Prepare for newbies (Protoboard_Introduction updated)
Oldbitcollector (Jeff)
Posts: 8,091
Guys,
With the numbers on the Propeller Expo now nearing 60, I have many people on the list
who will receive a blank Protoboard & Propplug for the first time next month.
I'm thinking that this (now) is a good time to come up with a good starting point.
that will get them doing something interesting right from the blank board.
Obviously Propterminal would be a good place for them to start.
I've already converted a copy of Femto to run on it.
I'd love some suggestions or code for these users so we can draw them in.
Edit: I've attached the final revision of this document. Minor errors are fixed.
Edited for readability.
OBC
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New to the Propeller?
Getting started with a Propeller Protoboard?
Check out: Introduction to the Proboard & Propeller Cookbook 1.4
Updates to the Cookbook are now posted to: Propeller.warrantyvoid.us
Got an SD card connected? - PropDOS
Post Edited (Oldbitcollector) : 8/3/2008 4:19:58 PM GMT
With the numbers on the Propeller Expo now nearing 60, I have many people on the list
who will receive a blank Protoboard & Propplug for the first time next month.
I'm thinking that this (now) is a good time to come up with a good starting point.
that will get them doing something interesting right from the blank board.
Obviously Propterminal would be a good place for them to start.
I've already converted a copy of Femto to run on it.
I'd love some suggestions or code for these users so we can draw them in.
Edit: I've attached the final revision of this document. Minor errors are fixed.
Edited for readability.
OBC
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New to the Propeller?
Getting started with a Propeller Protoboard?
Check out: Introduction to the Proboard & Propeller Cookbook 1.4
Updates to the Cookbook are now posted to: Propeller.warrantyvoid.us
Got an SD card connected? - PropDOS
Post Edited (Oldbitcollector) : 8/3/2008 4:19:58 PM GMT
Comments
Ok, I'm restricting myself to a comfortable recliner and a laptop with
only a Protoboard, a Propplug, and my word processor.
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
Hope something interesting comes of this thread. I just made the leap. I ordered a PEKit, Prop Manual and will get the Prop Proto Board (serial) too. Lots of fun new stuff to learn! I have not ordered the accessesory package for the Proto Board. Wish I could come to the "Unofficial" Expo. It sounds like it will be fantastic!
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Whit+
"We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths." - Walt Disney
It is targeted at new users who have no prior experience with Microcontrollers,
or the Propeller. It will provide someone with just a Protoboard & Propplug a good
starting point.
Please read and comment..
Thanks
OBC
File moved to top thread...
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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
Post Edited (Oldbitcollector) : 7/28/2008 4:39:21 PM GMT
Good idea for the community to create documentation and to prepare for the influx of new comers. I skimmed your document. Certainly adding pictures and graphcis would spruce it up some and I am sure you will get to that. I would also add more information on the last page related to the forum. The forum is THE source for help and inspiration and knowledge. Perhaps you can add a couple sentences illustrating good and bad posting when asking for help.
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Timothy D. Swieter, E.I.
www.brilldea.com·- Prop Blade, LED Painter, RGB LEDs, uOLED-IOC, eProto fo SunSPOT, BitScope
www.sxmicro.com - a blog·exploring the SX micro
www.tdswieter.com
@Ale: Actually I did write a Mandelbrot program for the Propterminal FemtoBASIC, but it was painfully slow, so I don't think I'll include it. Good idea..
@Tim: I made additions to page five, including links to search.parallax.com. Thanks
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
Maybe some simple Spin code. I'm thinking something like what Jon Williams did in Nuts and Volts back just before the Propeller was released. Just a simple "blink an LED" type program. Give em a taste of Spin.
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Brian
uController.com - home of SpinStudio - the modular Development system for the Propeller
PropNIC - Add ethernet ability to your Propeller! PropJoy - Plug in a joystick and play some games!
SD card Adapter - mass storage for the masses Audio/Video adapter add composite video and sound to your Proto Board
Robert
I think this looks fun. Gives you a fun little project right out of the box. I will have the PEKit, the PEKit Labs·and Prop Manual (not to mention·your Cookbook ideas for Proto Board projects) to begin to play with some spin.
Thanks for thinking of us newbies to the Prop!
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Whit+
"We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths." - Walt Disney
I would love to blink an LED... but a blank Protoboard doesn't have one..
Perhaps a small spin program to do the "Hello World" example in spin?
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
I must admit, I didn't do any research before I opened my mouth. I had never used PropTerminal before and had not realized that that would take care of the hardware requirements. As their bare ProtoBoards would lack keyboard and screen connectors.
Also Jeff, I mean no disrespect, I know you put alot of time and energy into the Expo in general and this document. In my mind I likened using Basic on a Propeller to taking a Porsche out for a testdrive on a road with a 30MPH speed limit. I had not thought of the "system on a chip" aspect.
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Brian
uController.com - home of SpinStudio - the modular Development system for the Propeller
PropNIC - Add ethernet ability to your Propeller! PropJoy - Plug in a joystick and play some games!
SD card Adapter - mass storage for the masses Audio/Video adapter add composite video and sound to your Proto Board
Is soldering allowed in this meeting room?
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Brian
uController.com - home of SpinStudio - the modular Development system for the Propeller
PropNIC - Add ethernet ability to your Propeller! PropJoy - Plug in a joystick and play some games!
SD card Adapter - mass storage for the masses Audio/Video adapter add composite video and sound to your Proto Board
As someone who's nearly too young
I think introducing how one uses PropTerm and the PropellerSerialTool are a must. It's hard to get anywhere, especially with limited additional hardware, without using these two tools. I don't do much with graphics, so I lean more toward PST, but they both have enormous benefit.
I'd love for someone who is comfortable with counters/phsa/phsb to talk discuss them. That may be more in-depth than you had in mind especially for folks just being introduced to the Prop. However, I've often used the prop as a quick and dirty signal generator and/or frequency counter. It does both these things very quickly and easily- I think I got code for both these things from the Counters Lab and/or the AN001 Application note.
I can bring my Demo board with me so you can count on at least on Prop setup which can drive a speaker, LEDs, etc. I believe I have the LCD that came in the kit, but no power supply for it. I'll try to find and bring that too.
As a WOW demo it seems one could wire up Beau's Bode Plotter. I haven't done that and I'm not sure if I even have the parts around to do so, but you can consider my Demo board yours for the day if it would be useful.
http://forums.parallax.com/forums/default.aspx?f=25&m=118143
pgb
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Whit+
"We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths." - Walt Disney
Nice analogy! LOL! I agree completely! No disrespect taken. But you see the limitations of what I'm
working with. I want the users to be able to do something cool with what will be in their hands.
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
You just need a bit of lateral thinking there ...
The ProtoBoard does have 240R resistors fitted for some of the VGA signals and it is possible to dry fit a LED into the right hole and 0V.
You could get two LEDs fitted that way which would allow the simple LED blinking code, plus the ability to run two Cogs each blinking their own LED at their own rate. I have to admit that it was something as simple as that which really brought me my "wow" moment and realisation of just how amazing and easy to use the Prop was. I ran round the room with glee and whirling my arms like someone winning the lottery when next the TV showed "Hello Hippy"
Sometimes simpler is better for showing how amazing things are.
I'm with parts-man73, nothing against FemtoBasic, but I think the Propeller is best demonstrated with a dozen lines of Spin. What's best is that the code is simple enough that everyone can type it in a line at a time and get it right. I expect they'll also learn a lot from hands-on and real hardware and be more confident when they get the kit home. Don't take people in too deep or you lose them, although that depends on audience.
I did a three day ARM course once which was completely worthless and even prejudiced me against ARM. It was all software (C++) and simulators. If they'd had real hardware and a LED to flash I'd have got about a billion times more worth out of it !
How about a picture of a handful of resistors, an RCA jack and a din connector - with a caption reading "This is all you need to connect a TV and keyboard to your propeller"
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Brian
uController.com - home of SpinStudio - the modular Development system for the Propeller
PropNIC - Add ethernet ability to your Propeller! PropJoy - Plug in a joystick and play some games!
SD card Adapter - mass storage for the masses Audio/Video adapter add composite video and sound to your Proto Board
<facesmack>why didn't I think of that!?</facesmack>
I love it! Yes, I will start working on an addition sometime this week.
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
I've added two pages after the Femto exercise...
(Attached to top of thread.)
Section 3: A "Hello World" program written in Spin using Propterminal for output.
Section 4: Insertion of an LED into P23 at the VGA head and some spin to make it blink.
I've gotten very good feedback on this document! Please review and continue to do so!
[noparse]:)[/noparse]
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
I think this is a fantastic document. I agree that the suggestions of others have made it even better. Can't wait to get my Proto Board so I can try it out! It is on its way right now. I appreciate all your work on this.
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Whit+
"We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths." - Walt Disney
Post Edited (Whit) : 7/30/2008 4:25:56 PM GMT
I added a few more fractal graphics and sound demos to the Hydra forum with some borrowed board-compatibility-code.
Y'all be the judge if they qualify as "nice graphics that rock". Especially some of the "256 rules". It overdrives the TV rezz.
No Mandelbrot yet. I made one in Spin but it's awful slow and needs some PASM.
@Mike: I've changed that to his name, now you'll both have a mention.
(I try like crazy to give credit where credit is do. It's important.)
The document is off to my editor for proofing!
Next release should read smoothly.
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
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Timothy D. Swieter, E.I.
www.brilldea.com·- Prop Blade, LED Painter, RGB LEDs, uOLED-IOC, eProto fo SunSPOT, BitScope
www.sxmicro.com - a blog·exploring the SX micro
www.tdswieter.com
services with for my book. He does a great job with my materials.
(Although I should have sent the Cookbook to him as well...)
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
Post Edited (Oldbitcollector) : 8/3/2008 3:13:07 PM GMT
@Timothy - LOL. My editor is still my Mom. She is a retired school teacher and English major!
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Whit+
"We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths." - Walt Disney
Opening the PDF and clicking on the links provided does not seem to work for the FemtoBasic link. Tried the manual and the terminal program and they work. Did not try the proptool link.
What is the correct link to the FemtoBASIC for Propterminal?
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Whit+
"We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths." - Walt Disney
http://forums.parallax.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=47247
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
For some reason it did not.·When I used the link in the pdf, it would not work for some reason.·I found it I think (Edit - I just did a search on the forums and found your thread and downloaded from there - I just checked and it is the same as the link above). The link you listed above works fine.
I got my Prop Proto Board today. I have been going through you intro document. Great fun and it is neat to be able to play with the Proto Board right away.
On you second FemtoBASIC program on page 4 of the document should line 70 say "70 GOTO 20"?
Thanks for the fun and easy start with the Prop!
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Whit+
"We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths." - Walt Disney
Post Edited (Whit) : 8/2/2008 3:12:01 AM GMT