What Should I buy???
CassLan
Posts: 586
Hi People,
First Post here.
I've been very·busy with work for the past 2 years...and I'm finally getting back to my fun hobby -> electronics / robotics!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I can't believe how awesome the propeller chip seems to be.....I'm most excited by the graphical abilities without seperate dedicated chips for the timing etc!!!!!!.
I have been checking out this forum and I'm astounded at the level of complexity this chip can handle as well as the creativity of the folks making it rock.
I'm mostly familiar with PICmicro Chips (16F84..etc)
A·Couple of projects I've done:
MMORPG AutoCrafter:
http://www.ricksbots.com/autocrafter.htm
Small Robot with Sonar:
http://www.ricksbots.com/GalleryPages/IEEEBot2.htm
Anyway, I'm a CCTV technician and I'm very happy with this small LCD screen that I just bought on ebay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/P145-Mini-2-5-LCD-Monitor-for-CCTV-Reversing-Camera_W0QQitemZ230250437418QQihZ013QQcategoryZ48635QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Its very crisp, has a built in speaker and is just·super small and light....and if you flip the screen it automaticaly flips the picture!! that was a pleasant surprise!!
I got this as a test screen to troubleshoot cameras while on a ladder, but its this screen that has brought me back to my hobby.
I have always wanted to make a very small hand-held oscilloscope / volt meter / current meter etc.
Not·for lab measurements but for "out in the field" problem solving. 1/10 volt resolution is all that I would ever need, and to watch current/voltage spikes etc.
I plan on making an awesome multi-tool around this screen and the propeller chip.
I plan to share all of this when its done because I will never get it done without the free·sharing other people offer on forums like these.
Now here is my main question, I see all of these "pre-fab" style boards with VGA this and PS2 that..then there is the HYDRA, SpinStudio....its a bit much.
And it seems the prop chip is not quite as popular yet as the PICmicro MCUs, (I know its still pretty young).
I'm ready to buy what I need.
What should I·buyto start fooling around with this thing?
I think·I definately need a PropDOS set up, I like to create programs and browse to them later;
So I'll need a SD Card Slot - www.ucontroller.com/
I have protoboards, powersupplies, breadboards etc.
I'll need a propeller or 2 - www.parallax.com/
Any good books about propeller..hows the La Mothe Book? Any special programing hardware I need?
Thanks, Sorry for the long post.
Rick
EDIT: I'm goin with ODB's route of upgrading the Propeller Proto Board·with the Propeller Protoboard Experimenter Designs For the Beginner V1.4 booklet he put together.
Post Edited (casslan) : 5/9/2008 1:40:04 AM GMT
First Post here.
I've been very·busy with work for the past 2 years...and I'm finally getting back to my fun hobby -> electronics / robotics!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I can't believe how awesome the propeller chip seems to be.....I'm most excited by the graphical abilities without seperate dedicated chips for the timing etc!!!!!!.
I have been checking out this forum and I'm astounded at the level of complexity this chip can handle as well as the creativity of the folks making it rock.
I'm mostly familiar with PICmicro Chips (16F84..etc)
A·Couple of projects I've done:
MMORPG AutoCrafter:
http://www.ricksbots.com/autocrafter.htm
Small Robot with Sonar:
http://www.ricksbots.com/GalleryPages/IEEEBot2.htm
Anyway, I'm a CCTV technician and I'm very happy with this small LCD screen that I just bought on ebay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/P145-Mini-2-5-LCD-Monitor-for-CCTV-Reversing-Camera_W0QQitemZ230250437418QQihZ013QQcategoryZ48635QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Its very crisp, has a built in speaker and is just·super small and light....and if you flip the screen it automaticaly flips the picture!! that was a pleasant surprise!!
I got this as a test screen to troubleshoot cameras while on a ladder, but its this screen that has brought me back to my hobby.
I have always wanted to make a very small hand-held oscilloscope / volt meter / current meter etc.
Not·for lab measurements but for "out in the field" problem solving. 1/10 volt resolution is all that I would ever need, and to watch current/voltage spikes etc.
I plan on making an awesome multi-tool around this screen and the propeller chip.
I plan to share all of this when its done because I will never get it done without the free·sharing other people offer on forums like these.
Now here is my main question, I see all of these "pre-fab" style boards with VGA this and PS2 that..then there is the HYDRA, SpinStudio....its a bit much.
And it seems the prop chip is not quite as popular yet as the PICmicro MCUs, (I know its still pretty young).
I'm ready to buy what I need.
What should I·buyto start fooling around with this thing?
I think·I definately need a PropDOS set up, I like to create programs and browse to them later;
So I'll need a SD Card Slot - www.ucontroller.com/
I have protoboards, powersupplies, breadboards etc.
I'll need a propeller or 2 - www.parallax.com/
Any good books about propeller..hows the La Mothe Book? Any special programing hardware I need?
Thanks, Sorry for the long post.
Rick
EDIT: I'm goin with ODB's route of upgrading the Propeller Proto Board·with the Propeller Protoboard Experimenter Designs For the Beginner V1.4 booklet he put together.
Post Edited (casslan) : 5/9/2008 1:40:04 AM GMT
Comments
Of general form the fast and cheapest option is the Propeller Proto Board.
"Any special programing hardware I need?"
Not, simply connection to the serial port.
Grab some stuff and dig in! The HYDRA book isn't a bad purchase either.
OBC
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New to the Propeller?
Getting started with the Protoboard? - Propeller Cookbook 1.4
Updates to the Cookbook are now posted to: Propeller.warrantyvoid.us
Got an SD card? - PropDOS
Need a part? Got spare electronics? - The Electronics Exchange
connectors and components don't need to be fitted so there's a lot of I/O lines free for whatever
use you want to put them to. If you do want VGA or PS/2, both are easy to add.
For someone with previous hardware experience or looking for maximum flexibility with a ready
built board, I think the ProtoBoard is the best choice.