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Chameleon AVR / PIC Design Challenge Contest!!! — Parallax Forums

Chameleon AVR / PIC Design Challenge Contest!!!

AndreLAndreL Posts: 1,004
edited 2010-06-30 14:41 in Propeller 1
As many might know we released the Chameleon embedded development boards a couple months ago. These are Arduino like systems based on both the AVR and PIC processors, but both use a Propeller as the media processor.

Chameleon PIC

http://www.chameleon-dev.com/pmwiki.php/Main/ChameleonPIC
http://www.xgamestation.com/view_product.php?id=52

Chameleon AVR

http://www.xgamestation.com/view_product.php?id=51
http://www.chameleon-dev.com/pmwiki.php/Main/ChameleonAVR

We have a fresh shipment in and would like to get some good projects going on them, so we are going to give away 5 units of each to the best "ideas" programmers come up with. The rules are simple.

1. Come up with an idea of something that you want to implement on the Chameleon and think it might be a great platform to do it with.
2. Write this idea up in 1-2 pages, in MS word format, any code, figures, etc. can only help your cause.
3. Enter the contest with intent of actually doing the project and finishing it and sharing with others, we aren't giving these away for fun, but to get some great applications on.
4. Winners promise to put the projects together, write them up, zip it all up and place it on our wiki as well as add it to Parallax's site and any other open source sites you like, but we just want to make sure others can download your work and try it on the Chameleon.
5. Project should try to leverage the entire Chameleon, not just the Propeller chip. The idea of the system is that you can write large programs in C/C++ on the master MPU (AVR/PIC) and then drive the Propeller to do your bidding.
6. All entries should be sent in by 30 days, so deadline is March 15th, 2010. But, these are just 1-2 page write ups, you don't have to actually "do anything" until you win.
7. Tell us which system you would like for your project; the Chameleon AVR or PIC along with a brief bio about yourself and your Propeller/AVR/PIC experience.

On the deadline of March 15th, 2010, we will select 5 winners to get an AVR and 5 to get the PIC system and ship them anywhere in the world for free!!!!

*** All winners will also get a free copy of the new Parallax book "Programming and Customizing the Multicore Propeller Microcontroller".

Then get your system, implement your project and when its done, please add it to our wiki here:

http://www.chameleon-dev.com/
http://www.chameleon-dev.com/pmwiki.php/Community/Community

As well as post to the Projects section for the Propeller here on the Parallax site.

All entries should be sent to support@nurve.net

If you have any questions, simply ask here, I will monitor this post.

Thanks,

Andre'
CEO Nurve Networks LLC

Post Edited (AndreL) : 2/17/2010 12:30:45 AM GMT
«1

Comments

  • blittledblittled Posts: 681
    edited 2010-06-09 02:20
    Did you have any winners for this contest? I have a Chameleon-PIC and I'm interested in what applications I can build with it.

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    Will work for Propeller parts!
  • AndreLAndreL Posts: 1,004
    edited 2010-06-09 03:47
    Well, as usual with contests everyone says "do a contest, do a contest" then no one enters. So no one won [noparse]:)[/noparse] Anyway, seems like people just don't have any time these days or just to lazy to follow thru on projects.

    In any event, I am working on something new for parallax that we will announce and finish soon, so I am sure there will be some kind of contest for that as well [noparse]:)[/noparse]

    Andre'
  • Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) Posts: 23,514
    edited 2010-06-09 04:27
    Well, look at the bright side Andre': if more than one person had entered, you'd actually have to pore over the entries and select a winner! smile.gif ('Been there. It ain't easy -- or fun.)

    -Phil
  • HollyMinkowskiHollyMinkowski Posts: 1,398
    edited 2010-06-09 07:03
    Andre
    That's a great looking board smile.gif

    I enjoy combining a Prop with an Atmega1284p.
    The 1284p only runs at 20mhz but it has lots of
    built-in peripherals and 128kb flash and 16kb
    of sram. It's hard to get the pdip 1284p though.
    I like the pdip part for easy use with solderless
    breadboards. I've had 25 on backorder for 2 months
    now :-(

    The prop is well worth it's cost just for the video
    hardware alone. I think if Parallax designed an inexpensive
    chip designed solely to add video/audio at even better
    quality than the Prop has that they would sell many of them.
  • blittledblittled Posts: 681
    edited 2010-06-09 16:11
    Bummer! I was going to submit an entry to the contest but I decided to let someone else get chance at a Chameleon since I aready had the PIC version and the book. The more people using it the more ideas that will develop. Next time there is a contest I won't hesitate. Thanks for the info.

    BTW I agree with Holly, the PIC vesrion is a great board too. I've worked with PICs professionally and as a hobby·and its great to have the added capablities that the Propeller provides.

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    Will work for Propeller parts!
  • Oldbitcollector (Jeff)Oldbitcollector (Jeff) Posts: 8,091
    edited 2010-06-09 16:19
    Reading this thread has me tempted to grab a Chameleon, but it would have to be shelved for a little while...
    My spin coding is rapidly approaching healthy level, but there is still more for me to learn with just the Propeller.

    Wish he'd used two Propellers for this design... Still.. reading the specs.. very temping..

    OBC

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    Visit the: PROPELLERPOWERED SIG forum kindly hosted by Savage Circuits.
  • AndreLAndreL Posts: 1,004
    edited 2010-06-09 18:09
    That's the nice thing about the Chameleons, you don't need to know a single thing about Propeller chips if you don't want to deal with SPIN or ASM programming. You can get up and running in C in minutes and later modify the Propeller drivers for you needs etc.

    Andre'
  • HollyMinkowskiHollyMinkowski Posts: 1,398
    edited 2010-06-09 18:25
    AndreL, so you designed the board so the prop can be used
    by simply sending commands to it from the PIC or AVR?
    So it's eeprom is already loaded with the software to do video?

    Good idea if that's how it works.

    I designed a simple prop board that was mostly a remote terminal
    with a few other functions at my last job and it
    was set up to be a black box that you sent commands to.
    Nobody wanted to deal with learning spin or pasm so making
    the prop work that way was the only way they'd let me use it.
    My prototype board was just a perf board with a dip prop and
    through hole parts. After it was working well they designed a
    custom board for a sm prop, it turned out nicely.
  • AndreLAndreL Posts: 1,004
    edited 2010-06-09 19:03
    Yes, I wrote a driver that parses and sends commands to individual sub-drivers running on COGs, you can read details on the product links:

    Chameleon PIC

    http://www.chameleon-dev.com/pmwiki.php/Main/ChameleonPIC
    http://www.xgamestation.com/view_product.php?id=52

    Chameleon AVR

    http://www.xgamestation.com/view_product.php?id=51
    http://www.chameleon-dev.com/pmwiki.php/Main/ChameleonAVR

    But, the system uses SPI to send client (AVR/PIC) to server (Prop) commands, very slick. So, basically, in 5 mins you are doing video, audio, reading keyboard, mouse, etc. BUT, doing it all in C with either the AVR/PIC and able to leverage a TON of code. Plus, the AVR version is 100% Arduino compatible, so arduino code and the tool works with it. In fact, it ships with it loaded. Thus, the Prop is used as a media slave. Then as users want to do more then can go into the Prop, learn about it, change drivers, etc.

    Andre'
  • MicrocontrolledMicrocontrolled Posts: 2,461
    edited 2010-06-09 23:25
    Do you have something more along the lines of a Propeller where you don't have to know any difficult PIC or AVR or whatever programming? smile.gif
    I read the article on this in N&V a few months ago. It thought it would be interesting for AVR people.

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    Check out my new website!!

    Use the Propeller icon!! Propeller.gif

    Follow me on Twitter! Search "Microcontrolled"
  • AndreLAndreL Posts: 1,004
    edited 2010-06-09 23:57
    Well, AVR/PIC/ARM/TI programming is very easy, C the most widely used embedded language on the planet and both tools are relatively easy to setup about 10-20 mins. However, if you JUST want a propeller chip then I am working on something right now for parallax that is just that, so full details will be released probably in 1-2 months, once the design is totally stable and its in the manufacturing pipeline. I am working on it right now for Parallax, its going to be the most powerful Propeller application board to date and VERY small, I think its exactly what everyone has been wanting [noparse]:)[/noparse]

    Andre'
  • Timothy D. SwieterTimothy D. Swieter Posts: 1,613
    edited 2010-06-10 00:15
    drool with anticipation.

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    Timothy D. Swieter, P.E.
    www.brilldea.com - Prop Blade, LED Painter, RGB LEDs, 3.0" 16:9 LCD Composite video display, eProto for SunSPOT, PropNET, PolkaDOT-51
    www.tdswieter.com
  • Oldbitcollector (Jeff)Oldbitcollector (Jeff) Posts: 8,091
    edited 2010-06-10 01:17
    AndreL said...
    I am working on it right now for Parallax, its going to be the most powerful Propeller application board to date and VERY small, I think its exactly what everyone has been wanting [noparse]:)[/noparse]

    Andre'

    Wow. Drop more hints on this anytime you want!

    OBC

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    Propeller Feature Projects: PropellerPowered.com
    Visit the: PROPELLERPOWERED SIG forum kindly hosted by Savage Circuits.
  • AndreLAndreL Posts: 1,004
    edited 2010-06-10 01:23
    The technical details will be released later [noparse]:)[/noparse] But, I am having a lot of fun designing it and it "feels" good both functionally and artistically. I hope that this will be the first "propeller platform" that developers can build large software projects on and know the platform will continue to grow and get larger. It has everything needed for very large scale applications, basically a small computer is all I can say for now.

    Andre'
  • Oldbitcollector (Jeff)Oldbitcollector (Jeff) Posts: 8,091
    edited 2010-06-10 01:47
    AndreL said...
    basically a small computer is all I can say for now.

    Andre'

    Ok.. Now I'm really paying attention!

    OBC

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    Propeller Feature Projects: PropellerPowered.com
    Visit the: PROPELLERPOWERED SIG forum kindly hosted by Savage Circuits.
  • AndreLAndreL Posts: 1,004
    edited 2010-06-10 01:54
    Yup, it has around 12 IC's on it, there is a lot going on [noparse]:)[/noparse]

    Andre'
  • RossHRossH Posts: 5,519
    edited 2010-06-10 02:08
    Andre'

    Ooooooh! Tell us more - will it have multiple Props? External RAM? Slots for expansion?

    Ross.

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    Catalina - a FREE C compiler for the Propeller - see Catalina
  • AndreLAndreL Posts: 1,004
    edited 2010-06-10 03:01
    Can't say -- but, only 1 prop. The product is also low cost.

    Andre'
  • Beau SchwabeBeau Schwabe Posts: 6,568
    edited 2010-06-10 03:11
    Andre,

    Any of those 12 IC's done with the layout resources at NSC?

    BTW) A BIG thanks for hooking up with some of my old buddies at National Semiconductor, I hope they were able to help you out.

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    Beau Schwabe

    IC Layout Engineer
    Parallax, Inc.
  • AndreLAndreL Posts: 1,004
    edited 2010-06-10 04:54
    If you mean are any logic/lsi/msi from national semi conductor? Yes, or any number of companies that make the same things...

    Andre'
  • Bill HenningBill Henning Posts: 6,445
    edited 2010-06-10 18:09
    Congrats - I can't wait to see it!

    Fully populated, my PropCade has 13 IC's on it, drats, I am using one more than you are.
    AndreL said...
    Yup, it has around 12 IC's on it, there is a lot going on [noparse]:)[/noparse]

    Andre'
    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    www.mikronauts.com E-mail: mikronauts _at_ gmail _dot_ com
    My products: Morpheus / Mem+ / PropCade / FlexMem / VMCOG / Propteus / Proteus / SerPlug
    and 6.250MHz Crystals to run Propellers at 100MHz & 5.0" OEM TFT VGA LCD modules
    Las - Large model assembler Largos - upcoming nano operating system
  • MicrocontrolledMicrocontrolled Posts: 2,461
    edited 2010-06-11 00:46
    12 ICs?!?!?!? Small computer?!?!?! Whats the price on this??? It sounds awesome!!

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    Check out my new website!!

    Use the Propeller icon!! Propeller.gif

    Follow me on Twitter! Search "Microcontrolled"
  • AndreLAndreL Posts: 1,004
    edited 2010-06-11 03:35
    Price to be determined, but $49-79 I would imagine.

    Andre'
  • Ym2413aYm2413a Posts: 630
    edited 2010-06-11 11:56
    Sounds awesome :]
    I'm excited to see what it is :]

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    Share the knowledge: propeller.wikispaces.com
    Lets make some music: www.andrewarsenault.com/hss
  • RsadeikaRsadeika Posts: 3,837
    edited 2010-06-11 12:40
    Is this the board that Ken was talking about, in his PMC thread? And, are we talking about Propeller I, or the Propeller II, as the basis for the new board?

    Ray
  • ColeyColey Posts: 1,112
    edited 2010-06-11 20:57
    Or could it even use a Prop 1B ???? tongue.gif

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  • BaggersBaggers Posts: 3,019
    edited 2010-06-11 21:06
    looks like http://www.xgamestation.com is broken [noparse]:([/noparse]

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    http://www.propgfx.co.uk/forum/·home of the PropGFX Lite

    ·
  • AndreLAndreL Posts: 1,004
    edited 2010-06-12 18:21
    Yup, my isp is huge and their datacenter has been doing power supply testing, something like 50,000 - 100,000 servers. So, all kinds of stuff is funky.

    Andre'
  • BaggersBaggers Posts: 3,019
    edited 2010-06-12 18:31
    ok, I'll leave it a few days, til they sort it out [noparse]:)[/noparse]
    Thanks
    Baggers.

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    http://www.propgfx.co.uk/forum/·home of the PropGFX Lite

    ·
  • AndreLAndreL Posts: 1,004
    edited 2010-06-13 00:56
    Its back up --

    Andre'
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