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Propeller II Update? — Parallax Forums

Propeller II Update?

grahamreitzgrahamreitz Posts: 56
edited 2009-05-24 02:29 in Propeller 1
I am relatively new to the Propeller community. Please consider excusing any acute ignorance on my part.

I have read this propeller.wikispaces.com/Propeller+II, made an attempt to search the propeller forums, and asked the google to look for "parallax propeller 2 release date". The wikispaces page seems a little dated and the forum and google searches didn't provided anything within the last few months.

It seems like there was a bunch of activity on the forums late last year (2008) with some posts by Chip Gracey, but I don't find much after that.

Did something happen? Or did everyone just get really busy?

Kindly,
graham

Comments

  • Mike GreenMike Green Posts: 23,101
    edited 2009-05-22 22:15
    The Propeller II is still under development. As far as I can tell it's still Chip's primary task. What you're noticing is that Parallax is currently not sharing any new information and currently not asking for anyone else's opinions or suggestions. This is typical for Parallax. They're busy trying to make the best possible product. It takes a lot of time and effort and at the current development stage, more input is not helpful. When the product is ready, it will be announced. If Chip needs more input from the user community, he will ask for it.

    Parallax, as an engineering driven company, has avoided making commitments ahead of time. Some other companies make product commitments from their sales departments and then their engineering departments have to deliver on what's been promised. Sometimes you get a lousy product or can't deliver it as promised or when promised. The Propeller I was announced when it worked as it was supposed to work (better actually). The announced intention is to do the Propeller II the same way, so be patient. You may feel that you have to be able to plan on what will be available and when. With this sort of product plan, when it is available, it will work and work well. If Parallax has to redesign something or add or delete some feature and send it back for chip production and testing, that will take time. It will be necessary and it will be done before you see the product, much better than getting something that needs rework, but was shipped anyway.

    Post Edited (Mike Green) : 5/22/2009 10:20:32 PM GMT
  • FredBlaisFredBlais Posts: 379
    edited 2009-05-22 22:45
    I'm really hyped for the prop 2, the features that interest me the most is about 3d graphics rendering. I'm sure a hydra 2 will be coming too and Andre Lamothe is going to do a great job teaching us about creating 3d graphics on an embedded system ! =)
    Maybe we'll just have to change the chip on our Hydra to make it fit in the dip socket, or I am mistaken...
  • localrogerlocalroger Posts: 3,452
    edited 2009-05-22 22:52
    @FredBlais -- I think the P2 is going to have too many pins to fit in the P1 socket. There was talk (I would be in favor of this) of a DIP version with some pins not brought outside for the through-hole soldering iron folks, but I suspect it would still be at least a 44 pin package.
  • Mike GreenMike Green Posts: 23,101
    edited 2009-05-22 22:56
    The Propeller II will be in surface mount packaging only. Parallax has said that there will eventually be a "breadboard-friendly" version, but that doesn't mean a DIP package. They will likely do something like the Spin Stamp where a module with DIP form-factor will have a Propeller II on it as well as the necessary 1.8V regulator and possibly other support parts. When and exactly what will be available is still a mystery and will likely continue to be a mystery until there's an official announcement of the Propeller II.
  • grahamreitzgrahamreitz Posts: 56
    edited 2009-05-22 23:11
    Despite the P2 still being shrouded in mystery, Mike, you sure seem to know a lot. Got an inside friend and more to share with us? It's always hard to delay gratification.

    Wow, I didn't think that 3d gfx was even rumoured or on the table. It would be absolutely amazing if it really did.

    I don't think that the PIC32 comes packaged as a dip. It wouldn't be surprising if the P2 is the same.
  • FredBlaisFredBlais Posts: 379
    edited 2009-05-22 23:11
    Spin stamp 2... interesting [noparse]:)[/noparse]
    If Andre wants to do a second version for the hydra, it could be great to make a sort of spin stamp to fit on the first hydra hardware but with 3d capabilities!!!
  • Mike GreenMike Green Posts: 23,101
    edited 2009-05-22 23:16
    Everything I know about the Prop 2 I learned by reading messages in this forum ... no insider secrets.
  • RaymanRayman Posts: 14,827
    edited 2009-05-23 00:16
    I'm not sure I want Prop 2 anymore. Maybe I'm getting old...

    I take it back.· Just a little tired today!

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  • James LongJames Long Posts: 1,181
    edited 2009-05-23 01:58
    greitz said...
    Despite the P2 still being shrouded in mystery, Mike, you sure seem to know a lot. Got an inside friend and more to share with us? It's always hard to delay gratification.

    Wow, I didn't think that 3d gfx was even rumoured or on the table. It would be absolutely amazing if it really did.

    I don't think that the PIC32 comes packaged as a dip. It wouldn't be surprising if the P2 is the same.

    Now you know if he told you that, you would have to be deleted and low level formatted, like you didn't even exist!!

    Every government department in the world would have to be hacked, and your history totally erased.

    Also, if someone did know, they are not going to say anything. They would never put absolute end items on something that is not totally materialized yet.

    I believe Mike.....but even if he did know something, and didn't say, I respect that.

    James L

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    James L
    Partner/Designer

    Lil Brother SMT Assembly Services

    Please note: Due to economic conditions the light at the end of the tunnel will be turned off until further notice. Thanks for your understanding.
  • Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) Posts: 23,514
    edited 2009-05-23 02:33
    "Are we there yet? Are we there yet? DAAAD!!! How much loooonger?"

    "All right you guys, pipe down back there before I turn this car around and head back home! Why not play with the Propeller you got before we left? We'll get to Prop2Land soon enough!"
  • Mike HuseltonMike Huselton Posts: 746
    edited 2009-05-23 02:58
    Phil, amen to that.

    Please see the Video chip recently presented about, mostly, people's concerns about the PropII.

    Let's get on with more productive issues.

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    JMH
  • grahamreitzgrahamreitz Posts: 56
    edited 2009-05-23 03:26
    James Long said...
    Now you know if he told you that, you would have to be deleted and low level formatted, like you didn't even exist!! nono.gif

    Every government department in the world would have to be hacked, and your history totally erased.
    It was worth a try. A guy with 11k+ posts has got to know something. eyes.gif

    It sounds like the P2 rumor mill is still churning and the community is in the "don't mess with the engineer-in-the-black-box mode until he comes out with something interesting."

    I'm excited and enjoy the hype. Hopefully the engineers are enjoying themselves during development and will churn out something fun and innovative for us to play with. Maybe they will pause for a second, open the black box hatch, and throw is a another bone.

    graham
  • hinvhinv Posts: 1,255
    edited 2009-05-23 04:07
    But Daaaaaaaaaaaad, my propeller says there'll be a port b. Weren't we supposed to get to 64I/O land 2 hours ago? Can't we stop there and take a rest?.... I've got to go the bathroom.
  • Cluso99Cluso99 Posts: 18,069
    edited 2009-05-23 04:36
    The Prop II will be great when it arrives...

    Meanwhile a lot has opened up for the Prop I in the last few months... So there are lots of new interesting things we can now do with the Prop I and lots of new things to develop smile.gif

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    · Single Board Computer:·3 Propeller ICs·and a·TriBladeProp board (ZiCog Z80 Emulator)
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  • James LongJames Long Posts: 1,181
    edited 2009-05-23 07:57
    I understand you guys are pushing the limits of the Propeller, and are eager for more. I myself have just barely scratched the surface of what the propeller can do. I have three projects that the propeller does nicely, which just need to get finished. Sure I could use more ram, cogs, etc.....etc....but that just means my next projects will take even longer, because they have many more levels of complexity.

    I am very happy to have the original Propeller, and soon I will have some projects that may be posted here just to show what I've been working on for so long.

    I haven't even stopped to consider what the Propeller II will spawn me to do. If I did, I would probably be scared.

    But, just for conversation, I really do not deal much with graphics or LMM.

    James L

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    James L
    Partner/Designer

    Lil Brother SMT Assembly Services

    Please note: Due to economic conditions the light at the end of the tunnel will be turned off until further notice. Thanks for your understanding.
  • PhilldapillPhilldapill Posts: 1,283
    edited 2009-05-23 16:53
    A better analogy for Chip and his design of the Prop II is the Wizard from the Wizard of Oz... Except he really does use magic to make a wonderful chip. [noparse]:)[/noparse]
  • Mike HuseltonMike Huselton Posts: 746
    edited 2009-05-23 19:42
    "Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain" - is that Chip himself or his brother trying to run interference for Chip?

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    JMH

    Post Edited (James Michael Huselton) : 5/23/2009 7:49:05 PM GMT
  • grahamreitzgrahamreitz Posts: 56
    edited 2009-05-23 21:29
    It would be quite convenient if each cog in the P2 had 32 bit floating point hardware.

    Obviously, it's not absolutely necessary, but definitely useful.
  • Paul BakerPaul Baker Posts: 6,351
    edited 2009-05-23 21:40
    hinv said...
    But Daaaaaaaaaaaad, my propeller says there'll be a port b. Weren't we supposed to get to 64I/O land 2 hours ago? Can't we stop there and take a rest?.... I've got to go the bathroom.
    This was addressed a while back (I addressed it while still·@ Parallax), it's stalled because of issues with the lvs package for the layout software. The decision was made not to divert the resources to trying to get it to work at least for the time being, P2 has priority (at least this was the case while I was still in the know).

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    Paul Baker
  • Oldbitcollector (Jeff)Oldbitcollector (Jeff) Posts: 8,091
    edited 2009-05-23 21:57
    Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) said...
    "Are we there yet? Are we there yet? DAAAD!!! How much loooonger?"

    "All right you guys, pipe down back there before I turn this car around and head back home! Why not play with the Propeller you got before we left? We'll get to Prop2Land soon enough!"


    Dang it Phil! I just spewed Ginder Ale all over my new Hydra Keyboard!

    ROFLOL! Funniest thing all week..

    OBC

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  • JonnyMacJonnyMac Posts: 9,195
    edited 2009-05-24 00:42
    The DPRG (Dallas Personal Robotics Group) motto applies here: It's harder than it looks!

    I can remember the day in 1999 when Ken called me to tell me that Chip was working on a custom processor and it would be available in a year. Yep, one year. I think the Propeller finally hit the streets full force in 2006. Let's face it: his stuff is REALLY HARD and Parallax holds itself to quality standards first, release target dates second.
  • grahamreitzgrahamreitz Posts: 56
    edited 2009-05-24 02:29
    JonnyMac said...
    I can remember the day in 1999 when Ken called me to tell me that Chip was working on a custom processor and it would be available in a year. Yep, one year. I think the Propeller finally hit the streets full force in 2006.

    Yea, you can pretty much take any engineer's estimate and multiple it times PI or other favorite transcendental number. The result will be closer to reality. It's the edge and corner cases that tend to dominate any schedule.
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