Transfer from Basic Stamp to EEPROM

Keith Hilton

If I ever developed a Basic Stamp project code that I wanted to transfer from the Basic Stamp to a EEPROM or EPROM. How would I go about that process? Is there any Parallax book, or other book that explains the process. Does it involve learning how to code a Universal Programmer?

kwinn

For 8 bit parallel eproms the information was available in the data sheets or an app note. Not sure if that is the case with eeproms but it probably is as well. If you are programming one or two specific types a "universal" programmer would be overkill. Just program it for the chips you want to use.

kwinn

BTW, the propeller with some 5V buffers is a good choice for a programmer.

JonnyMac

You could create your own Stamp with through-hole components and put the EEPROM (that's where the Stamp's program is stored) in a socket. Download your code and then pull the EEPROM for duplication, archiving, whatever purpose you need.

Mike Green

Just to be a little clearer, the Basic Stamp has (on the module) an EEPROM where the user's program is stored. The OEM version of the Basic Stamp has a more obvious EEPROM in a socket. Other than doing as JonnyMac suggested, there's no practical way to "transfer" a Basic Stamp's code from a Stamp module to anything else. There is a device called a "Stache" that may still be produced by EMESystems that can be programmed like a Stamp while attached to a PC, then can, in turn, program other Stamps as if it were a PC. It only comes in a serial I/O version and is intended for use in updating Stamp-controlled devices in the field.

Tracy Allen

Keith, I really don't understand what you want to do. Please elaborate.

The PBASIC language on the BASIC Stamp is intellectual property of Parallax, not generic microcontroller code. If you want to run code in PBASIC, you have to purchase either a BASIC Stamp module or a BASIC Stamp oem chip that has the PBASIC interpreter burned in.

Keith Hilton

I have built electronics for a living for the last 20 years, mainly instrument volume pedals. www.hiltonelectronics.com There are two reasons why I am looking at a EEPROM. First off, in the application I am thinking about, I only need a EEPROM to convert voltage from a sensor---Hall Effect , Honeywell Wheatstone bridge, Tilt Sensor. Real simple application. Secondly there is limited space available inside what I build.
Tracy, can you give me a list of the simplest Basic Stamp parts, that fit in the smallest place, at the least price? I don't want SMT parts, only through the hole parts. Seems to me the Basic Stamp 1 plug in board might work for me. For the last 20 years I have used a infra red system to control a variable voltage. I have been wondering if a different system might save me construction time.

Mike Green

The Basic Stamp 1 plugin board takes less power and is smaller than a BS2 module. It also uses a little simpler and slower version of PBasic and the EEPROM is smaller. It does work really well when the application is well matched to its capabilities. EFX-TEK has a nice BS1-based controller board with a built-in Darlington array for controlling high current loads that I've used as a water pump controller.

The BS1 does SPI interfacing nicely, but there's no built-in I2C protocol. It can do DAC using the PWM statement and measure resistance using the POT statement (timing the discharge of an RC circuit). A lot depends on how your sensors interface.

Chris Savage

Keith,

If you want to know the minimum components that constitute an OEM BASIC Stamp 2, please see the following link.

http://savagecircuits.com/index.php/projects/basic-stamp-projects/18-bs2-oem-lite

Keith Hilton

Chris, extremely interesting information! --Thanks. The next few days I will read and digest the 7 pages I printed off.

Tracy Allen

Keith Hilton wrote: »

I have built electronics for a living for the last 20 years, mainly instrument volume pedals. www.hiltonelectronics.com There are two reasons why I am looking at a EEPROM. First off, in the application I am thinking about, I only need a EEPROM to convert voltage from a sensor---Hall Effect , Honeywell Wheatstone bridge, Tilt Sensor. Real simple application. Secondly there is limited space available inside what I build.
Tracy, can you give me a list of the simplest Basic Stamp parts, that fit in the smallest place, at the least price? I don't want SMT parts, only through the hole parts. Seems to me the Basic Stamp 1 plug in board might work for me. For the last 20 years I have used a infra red system to control a variable voltage. I have been wondering if a different system might save me construction time.

An EEPROM in and of itself does not convert voltage. I'm sure you know that, but just saying. You asked then about the BASIC Stamp, through hole version, and Chris pointed you to the Stamp OEM kit. The Stamp itself does not have a real analog input for voltage, although it can read a variable resistor. The analog outputs of the sensors you mentioned might well take a different type of converter, likely an external chip. I see that your pedals use a clever infrared remote. Will that somehow be connected to the BASIC Stamp? You see, I'm still very confused about what you want to accomplish in that small space, which might be the interior of a guitar pedal, or not.

The BASIC Stamp 1 has nice capabilities for a small project. The Stamp1 editor used to offer the capability to burn a Stamp1 interpreter and program into a standalone PIC16C58 (given a burner tool and the old editor -- I don't know if that capability survived in the new editor).

Keith Hilton

Tracy, thanks for replying. Chris has given me the information I was seeking. Hopefully a simplified version of the Basic Stamp 2 might work in the volume pedals I produce. For the last 20+ years I have used a infra red LED, with a infra red photo transistor, and shade to produce a variable analog voltage. This feeds a voltage controlled amplifier. Of course the electronics inside my volume pedals consist of more than the infra red system and voltage controlled amplifier. The infra red system I have used has worked well in the 20,000+ guitar pedals I have sold all over the world. Parts cost for my infra red system is much less than the OEM-BS2. BUT---parts cost in a system is not everything. Another thing to consider is the labor time it takes a worker to produce the things simple parts fit into. I have to make holders for both the infra red LED, infra red photo transistor, shade holder, and the mounting system. Plus I have to make connectors for parts. A tilt sensor like the Memsic 2125, and OEM-BS2, might eliminate a lot of labor time. Labor cost sometimes costs much more than the parts used. So that is what I am trying to do---cut labor time---not necessarily parts cost. So if this works out--Parallax and I can get rich together! An example of this is how the metal parts of my pedal used to be made and are now made. I used to have the metal parts sand cast. Then we would have to sand the parts, and fit them into drilling jigs, and threading tools. I went to a system where the metal parts were cut with a laser, bent with CNC, and threaded mounting inserts installed. The cast parts cost much less, but the labor cost ended up being the same. So what benefit was there if the cost was the same? Production time---I could produce 40 of the pedals from the sheet metal method, whereas only one cast pedal could be produced in that time.
Tracy, in working with the Basic Stamp and the Memsic 2125, it reminded me so much of my work with the Honeywell HMC1501.
Some good reading for you would be Honeywell AN211 concerning the AMR bridge. In AN211 there are examples of the bridge feeding a microcontroller. The HMC1501 requires a magnet, but can produce a variable voltage with a output op amp. If I used the HMC1501, I would not need the Basic Stamp. So, I have been doing a "lot" of thinking. That is how you stay in business, you do a lot of thinking.

Tracy Allen

Keith,
Thanks for the explanation. That clears up a lot for me, also referencing the other thread you've had about led brightness and the Memsic tilt sensor. Those are nice looking solid volume pedals. I'm not a rocker myself, but one of my sons has spent a small fortune on effects and volume pedals for his alt-rock avocation.

The Honeywell HMC1501 magnetic field sensor is interesting. You know, Memsic also sells an analog output version of their accelerometer if you still want to go the pure analog route to the voltage controlled amplifier. It would take an op-amp circuit, and probably some individual trimmers for scale and offset. On the other hand, a microprocessor in the signal path would however add a lot of possibilities.

Don't give up on surface mount, for the same reasons you mentioned for the cast iron vs laser cut sheet metal. If you have a bunch of SMT boards assembled by a contract manufacturer, it would save you a lot in the long run, I think.

Keith Hilton

Chris and Tracy, sorry I have been delayed in continuing with my investigation of the tilt sensor and basic stamp. I will get back to work on it soon. I have been covered up with orders for the guitar pedals I build. The fun part of electronics is inventing. The boring part is having to build electronics. Right now I am having to install scr fuse circuit in one of my designs to prevent the public from plugging in a over voltage wall wart.
The scr limits the voltage to 12 volts with a re-set-able fuse. The circuit is designed for 9 volts, but the public will plug "anything" handy into the power plug. Since most wall warts are now little switching power supplies, most manufacturers have eliminated the voltage regulator from their circuit. Without some kind of over voltage protection, it would only be a matter of time until some guy plugged in a high powered wall wart. Then wonder why the unit failed. By the way the public no longer reads instructions.