added such as z end stops, correct chain length, and a few others) that I thought were interesting into my fork of the firmware, but I think there is still more that can be done.

Just casting this out to see what hits it gets and if anyone cares. There are some firmware tests and bug fixes likely needed to proceed and a few more eyes on it would help. The classic maslow is a very capable system and I think it can and will serve many for many more years and should be maintained and upgraded.

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An old backer/tester like me would definitely see value in it. I have a bunch of TLE5206 that will not work with anything else then the Mega. How many others are out there?
This is not suppose to be a philosophical post, but reviewing the past, i see a general decrease in enthusiasm to be a tester and even risk to break something, to get things forward.
The backers and the first and second generation Maslow users have had that drive to install a new firmware and GC every week and run it till it crashes. Out of all the users there was more then 2 handful to be found with the skills to contribute in programming or to take on the math.
The programmers have faded out or are just to busy with life. The new user generation seems more into plug and play and to many are lured to fakebook. If there are programmer resources there, i don’t know.
That ‘thumbs up’ would merge a pull-request was not a good move from my opinion. Bugs have been merged as some who have not tested gave a ‘thumb up’ because they liked the idea.
A review after testing is a must, i think.

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Yes please improve the firmware for the mega. The acceleration smoothing would really help with top beam flex caused by initial cutter bite on my machine.

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there are thousands of mega based maslows sold, so anything to support that standard is good IMHO.

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