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Advice Needed — Parallax Forums

Advice Needed

VaatiVaati Posts: 712
edited 2009-02-19 23:50 in BASIC Stamp
I first purchased the What is a Microcontroller? kit about a year ago.· Since then, I have learned every aspect of the BS2 module (as far as I know), and I am considering purchasing another kit/development board.· If you have any suggestions as to what would be best to use, please reply.

Comments

  • Mike GreenMike Green Posts: 23,101
    edited 2009-02-18 21:22
    This question comes up from time to time. The answer depends on your interests / hobbies / needs / background. Tell us more about yourself and your interests.
  • JonathanJonathan Posts: 1,023
    edited 2009-02-18 21:49
    I hadn't seem Mike's post, and I was gonna say the same thing. Find a project that speaks to you, and then the helpful folks on this forum will help point you in the right direction. What tool to use depends on the job at hand. What aspects of WAM did you find the most interseting?

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    www.madlabs.info - Home of the Hydrogen Fuel Cell Robot
  • sylvie369sylvie369 Posts: 1,622
    edited 2009-02-18 23:29
    I worked my way through that book about two years ago, and more recently have been digging through both Applied Sensors and Smart Sensors and Applications. Pretty much any of the Parallax texts will take you on to the next step. There's a flowchart here www.parallax.com/Default.aspx?tabid=362, if you want to think about things in general all at once.
  • Craig EidCraig Eid Posts: 106
    edited 2009-02-19 02:00
    The Professional Development Board has many on-board peripherals that you will use in your future experiments - switches, LED's, high current drivers to name a few· - and it has a large solderlesss breadboard for prototyping. While it is not cheap at $159.99 the numerous peripherals will make your job easier.

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    Craig Eid

    www.TriadRD.com
  • UghaUgha Posts: 543
    edited 2009-02-19 12:34
    If your thinking about moving on to a completely different processor... I'd recommend the SX.

    SX/B is very close to PBASIC at the newbie level and then gets more advanced as you go long.

    Most people will say you need to learn assembly as well to use the SX... but that's only for a few applications and only if exact timing is an absolute must.
  • VaatiVaati Posts: 712
    edited 2009-02-19 16:03
    I don't exactly have a *favorite* aspect of WAM, yet I would like to add movement to my projects.· Also, I recently began programming a game with my microcontroller.· The disappointing part of that is that I don't have an LCD sreen.· Do any of you know of a versatile, easy-to-use, low-priced screen...?· (In other words, the·perfect LCD smile.gif )
  • UghaUgha Posts: 543
    edited 2009-02-19 16:16
    Graphical or Character?
    Parallel or Serial?
    Two tone or full color?

    On a stamp... I'd recommend a serial character LCD. You can use a few custom characters for some basic graphics.
    Pong might be possible on a 4x20 character LCD... as will some other games.

    With full color, you'd have to have either a very limited image base, or external processing. I believe Parallax sells a full color screen with a SD slot... its a little pricy though.

    While I recommend serial to conserve pins and programming space, you can go with a parallel character display and save a bit of money.
  • VaatiVaati Posts: 712
    edited 2009-02-19 16:54
    Just to give you an idea of what my game program actually is, I am attaching a copy of it.· I don't care if you mess around with it, but if you make a 'major breakthrough' in the code, please reply.· Also, check the code for the username and password, or else you'll be very frustrated.· smile.gif
    bs2
    bs2
    game program.bs2
    5K
  • SRLMSRLM Posts: 5,045
    edited 2009-02-19 17:06
    You can store the name in a variable, and send that out, instead of having four custom blocks of text taking up memory.
  • VaatiVaati Posts: 712
    edited 2009-02-19 17:16
    Well, I would think that the best mirocontroller/kit to get if I want to program games and such would be the Hydra Game Development Kit...· Sadly, that is a bit too much for the wallet of a freshman who doesn't even get an allowance....· confused.gif
  • SRLMSRLM Posts: 5,045
    edited 2009-02-19 18:11
    It's expensive, but it's really good. I especially like the book.
  • Steph LindsaySteph Lindsay Posts: 767
    edited 2009-02-19 18:12
    Hi Vaati,

    I don't know the size of your budget, but here are some options.· If you are looking to add motion, you can turn your BS2/Board of Education into a Boe-Bot robot with the Robotics Parts Kit.· The book for this kit is a free download.· (If you have a HomeWork Board instead, you will also need a tinned-lead battery holder instead of the barrel-jack type in this kit, and two additional 3-pin male/male headers.)

    If you want to add a different kind of movement and a way to make and play games, you might just put a Memsic Dual-Axis Accelerometer on your breadboard, and then download the Smart Sensors and Applications text.· This book has a fun chapter on making a tilt-controlled maze game to play in your Debug Terminal.· Also, if you are interested in a serial LCD, this book has lots of information and projects using the LCD alone and with the accelerometer and other sensors, including the PING))) ultrasonic distance sensor which is a lot of fun too.

    Enjoy!

    -Stephanie Lindsay
    Editor, Parallax Inc.
  • VaatiVaati Posts: 712
    edited 2009-02-19 23:50
    Thank you very much for all of those suggestions.· I will look into them and see what best fits what I have in mind.· Concerning adding a visual aspect to my projects, I get lost looking through the plethora of screens on the Parallax site.· Does any one have a suggestion for a screen that would be good for all sorts of projets, yet is compatible with the BS2 homework board?

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    -Vaati-
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