SX/B or Basic Stamp?
whiteoxe
Posts: 794
I am wondering how much beter the Basic Stamp is compared to the SX/B ?·
Or perhaps just, what features the Stamp has over the SX/B.
Just by looking at the prices of these chips I assume Basic Stamp has a lot more to it than the SX/B.
And price is my major concern along with the ability to program in Basic or Java!
Thanks, Mike.
Or perhaps just, what features the Stamp has over the SX/B.
Just by looking at the prices of these chips I assume Basic Stamp has a lot more to it than the SX/B.
And price is my major concern along with the ability to program in Basic or Java!
Thanks, Mike.
Comments
You may want to do a search on this forum on comparing SX chips using SX/B to Basic Stamps using PBASIC. Basic Stamps or Basic Stamp 2 are for beginners. They make programming easy but are limited in speed and provide no interrupts as compared to SX chips like the SX28 and SX48. I started with a Basic Stamp 2 (BS2) and moved up to a BS2px because I needed more speed in one application but later needed interrupts so I took the plunge and learned SX/B. SX/B is not that much different than PBASIC for the BS2 series.
With a Basic Stamp 2, it is easier to learn but limited in what you can do and more costly than SX chips being $50-$90 each compared to SX chips which are under $3 each and have far faster speed and much more capability. You do need to purchase a 1 time programmer called an SX-key for $50 with debugging built in or you can get an SX-blitz for $30 with no debugging built in. The Basic Stamp 2 requires no programmer per say.
The bottom line is that it depends on what your project requirements are and how much time you want to spend on it. Another option is the new Propellor which has 8 COG processors inside. Very advanced, low price but programming is much more difficult in SPIN language or assembly. I bought a Hydra gaming device which used the Propeller and for me it was too difficult to pickup and learn.
Easiest to hardest:
Basic Stamp 2 ($50-$90)
SX28 (or SX48 which requires you to solder it or get a protoboard) ($3 + $30-$50 programmer)
Propeller ($13 + programmer)
However, you really need to visit the Parallax website and read the details to what is best for you and your application:
http://www.parallax.com/tabid/81/Default.aspx
You may want to consider a starter kit of some kind. I started with a Basic Stamp 2 BOE (Board of Education) when I bought a BOE-BOT robot kit and when I moved up to the SX chips I bought a Professional Development Board (PDB). Best investment I did and I·use it almost every day. ·The PDB has sockets on it for both the Basic Stamp 2 and SX 28 IC. I believe bought the SX Tech Tool Kit (which I see doesnt carry the·PDB now. Hmm. Perhaps Parallax is making room for a new board to replace the PDB.
Anyway, visit the website as there are lots of great choices.
Good Luck.
Ohhh - and I storngly second the start kit idea.· Purchasing a starter kit is the way to go for getting into either of these line of products.· Starter kit prices can vary.·
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Timothy D. Swieter, E.I.
www.brilldea.com·- Prop Blade, LED Painter, RGB LEDs, uOLED-IOC
www.sxmicro.com - a blog·exploring the SX micro
www.tdswieter.com
It isn't just about the hardware. Parallax provides a lot of printed material to help you learn.· So you consider a whole package that is appropriate to your level.
There are competitors that have produced products that have 24 pins, like the BasicStamp; but none have done a really good job of teaching how to introduce the concepts that a beginner needs.· That is where Parallax really provides value.
The SXes can do everything the BasicStamp can and possibly more -- provided of·course that you are prepared to learn to write multiple-thread coding in assembly code.
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It's sunny and warm here. It is always sunny and warm here.... (unless a typhoon blows through).
Tropically, G. Herzog [noparse][[/noparse] 黃鶴 ] in Taiwan
Post Edited (Kramer) : 7/23/2008 5:09:31 PM GMT
I am ok at basic VB.Net, C# and JAVA but am sticking to getting better at basic and java just now
I am swerving to the SX/B almost certaintly after reading your replies. I am curious if I may ask about muvium.com. That sites claimes its development boards let you program PIC's in al the languages Ihave mentioned. Does anone know more about this ?
thx, Mike.
I haven't heard of muvium.com until just now. They have an interesting concept, but I can't say anything more than that.
On the other hand, I can say about PIC versus the SX. Everyone has their opinion and take on this and here is mine. PIC is a large company with thousands of chips designs. I get very frustrated remembering and working with all the variants and differences in the variants. For me, it was too much. I like the SX and the Proppeller because they are general purpose. The SX only has a couple chips and all pins are pretty much the same. Similar with the Propeller. THis means I can become really good at one chip and known its in and outs and apply that chip to many problems.
It looks like you have a set of skills in both programming and electronics, so the SX and/or the Propeller would work well for you.
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Timothy D. Swieter, E.I.
www.brilldea.com·- Prop Blade, LED Painter, RGB LEDs, uOLED-IOC
www.sxmicro.com - a blog·exploring the SX micro
www.tdswieter.com
www.parallax.com/tabid/460/Default.aspx
Jon is a former Parallax employee that went on to co-start a company called Efx-Tek, which uses the SX chip heavily in their products. He has also written numerous colums about the Basic Stamps & Sx chips, which can be downloaded from the Parallax website.
Post Edited (Kevin Wood) : 7/24/2008 3:38:55 AM GMT
thanks for your responses much appreciated.
mike.
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The following items I suggest to get started with the SX28 dip version
SX Tech board this has a 28 pin zif socket on it.
SXKEY USbB + cable
4 SX dip chips + resonators 4/ 4MHZ + 4/ 20MHZ
SX book
Postage
All the above Xpress freighted to you for $137.50