The Basic Stamp is the original device. It has gone through an evolutionary process over the years with various improvements in speed and features. The original device (the BS1) is still sold, still very useful for small projects.
The underlying processor for most of the Stamps, particularly the later ones is the SX. This is sold as a standalone product in several forms and is incorporated into many of Parallax's peripheral devices (like their GPS receiver, RFID reader, PING))) obstacle/distance sensor, etc.) It can be programmed in a compiled Basic (SX/B) and in its assembly language.
The Javelin is built much like the later Basic Stamps with an SX processor, but has a Java interpreter built into the processor instead of the Parallax Basic interpreter.
The Propeller is a wholly new processor designed by Parallax that has 8 very fast and independent processors plus common memory and some other common resources on the processor chip. It can be programmed in a language called Spin which has some features of C and Pascal. There is also a 3rd party C compiler available.
Each processor has its advantages and disadvantages and which one to use depends a lot on what your project needs. For raw speed, the SX or Propeller is ideal. For ease of use, the Stamps are usually best. The Propeller is best for very complex applications, particularly where multiple tasks have to work at the same time. It also can generate video for a display with minimal external components and it can digitize and generate audio with minimal external components. There's a nice demo for example of a simple singing chorus in stereo with all the voices completely synthesized (rather than recorded).
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Leon
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Post Edited (Leon) : 6/22/2008 1:34:35 PM GMT
The underlying processor for most of the Stamps, particularly the later ones is the SX. This is sold as a standalone product in several forms and is incorporated into many of Parallax's peripheral devices (like their GPS receiver, RFID reader, PING))) obstacle/distance sensor, etc.) It can be programmed in a compiled Basic (SX/B) and in its assembly language.
The Javelin is built much like the later Basic Stamps with an SX processor, but has a Java interpreter built into the processor instead of the Parallax Basic interpreter.
The Propeller is a wholly new processor designed by Parallax that has 8 very fast and independent processors plus common memory and some other common resources on the processor chip. It can be programmed in a language called Spin which has some features of C and Pascal. There is also a 3rd party C compiler available.
Each processor has its advantages and disadvantages and which one to use depends a lot on what your project needs. For raw speed, the SX or Propeller is ideal. For ease of use, the Stamps are usually best. The Propeller is best for very complex applications, particularly where multiple tasks have to work at the same time. It also can generate video for a display with minimal external components and it can digitize and generate audio with minimal external components. There's a nice demo for example of a simple singing chorus in stereo with all the voices completely synthesized (rather than recorded).