First Experience w/Propeller: Propeller Robot Control Board

Scope

Hello,

I just got the PRCP yesterday along w/the book "Programming and Customizing the Multicore Propeller Microcontroller"

Background: I am "barely proficient" with programming the BASIC Stamp and this book seems to be mostly written for use w/the Propeller Demo Board and I'm often confused using this book w/this board combined w/my limited experience & skills.

Q1 --> Are there any Propeller learning materials that are specifically written for using the PRCP?

Q2 --> Does anyone think I'd have a much more valuable Propeller learning experience if I obtained a Propeller Demo Board - that the book would be easier to understand?

I can kick myself because the Propeller Demo Boards were on sale recently and I didn't get one. [noparse]:([/noparse]

Oh, one more thing --> I am very excited about learning how to use the Propeller - fascinating!

Thanks,

Scope

Tony B.

Scope,

I don't see the need to buy the Demo Board. I would recommend working through the Propeller Education Kit book available on the Parallax website. It really helped me move forward when I started with the propeller. The link below is to the product page. You can download the PE Labs Fundamental Book, code and manual errata sheet there.

www.parallax.com/Store/Microcontrollers/PropellerProgrammingKits/tabid/144/ProductID/415/List/1/Default.aspx?SortField=ProductName,ProductName

Tony

Whit

If you don't want to have to do too much mental translation between using the demo board instructions with the PRCB - get the demo board.

The biggest issue that you will have is the translators, which you will probably by pass to do the PE Labs. See the the Stingray review in the May/June Robot magazine. The demo board also comes with PS2 connections for keyboard and mouse and an RCA Jack for video and the small breadboard area.

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Whit+


"We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths." - Walt Disney

Scope

Would anyone like to give me a little push, you know, help me out?

If someone can give me PropBASIC code to turn one Parallax standard servo +/- 90 degrees using the Propeller Robot Control Board, I believe I can figure out how to get my project back on track.

__OR__

If someone can tell me where I can find PropBASIC code that I could read to figure out how to control one of the servos . . . blah, blah, blah.

Thanks a whole bunch,

Scope

Scope

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| . . . never mind . . . I found the Propeller Servo Control holy grail . . .
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| . . . I think the PE Kit w/the 40 pin thing would be my best place to start - it just doesn't seem like there's a short way around learning this stuff
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| . . . and yeah, I love a challenge . . . the more I read about the Propeller, the more I'm amazed - somewhat uncertain if I'll ever learn enough to do what I want but I'm going for it . . .
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| . . . thanks!
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localroger

Scope -- good luck, courage, and patience! The Prop is indeed amazing. The advantage of the Demoboard is that it is pretty much the standard entry level Prop education platform, and I can guarantee you'll keep finding things to do with it. I have four of them and right now they are all in use with different little test widgets on the breadboards. Get a cheap TV or portable DVD player with video input (while the DB supports VGA and it looks better, NTSC devices and apps are both more common) and a PS/2 keyboard.

Or, if you're more into hardware, you want maximum flexibility, and your budget can take it, you might consider a Parallax Professional Development Board. Unlike the Demoboard the PPDB leaves all the Prop pins uncommitted with the convenience peripherals arrayed around a much larger breadboard; unlike the Demoboard you've got to actually hook the video and keyboard stuff up, but unlike it you can put them on different pins and use the pins that are dedicated for other things on the Demoboard. I was working on a PPDB project one day when I realized I was stuck for a way to get debug data out of my app, and I just slapped a Parallax RCA connector breakout and three resistors and jumpers onto the PPDB breadboard, borrowed a second TV, and kaboom I had a second whole video channel so my debug stuff didn't mess up my user display. You could do that on the demoboard too but you've only got 8 free I/O's and you'll probably be using them for something

Tony B.

Scope,

I was working on this when you made a second post, but here it is anyway.

I have added some PropBASIC code for controlling servos. I am controling 6 servos using 3 Cogs. I'll spare everyone all the details, but you will have to look at the header info for more about the code.

I had fun doing it and got to try a couple of things I was wondering about in writing PropBASIC code.

Hope you and maybe others can get some good from it.

Tony

Scope

Thanks Tony - I'll get PropBASIC on my Windows machine and try it - I already have PropBASIC running on my Linux Mint machine.

I was really surprised to see the amount of activity on this forum and how so many are so experienced w/their Propellers - it seems a shame to clutter it w/newbie questions.

But here I go anyway - apologies but I would like to know the following:

1 --> Could I get just about any flat screen monitor and use w/the Propeller Demoboard? It seems like even though some are rated at higher resolutions, they would operate at 640 x 480 - besides, I can't stand the thought of using a tube - yeechh! I have a 320 x 240 Tapwave Zodiac 2 - could I hack that and make it work for a display?

2 --> I'm a little confused - there are different ways to learn the Propeller - can anyone suggest a favorite solution:
___2.1 --> Propeller Starter Kit
___2.2 --> Propeller Education Kit 40-Pin
___2.3 --> Propeller Education Kit PropStick
___2.4 --> Other suggestions?

3 --> Does anyone wanna buy my extra book ""Programming and Customizing the Multicore Propeller Microcontroller"? If I get the Starter Kit, I will end up owning two of these and I only need one.

Thanks

localroger

Hi again Scope -- any monitor that takes analog VGA input will work with a demoboard (or for that matter any other Prop board with the 6 resistor VGA voltage divider network). There are VGA objects that output at several different resolutions. And there are some apps you'll want to look at, such as the Turbulence demo, which are VGA only. But that said, you also need a NTSC solution if you want to sample random posted apps from the obex and this forum because that's what a lot of us use. If you want a REALLY BIG display you could use a TV with A/V inputs or any TV at all through a modulator. Other options as I mentioned are a portable DVD player (one of the higher end ones though that has A/V inputs, the cheapest ones don't) or a DVD "headrest" display meant for installation in your car so the kiddos can watch cartoons while you drive.

Note -- a common solution for NTSC is to buy a DVD player on eBay that doesn't work because it comes on but won't play DVD's; the mechanical parts usually fail before the electronics but if the player has A/V inputs you can still use it as a display. The public has gotten a little wise to this and those are being bid up a bit more now, but I got one for $20 that had a different problem, it would play off a battery (not included in sale, and costing almost $100) but wouldn't play from the adapter or charge a battery itself. I hotwired an AC adapter to the battery connector, and it works fine.

The best solution for startup depends in part on how much experience you have with programming in general and other micros. Most of Parallax's intro stuff is actually meant for kids and people with limited programming experience. Since you bought the PRCP I'd guess you are not a total n00b, and you already have the programming book which you've paid for; if it's demoboard-centric and you feel over your head diving into the Prop manual, I'd recommend getting the demoboard and using the book you already have as your guide.

Post Edited (localroger) : 3/18/2010 1:50:48 AM GMT