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PIC, PICAXE and BS2??? — Parallax Forums

PIC, PICAXE and BS2???

logan996logan996 Posts: 281
edited 2010-04-14 15:40 in General Discussion
Hi, i know that that (most) bs2 modules use a PIC microcontroller. I have looked up the PIC and seen it many times, and i was wondering, can the other pic modules·be programed with the basic stamp editor? and if·they can't, is the languge they are programed in the same as the BS2 is programed in? just wsithout the parallax fancy editor? and lastly, what is the difference between the PICAXE and the PIC?·are they both programmed the same? I've been looking at PICAXE 8 pin chips and noticed that would be great for small small micro projects and for helping the BS2 and propeller out in large scale applications. If anyone knows about the PIC and PICAXE or any resources, boards or breakout boards please post them!
Thanks!

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"When the government is afraid of the people there is liberty, when the people are afraid of the government, there is tryanny"

· Thomas Jefferson
·

Comments

  • W9GFOW9GFO Posts: 4,010
    edited 2010-04-10 02:21
    logan996 said...
    Hi, i know that that (most) bs2 modules use a PIC microcontroller. I have looked up the PIC and seen it many times, and i was wondering, can the other pic modules be programed with the basic stamp editor?

    No they cannot. And, if I understand correctly (and I'll be corrected if I am wrong), the PICs on the Basic Stamps are already programed with Parallax's secret code. The BS2 editor does not 'program' the PIC, it compiles your PBASIC program into a code that is loaded onto the EEPROM. The proprietary program running on the PIC then runs the code in the EEPROM.

    If you want to program a PIC using BASIC there is a program called PIC Basic Pro, but believe me, it is not as easy to use as the Basic Stamp editor.

    Rich H

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    The Simple Servo Tester, a kit from Gadget Gangster.
  • Mike GreenMike Green Posts: 23,101
    edited 2010-04-10 02:50
    The Stamps, PICAXE, and the PIC are all different, use different Editors / Compilers. The versions of Basic that they use are all very similar, but not identical. Parallax Stamps have the advantage that they've been around for many years and have amassed a lot of tutorials on a whole variety of subjects. The support for the Stamps is "head and shoulders above" what's available for the PICs and PICAXEs.

    Because this is a Parallax support forum, you won't find a lot of support information about competing products. I've used PIC Basic Pro. It's a well done product. These days, I'd use a Propeller ... much easier to use.
  • logan996logan996 Posts: 281
    edited 2010-04-10 03:16
    well i was just interested beacause they have 8 pin modules the size of a 555 timer IC that are around $3 and from what i guess as powerful as at least a BS1, even if they only have 5 I/O pins. They look like they would be great for really simple projects, you know?

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    "When the government is afraid of the people there is liberty, when the people are afraid of the government, there is tryanny"

    · Thomas Jefferson
    ·
  • Mike GreenMike Green Posts: 23,101
    edited 2010-04-10 03:30
    Yep, they're handy as are the little AVRs that Parallax uses in their BS2pe Motherboards (MoBo). You'll just have to get your support help from the manufacturer's forum. As has been mentioned many times before, the margins on the chips are inadequate for Parallax to support them except to the extent that they're used in a Parallax product. For example, Parallax makes the source for their GPIO3 software for the AVR available and you can download the AVR tool suite from Parallax so you can recompile the GPIO3 software, but Parallax can't afford to provide free help for your own custom programming of the AVRs.
  • LeonLeon Posts: 7,620
    edited 2010-04-10 12:39
    You'll get plenty of help with the small PICs on the Microchip forum:

    www.microchip.com/forums/default.aspx

    and the equivalent for AVRs is:

    www.avrfreaks.net/index.php?name=PNphpBB2&file=viewforum&f=3

    You can download the data sheets from the Microchip and Atmel web sites, as well as development software including free compilers. Microchip even gives away free sample chips.

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    Leon Heller
    Amateur radio callsign: G1HSM
  • logan996logan996 Posts: 281
    edited 2010-04-10 14:45
    cool! thanks guys! [noparse]:D[/noparse]

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    "When the government is afraid of the people there is liberty, when the people are afraid of the government, there is tryanny"

    · Thomas Jefferson
    ·
  • ForrestForrest Posts: 1,341
    edited 2010-04-10 17:15
    The PICAXE chips are interesting and you can get a small development system for as little as $15. In addition to

    www.rev-ed.co.uk

    I also like these sites:

    phanderson.com/picaxe/

    www.hippy.freeserve.co.uk/picaxe.htm

    You can also purchase PICAXE products from sparkfun.com
  • RavenkallenRavenkallen Posts: 1,057
    edited 2010-04-14 00:56
    I love the picaxe. It is just as easy to use as the basic stamp(And cheaper to). The best part about picaxe's is the built in ADC, which comes in really handy.
  • logan996logan996 Posts: 281
    edited 2010-04-14 02:27
    is the programming almost identical to the bs2? or even close

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    "When the government is afraid of the people there is liberty, when the people are afraid of the government, there is tryanny"

    · Thomas Jefferson
    ·
  • iDaveiDave Posts: 252
    edited 2010-04-14 02:42
    Yes picaxe basic is similar. I use the cheap lil buggers when I don't need the larger program space the bs2 family provides or the extra pins. For dead simple jobs I tend to use the picaxe 8m(only 8 pins) or the 14m (14 pins). Yes....yes....BLASPHEMY! u say. Well, I'll always use parallax stuff cause it got me into this hobby and see myself gravitating towards the propeller for more powerful uses. Almost every mcu has it's place.

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    “How much of human life is lost in waiting.” Ralph Waldo Emerson"
  • Dr_AculaDr_Acula Posts: 5,484
    edited 2010-04-14 02:47
    Programming a picaxe is very easy. As you say, a $3 chip the size of a 555.
    start:
  high 1 ' pin 1 high eg turn on a led 
  pause 500 ' delay half a second
  low 1 ' turn the led off
  pause 500 ' delay half a second
  goto start ' repeat


    and then you can grow it from there with adc and serial comms, bigger chips etc.

    Programming requires two resistors and is done via a serial port. Software is free and the business model is similar to the propeller, ie a clever chip preprogrammed with smarts and free programming software. (This is different to the raw PIC model where the chip is cheaper but unprogrammed and you generally have to pay for the programming software for your preferred language).

    My personal two favourite chips are the propeller and the picaxe. Even though they are from different companies/countries I think they complement each other rather well.

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    www.smarthome.viviti.com/propeller
  • logan996logan996 Posts: 281
    edited 2010-04-14 10:50
    is that version of BASIC for the picaxe free? i would love to program it in the style of basic you just showed me! do you know of any simple programmers to program them? i saw some boards at sparkplug that look ok
  • RavenkallenRavenkallen Posts: 1,057
    edited 2010-04-14 15:40
    Yes, i agree with dr_acula. The picaxe and propeller micros are the best of both worlds. The picaxe is good for small projects(That does not mean that they lack in power) and the propeller is good for its speed and multi- tasking.

    Hey, Logan996. the programming software is free to use and very easy to install. You will need 1. A picaxe chip( i would get the 20X2, as it is very fast, up to 64mhz, and it has 4 kilobytes of program space, all for $6.00 at sparkfun. 2. you will need the usb programing cable. This is where it starts getting slightly more interesting. The cable costs almost $30.00, but it will enable you to program all the chips. 3. you will need a stereo headphone jack to plug into the usb cable. you will have to solder leads to the jack to make it more usable. 4. you will need the software, Which as stated above is free. 5. misc. stuff like power source, breadboard, some leds, resistors, etc..

    What i do, instead of using the phone jack setup, is to cut off the actual connetor of the cable and solder hook up wires directly to the other wires. You will need to solder the yellow, orange and black ones to get it to work. This setup is much easier, because you can directly plug the hook up wires in, instead of having to use the annoying head phone jack.

    The cool thing about picaxe is that you don't need to buy a special programming device. All you need is the cable and a couple resistors. Of course you got get a whole kit setup like this

    http://www.robotshop.com/picaxe-18x-starter-pack-usb.html

    All in all the picaxe is an great choice. It stomps out the basic stamp in every way, but is not nearly as cool as the propeller.
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