parallax gps module and tri-axis accelerometer + etc

copacetic353

does the gps module on the parallax website: http://www.parallax.com/Store/Sensors/CompassGPS/tabid/173/CategoryID/48/List/0/Level/a/ProductID/396/Default.aspx?SortField=ProductName%2cProductName

also give a compass reading like the compass module: http://www.parallax.com/Store/Sensors/CompassGPS/tabid/173/CategoryID/48/List/0/Level/a/ProductID/98/Default.aspx?SortField=ProductName%2cProductName· ?

also, does the tri-axis accelerometer not work with the propeller chip? http://www.parallax.com/Store/Sensors/AccelerationTilt/tabid/172/CategoryID/47/List/0/Level/a/ProductID/97/Default.aspx?SortField=ProductName%2cProductName

if not, does anyone know of one that is compatible?

now that i am looking through all of the parallax sensors, not very many of them say that they are compatible with the propeller chip. why is this?

Post Edited (copacetic353) : 11/7/2008 6:11:39 PM GMT

sylvie369

GPS modules in general do not give compass readings, though if they're moving, they can tell you what direction you're moving.

copacetic353 said...
now that i am looking through all of the parallax sensors, not very many of them say that they are compatible with the propeller chip. why is this?

The notion of "compatible with" isn't really that meaningful in this "do it yourself" context. The product pages for the Parallax sensors generally have Basic Stamp sample code simply because it is assumed that beginners using Stamps will need that kind of help. There is no reason why one can't write one's own Spin code for the Propeller to use most of those sensors: I've connected several of the Parallax sensors to Propeller boards, and then used objects from the Object Exchange to interface with them.

Take a look at this recent thread:

http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php?p=751847

There's a guy using a Wii controller that surely doesn't claim to be "Propeller compatible" - he figured out how to use it with the Propeller simply by knowing what kind of interface it uses.

Post Edited (sylvie369) : 11/7/2008 6:33:07 PM GMT

Paul Baker

In general, if the sensor is interfacable with a Basic Stamp, it is interfacable with a Propeller as well.

The GPS gives a differential heading; that is, it compares the current location with the previous position and calculates the speed and direction from that.·If the GPS module is stationary that information is useless (since the speed and direction between the same GPS coordinate is 0 and undefined respectively).

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Paul Baker
Propeller Applications Engineer

Parallax, Inc.

Post Edited (Paul Baker (Parallax)) : 11/7/2008 7:06:21 PM GMT