Can i use the propeller chip???

kaoskube

The helpful people over at sparkfun pointed me to this controller and forum for a project I'm working on involving my car.· I currently have a carpc installed, and want to use a propeller to run my secondary systems. I am completely new to all of this, but from what Ive read:

Each cog can be used to perform certain tasks at once. So for example, I want to have two color lcd screens, my understanding is that i can use one cog for each lcd?? can someone elaborate on that a bit for me??

-I need to be able to accept rca inputs from cameras/ possibly send video back to my carpc

-control servos and motors - doesn't seem to be a problem.

-bi directional communication between car and home

-read and store data from sensors ( temp, light, etc etc )

Aside from really learning as I go, I shouldn't run into any hardware problems right? I'd hate to rack my brain only to find out that what I'm try to do is not technicall possible with what I have!!!

·

Mike Green

Each cog is an identical independent processor that shares some common ("hub") memory, a chip-wide clock, and I/O pins. As such, two cogs can each interface to an LCD assuming that there are enough I/O pins available and enough shared memory for the needs of each LCD. There is hardware built into each cog to help in generating video (either TV or VGA), but no hardware to assist in processing video inputs so, practically speaking, video input is not possible. Video switching with an external switch of some sort is possible and text overlaying onto a video image has been done with the aid of an external sync separator. Hitt Consulting's hardware design and code for this is open source.

Communication between car and home is possible. The main issue there is the radio link, how much data you want to send back and forth, and what kind of range you're considering (let alone issues of expense). The Propeller can probably handle whatever you want to hook up since it would probably involve a serial data connection.

T Chap

-control servos and motors - doesn't seem to be a problem.

This is done a lot with many code examples and objects available.

-bi directional communication between car and home

Check into digi.com Xtend:

www.digi.com/products/wireless/long-range-multipoint/

-read and store data from sensors ( temp, light, etc etc )

It is easy to use SD card objects and there is extensive info to use that format, also the Vinculum chip works well with the Prop for thumbdrive storage, an off the shelp module like the Vdrive2 will work for data logging from the Prop, as well as the Vmusic2


www.vinculum.com/prd_vdrive1.html

www.vinculum.com/prd_vmusic1.html

kaoskube

Thanks for the reply!!
I can find a way around my video input issue. but maybe if I rephrase what I need...

Shouldn't I be able to possiby connect a cmos camera and display the video from that with text overlay to one of the screens?

It's starting to look promising indeed!!!!


I did see that Vinculum chip, I'll read into that some and see if I can handle it as well, thank you!!