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Running Propeller — Parallax Forums

Running Propeller

hacksign23hacksign23 Posts: 15
edited 2010-08-01 03:52 in Propeller 1
Okay... this might sound dumb, but.
what does it take to run a propeller chip?
i've been trying to figure it out but all these posts do is CONFUSE ME.
all i want to do with the propeller is program it, and get it to run.
possibly something similar to the BASIC Stamp Discovery kit.
THANKS.

Comments

  • Mike B.Mike B. Posts: 31
    edited 2010-07-31 22:37
    Well I a total newbie to the Propeller myself so this may seem a bit basic, but, the Propeller Tool (you have downloaded the "Propeller Tool" that haven't you??) has an excellent tutorial which starts out at a VERY basic point and builds on itself.·

    If you haven't downloaded the "Tool" goto the Propeller Downloads section of the website.· The tool is the first Item listed, version 1.27.· You GOTTA have te tool and a means to program it. (Prop plug, demo board etc)

    Mike B.
    (P.S.· I found the learning curve not to be "vertical" but perhaps a 7% grade..lol

    ·
  • hacksign23hacksign23 Posts: 15
    edited 2010-07-31 22:51
    as a first timer, would i just need
    http://www.parallax.com/Store/Microcontrollers/PropellerProgrammingKits/tabid/144/ProductID/506/List/1/Default.aspx?SortField=ProductName,ProductName
    and i would be ready to program?
    and can i use the chip alone (like just with a breadboard and power/ground) ?
    thanks.
  • John AbshierJohn Abshier Posts: 1,116
    edited 2010-07-31 23:46
    If you buy that kit you have all you need, except perhaps a battery.

    John Abshier
  • StefanL38StefanL38 Posts: 2,292
    edited 2010-07-31 23:51
    no ultra-minimum need is a propeller-chip and a USB-to-serial-adapter


    for precise timing you must add a 5MHz chrystal

    If you don't want to reload your program into RAM each time the propeller is resetted or power off/on you must add a 32kB EEPROM
    as the minimum requierents
  • hacksign23hacksign23 Posts: 15
    edited 2010-08-01 00:09
    lol umm. i'm getting the usb one, and it says that it has both the 32kb eeprom and the 5mhz crystal. if i had the propeller dip, would the eeprom act as tiny changeable harddrives? (like i could change one for another if i had a program on one already) ? thanks.
  • Mike GreenMike Green Posts: 23,101
    edited 2010-08-01 00:19
    You could have several different 32KB EEPROMs and change them out, but you need to do that while the power is off and the chips and breadboard are not made for insertion and removal over and over again. You'd need to get a socket made for that sort of thing (usually a "zero insertion force" socket).
  • potatoheadpotatohead Posts: 10,261
    edited 2010-08-01 01:14
    Once you get rocking on the Prop, it's not hard to add SD card to it. That's great for changing out programs, and even running them from menus and such. Lots of us do it.

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  • laser-vectorlaser-vector Posts: 118
    edited 2010-08-01 01:18
    Get a development board (you're best off with the professional), get a Propeller P8X32A micro controller,
    make sure you have a 24LC256 EEPROM (comes on the pro board)
    power supply,
    jumper wire kit,
    some resistors (1k, 2k, 4k, 8k, 10k, 20k so on if you want..)
    some leds (if you dont have the pro board)
    5MHz crystal oscillator (also if you dont have the pro board)

    then read this manual word for word and lesson by lesson:
    http://www.parallax.com/dl/docs/prod/prop/WebPM-v1.01.pdf

    do the lessons, dont skip anything, even re-read it if you dont understand, be patient and you will be doing cool stuff in no time.
    as a beginner myself i thought it would take months before i was even thinking about doing graphic display on VGA, two weeks later i could put that fear to rest! after 3 weeks im already doing touchscreen vga.

    so take if from me, get the right tools, the right parts and read as much as you can and you'll be amazing yourself in no time.
  • bill190bill190 Posts: 769
    edited 2010-08-01 01:53
    All you need to do with the Parallax microcontrollers like the Propeller or Basic Stamp is to buy one of the kits which comes with the microcontroller and parts like LED's...

    Then just read the instruction manual which comes with the microcontroller.

    All the information you need is in the book provided.

    The documentation for Parallax products is the best I have seen anywhere. Also the design of the programming languages used and the microcontrollers makes it much easier to get it working fairly quickly with a minimum of reading.

    Start out with something simple like blinking an LED.

    If you need help, just ask here.

    As to the discussions here, come to think about it, you don't see much of anything on how to get the microcontrollers basically working. That is because the documentation is so well written!
  • laser-vectorlaser-vector Posts: 118
    edited 2010-08-01 03:52
    bill190 said...
    As to the discussions here, come to think about it, you don't see much of anything on how to get the microcontrollers basically working. That is because the documentation is so well written!

    I second that!
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