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Who uses the Prop Clip? — Parallax Forums

Who uses the Prop Clip?

ClintClint Posts: 95
edited 2010-07-18 22:28 in Propeller 1
Do you use a Prop Clip and if so, how do you like it?

I bought one thinking I'd like to see it and potentially try it out. I make a fairly low volume product, so I'm hoping it will work for programming my assembled PCBAs. Is this a good solution or is there a better way?

Comments

  • Mike GreenMike Green Posts: 23,101
    edited 2010-07-08 05:04
    I've used a PropClip with a SpinStamp. It's a little awkward with the SpinStamp and comes off too easily. I haven't tried it on anything else, but it ought to be quite usable if you get the holes right on the Prop side.
  • WBA ConsultingWBA Consulting Posts: 2,935
    edited 2010-07-08 06:05
    I have used the Prop Plug in the same manner as the prop clip on boards without headers. I just insert a tall 4 pin header into the socket, poke it into the holes on the board, hold it at an angle so the pins make good contact, and it works like a charm. Good for reprograms from time to time, but not great for debugging with PST, etc where you have to hole it for long periods of time.

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  • william chanwilliam chan Posts: 1,326
    edited 2010-07-08 06:34
    I bought one but still don't know how to use it yet....

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  • Nick McClickNick McClick Posts: 1,003
    edited 2010-07-08 07:18
    I do! It's easier and more rugged than the prop plug, once you get the tension on the retaining clip just right. I've also soldered pin headers to the prop plug, that works when you just need to program something once.

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  • LeonLeon Posts: 7,620
    edited 2010-07-08 07:39
    I was supplied with one instead of the Prop Plug I'd ordered by UK distributor Milford. I put it into the wrong holes on the Proto Board and damaged it getting it off, so I couldn't return it. I just removed the little spring contacts, soldered four wires onto it, and crimped on a four-way connector. It's a lot more robust now than the Prop Plug, which a few people have broken.

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  • Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) Posts: 23,514
    edited 2010-07-08 14:12
    I had a Prop Clip. It kept slipping off my Demo Board (the original version), so I removed the pogo pins and soldered in a header connector, thus turning it into a Prop Plug. The Prop Clip was an interesting idea; but it's not something I'd design a product to make use of.

    -Phil
  • ClintClint Posts: 95
    edited 2010-07-14 20:35
    Thanks for the feedback. I'd love to hear more.

    I don't want to solder a header onto my board. I·currently have problems with unreliable connections using a header and the sx-key and sx-blitz, both on my product and on the sx demo board I got from Parallax. I am considering either a bed-of-nails programming fixture or something like the prop-clip. I may design a few options into the PCB so I can try them out and use the most reliable version.
    Nick McClick said...
    I do! It's easier and more rugged than the prop plug, once you get the tension on the retaining clip just right. I've also soldered pin headers to the prop plug, that works when you just need to program something once.

    What do you have to do to adjust the spring tension? How often do you use your prop clip and do you have any problems with it?
  • hover1hover1 Posts: 1,929
    edited 2010-07-14 21:12
    Clint, I have one Prop Clip only because I have two Spin Stamps. I got it off ebay for $4.00. A little tricky to get the right pressure to install it, but after a while you get the hang of it. It will not get used much, just for the Spin Stamps, and when I mis-place my PropPlugs, which is often! Used it on a Proto Board once.

    I like to PropPlug better. Many people have had problems with the header breaking off. As soon as I heard that, I put a small piece of heat shrink tube around the female header to produce some physical attachment to the board. Wish I could take a picture, but my 8 year old digital camera just died. Yeah! I needed a reason to get a new one [noparse]:)[/noparse]

    Jim
    Clint said...
    Thanks for the feedback. I'd love to hear more.


    I don't want to solder a header onto my board. I currently have problems with unreliable connections using a header and the sx-key and sx-blitz, both on my product and on the sx demo board I got from Parallax. I am considering either a bed-of-nails programming fixture or something like the prop-clip. I may design a few options into the PCB so I can try them out and use the most reliable version.


    Nick McClick said...

    I do! It's easier and more rugged than the prop plug, once you get the tension on the retaining clip just right. I've also soldered pin headers to the prop plug, that works when you just need to program something once.


    What do you have to do to adjust the spring tension? How often do you use your prop clip and do you have any problems with it?
  • Ken GraceyKen Gracey Posts: 7,401
    edited 2010-07-14 23:22
    We'll not be using any more Prop Clips in our future designs. It proved to be an interesting idea and that's about all.

    Customers have spoken a long time ago. But we're still holding bags and bags of molded pieces. . . .Chip wanted to hang on to them "just in case".

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    Parallax Inc.

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  • ClintClint Posts: 95
    edited 2010-07-14 23:28
    Ken, I'll take you to be the expert in this area. Other than having a header on your board with a Prop Plug, do you have a recommended method for programming assembled PCBAs?
  • Michael O'BrienMichael O'Brien Posts: 55
    edited 2010-07-15 03:11
    The prop clip is excelllent, it stays on if you use the usb cables supplied by Parallax that have very pliable thin cables inside the retractable enclosure instead of the thick ones which tend to detach the plug from the spinstamp. It is more robust against ESD than the prop clip in my opinion as 2 of my 6 prop plugs are busted and one heats up,·but all 3 of my clips are ok. They come in very handy with the spin stamp which is good for small footprint designs or ones that do not need serial port access or much reprogramming - IE: you can be more reckless than with a PropStick USB.
    Parallax, thank you for lower the price on the prop plug/clip.
    /michael
  • Ken GraceyKen Gracey Posts: 7,401
    edited 2010-07-15 05:14
    @Clint, if the product can afford the addition, I'd just put the FTDI USB circuitry on the product. This is our preferred approach for development boards, though it isn't cost effective for almost any product design effort. One other choice is look at lower-cost USB bridge chips from Cypress and SiLabs. Other than these expensive options the header seems to be the best option.

    @Michael O'Brien, Glad you like it! We'll have it around for years to come. Let's replace your Prop Plugs, okay? Contact me off-line and we'll work it out. No sense in having dead hardware laying around if you need it to be working.

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    Parallax Inc.

    Follow me at http://twitter.com/ParallaxKen for some insider news.
  • K2K2 Posts: 693
    edited 2010-07-15 15:10
    Initially I had some buyer's remorse with the Prop Clip. But once I got to the point that I was using it for the reasons I'd purchased it (to facilitate headerless connectivity to inexpensive boards of my own design) I loved it.

    But as Michael indicates, the Clip works best with a very thin and flexible USB cable.

    The pogo pins are much more sturdy that I ever thought they'd be. They've held up very well despite being clipped to all sorts of rough, blobby, and dimpled surfaces.

    Ken, does this mean we can expect further discounts on the Prop Clip? Or perhaps the Deal of the Day? Hope so!

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  • Graham StablerGraham Stabler Posts: 2,510
    edited 2010-07-15 15:20
    If you want a programmer for a specific system then perhaps you could get some of the spring loaded contacts used for PCB testing and make a simple jig to hold them, you can then just connect a prop-plug via a ribbon cable to them.

    Actually there are many connectors that use spring loaded contacts any of them could be easily modified to make something that is pressed against a PCB in a jig for programming.

    Graham
  • ClintClint Posts: 95
    edited 2010-07-18 22:28
    I received the Prop Clip along with my PE Kit and yet again Parallax impresses! I think the PropClip may be just what I was looking for. What is this about adjusting tension? Are you just loosening the two screws that hold the plastic retainer to the board?
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