Unique Handheld Game
NoBo780
Posts: 94
Ok, so I've made this (kind-of) interesting handheld game with my BS2e before, but I wanted to expand it. So I decided to use an ATmega168 instead. I know Parallax does not support the AVR microcontrollers, but there are a lot more experienced people in Parallax's forums than there are in the Arduino one, as far as I've seen. Here's the link to all the info since I'm too lazy to re-type it here:
http://www.arduino.cc/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1207506269/0
Thanks
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Giggly Googley!
http://www.arduino.cc/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1207506269/0
Thanks
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Giggly Googley!
Comments
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I am 1010, so be surprised!
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Giggly Googley!
I'd be tempted to port to the SX28 myself, since the SX/Basic is similar to PBasic. I agree the "Propellor" is a weird beast.
I HAVE learned quite a bit of skill for programming AVR microcontrollers, using the Arduino code library (I think that's what you call it). I KNOW that the propeller is fast and powerful, but it's not necessarily cheap and easy to work with, and I DON'T know the language. As for the SX microcontrollers, I know nothing of them. But I do know this: if they are similar in performance to the BASIC Stamps, forget it. I love the PBASIC language, because it's easy, and I also like the BASIC Stamp, but it has a drawback: it's really slow. So for high-speed, memory-intensive applications, I try to use AVR's. If it's a simple task, I'll use the BS2. (I am in no way promoting or criticizing any product here, I'm just making an observation.) I am currently trying to build a base on the Arduino because, just as the BS2 is in its own ways, it is a powerful tool. I came to this forum and posted additionally here because I like to get support from a lot of places, and because as I said before, there are people in this forum that are very experienced with not just the BASIC Stamp, but other microcontrollers, too.
So, does anyone have any knowledge of the Arduino code, and how I can get past the obstacle previously described?
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Giggly Googley!
The syntax is similar between the BASIC Stamp and SX/B for the SX series chip. The performance between the SX20, SX28, SX48 chips compared to the Stamp can be like night and day. A huge difference is that the BASIC Stamp is interpreting your tokenized BASIC program from the external EEPROM on the Stamp module. In SX/B it all gets compiled and programmed into the internal Flash of the SX processor itself. You can mix in assembly (if you want), have access to Interrupts, and a lot more flexibility once you get use to it. My last project with an SX28 was done in just over a day which includes hand wiring a board for it. Did I mention they are pretty fast chips?
And the SX/Basic is not an 'interpreted' basic, it's a collection of 'macros' that run at 50 MIPS, since they all 'expand' into SX28 assembly instructions.
Bottom line -- it runs like greased lightening. You even have true assembly level interrupts with the SX, and very short interrupt latency.
Having said that -- the AVR you're looking at may have more eeprom, and more RAM, and a less PIC-ish instruction set. But the success of a project often isn't in the raw performance of the hardware, but in the tutorial assistance the vendor makes available. Parallax assistance is second to none.
Translating BS2 code to SX/B is fairly straightforward and it will be many many (did I say many) times faster.
Bean.
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www.iElectronicDesigns.com
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You are very right about the assistance part. I forgot to mention that I liked the arduino because of the exponentially growing support for the device. And yes,I agree Parallax's support is definitely unparalleled. I also had not idea the SX family runs so fast! The SX 28AC/DP looks like a great solution to any application; I'm amazed at the speed and capabilities, given the price of these chips! But do they have A/D? That for me can mean the difference between 'go' and 'no-go'. Of course, you could pair it with an A/D IC if it doesn't that. I just might try that out....
Well, for the mean time, if anyone reading this post has experience with AVR's and the Arduino/Wiring code structure, let me know! I am definitely considering using the SX in future applications, though, now that I know what they can do.
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Giggly Googley!
Unlike the Stamp, the Arduino is coded in C and since none of the Stamp family are truly C based yet, you are really narrowing down the list of people who can help you here.· The Arduino, on the other hand, is geared towards people who have had some exposure to GNU Compiler Collection flavor of "C"·(also available for Atmel devices·without the Arduino framework) but want the simplicity of a Stamp-like device. The Arduino "WIRING" code lets you focus on "just the code you need" to do what you want.
In other words, since the STAMP and ARDUINO coding both insulate you from the actual hardware it's running on... what you are really doing is converting BASIC commands into C language commands.· If you are not well versed in both C and Basic...· you really would do well taking a look at the SX28 and it's flavor of Basic for a conversion project.· In fact, there isn't even much difference "feature-wise" between the Atmel ATMEGA8 (used in early Arduino's)·and the SX28.·
While you seem to feel that there are very few helpful people in the Arduino scene (which I have a different opinion about... I think there is plenty going on and available for the·Arduino - Example: SPARKFUN), asking for help with C code here at the Parallax Stamp forum is·expecting a lot from a predominantly PBasic and SX Assembler crowd.
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There's nothing like a new idea and a warm soldering iron.
Yea, And that's why I kind-of creeped away from the stamp; I felt like I was cheating myself into my hobby. I am leaning towards the Arduino because although it still is 'insulating' me from pure C, it is more in-depth and CLOSER to the C language than PBASIC is, and I want to eventually be able to learn C. While the basic stamp is a great tool to get started with microcontrollers, and even make many taks easier, I don't want to be using a product that has a million handicaps just so I can have an easier experience; I like the feeling of knowing exactly how the code works.
Yes, I agree. Let me re-phrase: it's not as ACTIVE.
I think I'll look into the SX microcontrollers soon...
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Giggly Googley!
Post Edited (NoBo780) : 4/8/2008 9:50:00 PM GMT