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SPIN objects

CelticCeltic Posts: 9
edited 2010-11-22 09:34 in Propeller 1
SPIN comes with several integrated objects
like for TV and VGA. Where can I find detailed
documentation about these objects.

Comments

  • kwinnkwinn Posts: 8,697
    edited 2010-11-21 12:38
    Celtic wrote: »
    SPIN comes with several integrated objects
    like for TV and VGA. Where can I find detailed
    documentation about these objects.

    Whatever documentation is available is usually contained in the comments of the objects source code.
  • Duane DegnDuane Degn Posts: 10,588
    edited 2010-11-21 17:29
    The Hydra books has lots of good information about how to use video with the Propeller. Also Rayman has some information on his website (Rayslogic.com I think).

    Duane
  • potatoheadpotatohead Posts: 10,261
    edited 2010-11-21 17:58
    I highly recommend the HYDRA book for video topics. There are a few sample chapters available online for free, and they do document the Parallax Reference Video drivers, authored by Chip.

    I can't seem to find the link. Here is one chapter found via google:

    http://www.parallax.com/dl/docs/prod/prop/Hydra-Ch16Sample-v1.0.pdf

    There are a few others, documenting the tile format, basic graphics, driver settings, and some use cases.
  • CelticCeltic Posts: 9
    edited 2010-11-22 07:33
    Always a catch, cheap controller, free tools lots of libraries
    but not proper documentation. Parallax should learn
    something from ATMEL on this.
  • Mike GreenMike Green Posts: 23,101
    edited 2010-11-22 08:00
    For video, the Hydra books are great documentation. They're also not free, but they're very reasonably priced for their content.

    For the w_text driver (windowed text TV driver), look at the documentation for the Propeller Backpack ... very nicely done.

    Look at the Propeller Education Kit tutorials for documentation on a variety of topics.

    Also look at the sticky thread called "Propeller / HYDRA: Key Thread Index"

    Yes, there could be better and more comprehensive documentation available for free from Parallax, but it's got to be paid for somewhere and Parallax is a small company. You would have to see a significant increase in Parallax's prices across the board or a small increase and a huge increase in sales volume (how? ... not because of the documentation) or you'd have to charge for the documentation. That's what Apple and Microsoft do these days ... you go to the bookstore and all kinds of 3rd party authors (with the blessings of those companies) write books on the details of software development so Apple and Microsoft don't have to.

    Atmel and Microchip do it through huge sales volumes, so they can afford to have the people and resources to churn out the documentation.
  • blittledblittled Posts: 681
    edited 2010-11-22 09:34
    The link to the chapter in the Hydra book about the Graphics object is http://www.parallax.com/Portals/0/Downloads/docs/prod/prop/Hydra-Ch16Sample-v1.0.pdf and is free to download. This is probably all you need but the Hydra book is an excellent resource and worth the price.

    I have a nice introductory Assembly book for PICs that has less info than the Hydra but goes for twice the price. Any detailed electronic book usually runs in the $50+ range. White papers and App notes given out free are nice but usually require some knowledge of the theories involved.

    If you want a good example of a company that should have good documentation or data sheets but do not, go to Radio Shack. They no longer give any documentation for their parts.
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