SX48 Tech Board

Brian Riley

Would that there could be a marraige/hybrid of the SX Tech Board and the great SX48 Proto-board. i strated workin on this montsh ago and then set it aside. But all of Bean's neat new compilers and playtoys have got me playing with the SX48 between bouts of Propellerism.

I sat down thsi afternoon and went over what I liked and what I didn't like about my first effort. I fired up the bandsaw and cut some parts and came up with my 'final solution.' It is simple and easy to do (30 minutes tops) and only one piece of soldering that could be remotely called tricky. All the instructions and some close up pictures are here at this URL

www.wulfden.org/SPBU/

The whole thing takes about $4-5 worth of parts plus a Parallax Breadboard. Many of you should already have the parts on hand. If you do have to order them, the thing that makes it a bear, financially, is unless you can piggy back it on other orders, minimal shipping rates will double the price. Since I have good quantities of the key materials on hand already, if any one is interested in a pre-cut kit of the parts they can scroll down the above webpage and see what I am offering.

▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
cheers ... brian riley, n1bq, underhill center, vermont
See the K107 Serial LCD Controller at
www.wulfden.org/k107/

John Couture

And the irony is that it is only $10 vs. $39 (SX Tech Board) and features more memory than the SX28. Good job Brian!

This is a great solution for a classroom: SX48, some parts and the SX-Blitz. Add a wall wart and you have a complete development system for a little over $40!

▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
John J. Couture

San Diego Miramar College

Chris Savage

Hey Guys,

·· Parallax will be getting the SX28 Protoboards in soon!· They will be the same price as the SX48 Protoboards.

▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
Chris Savage
Parallax Tech Support
csavage@parallax.com

Sawmiller

what is going to be the diff between the sx-28 and the sx-48 proto boards then ? if they are the same price and the sx-48 is got more memory and timers.. why would i want the sx-28 , if its the same price and board is same size ?

not trying to be mean, just want to know what the advantages of the sx-28 proto is.

i like the sx-48 board alot...just distracted right now with the prop

dan

Chris Savage

The SX28 comes in DIP format and with several programming/starter kits.· What happens when individuals want to build a semi-permanent or permanent version of their project?· Many will be bale to do it on a $9.95 protoboard without having to have a PCB milled.· For those that can't prototype with the SX48, or simply don't need that much I/O, this will be perfect.

▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
Chris Savage
Parallax Tech Support
csavage@parallax.com

John R.

I think the comment (and my own question) was more along the lines of:

OK, I've prototyped with an SX 28. I'm ready for something more permanent.

I can buy an SX48 or SX28 protoboard at the same price.

Why wouldn't I buy the SX48?

I _THINK_ the answer lies, at least in part, that depending on the specifics of your project, you may not just be able to take SX28 code and load it in an SX48. I seem to recall a thread discussing migration from an SX28 to 48, and there were some issues with timing and memory.

Is this indeed the case?

▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
John R.

8 + 8 = 10

Bean

John,
I agree. There are times when you would use the SX28 (if you require a thru-hole part for example).
But for 1-off projects, I can't see any reason for getting the SX28.
The price difference between the SX28 and SX48 is almost nothing, and the SX48 offers so much more.

2x Code Space
2x RAM Space
2 16-bit hardware timers

There are code differences, but they are not that great. If you are using SX/B even less difference.

But at < $10 they are still a bargin.

Bean.

▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
Cheap 4-digit LED display with driver IC·www.hc4led.com

Low power SD Data Logger www.sddatalogger.com

"You're braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think" Christopher Robin to Pooh
·

Sawmiller

my point is ... with the ability to make a sx-48 PROTOTYPE BOARD and get a sx-blitz, or a sxkey if you want debug, and save half the price of a sxtech... why not just proto on the 48 and one off on the 48 ????
dan

Chris Savage

John R. said...
I think the comment (and my own question) was more along the lines of:
OK, I've prototyped with an SX 28. I'm ready for something more permanent.
I can buy an SX48 or SX28 protoboard at the same price.
Why wouldn't I buy the SX48?
I _THINK_ the answer lies, at least in part, that depending on the specifics of your project, you may not just be able to take SX28 code and load it in an SX48. I seem to recall a thread discussing migration from an SX28 to 48, and there were some issues with timing and memory.
Is this indeed the case?

John,

·· That is one consideration...Some code won't directly run on the SX48 if it was written on the SX28.· In this case you want to stick with what works without making any changes.· Again, this is for everyone's benefit.· For those that see no value in the SX28 Protoboard they will purchase the SX48 board.· Take care.

▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
Chris Savage
Parallax Tech Support
csavage@parallax.com

Basic Jim

In my opinion, one advantage to using the SX28 tech board is, if for any reason you fry the SX28 or damage a pin so it doesn't function properly, it is socketed so you just replace the chip and your on your way. Another nice thing about the SX28 is that being a dip chip you can program it and pop it in a socket of a final project that you have built. Unless your using a pre-made proto board it would be a lot harder to surface mount that chip in a home made circuit. Although I see a lot of advantages to the sx48 proto board I see more flexability with the SX28 even though it is not as powerfull. Of course for those using mainly proto boards for projects your proto board is a great idea.

Jim W.

Brian Riley

Basic Jim said...
In my opinion, one advantage to using the SX28 tech board is, if for any reason you fry the SX28 or damage a pin so it doesn't function properly, it is socketed so you just replace the chip and your on your way. Another nice thing about the SX28 is that being a dip chip you can program it and pop it in a socket of a final project that you have built. Unless your using a pre-made proto board it would be a lot harder to surface mount that chip in a home made circuit. Although I see a lot of advantages to the sx48 proto board I see more flexability with the SX28 even though it is not as powerfull. Of course for those using mainly proto boards for projects your proto board is a great idea.
Jim W.

I know I shouldn't say this very loud, the foo bird named Murphy is always on duty, but it has been years since I have fried a chip and that time includes some pretty dumb moves on my part. The chips today seem to be tolerant of a greater range of human stupidity than ten or twenty years ago.

▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
cheers ... brian riley, n1bq, underhill center, vermont
See the K107 Serial LCD Controller at
www.wulfden.org/k107/