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ARM Stamp? — Parallax Forums

ARM Stamp?

ercoerco Posts: 20,259
edited 2011-07-21 11:16 in General Discussion
http://www.futurlec.com/ET-ARM_Stamp.shtml

Hey, I'm not here to judge. 46 I/Os, 128K flash mem, RTC, $30...

I'm just here to poke most any hornet's nest by pointing out an alternative product and wait for all the Prop heads to dogpile on top of it...

Whether or not Futurlec is a reputable company is even up for dispute. But sadly, I noticed they are finally out of LM3909 chips. They were the last bastion of hope against Ebay scalpers who charge ridiculous amounts for one old chip!

Comments

  • RobotWorkshopRobotWorkshop Posts: 2,307
    edited 2011-07-20 09:13
    erco wrote: »
    Whether or not Futurlec is a reputable company is even up for dispute. But sadly, I noticed they are finally out of LM3909 chips. They were the last bastion of hope against Ebay scalpers who charge ridiculous amounts for one old chip!

    Maybe not quite the last place to carry the LM3909 chips..... Checkout:

    http://www.unicornelectronics.com/IC/LINEAR.html
  • LeonLeon Posts: 7,620
    edited 2011-07-20 09:13
    There are similar ARM boards that are better value and that have better support, such as the STM32 Discovery module and the LPCXpresso boards:

    http://www.st.com/internet/evalboard/product/250863.jsp

    http://ics.nxp.com/lpcxpresso/

    They use the Cortex-M3 core instead of the older ARM7TDMI core.
  • RobotWorkshopRobotWorkshop Posts: 2,307
    edited 2011-07-20 09:18
    erco wrote: »
    http://www.futurlec.com/ET-ARM_Stamp.shtml

    Hey, I'm not here to judge. 46 I/Os, 128K flash mem, RTC, $30...

    I'm just here to poke most any hornet's nest by pointing out an alternative product and wait for all the Prop heads to dogpile on top of it..!

    If they are going to use "Stamp" in the name then the module should really fit a Standard 24-pin or 40-pin DIP socket. Wide processor modules or fine but don't deserve to reference the "Stamp" in any way unless it can plug into that socket and be pin compatible with it.......
  • stamptrolstamptrol Posts: 1,731
    edited 2011-07-20 09:24
    Similarly, heres another one of two that are plug compatible with Stamps.

    http://www.cubloc.com/product/01_01cb220.php
  • LoopyBytelooseLoopyByteloose Posts: 12,537
    edited 2011-07-20 09:43
    ZBasic is my personal favorite as both the hardware and software are well supported.

    http://www.zbasic.net/

    Still, you won't get the kind of community help that Parallax Forums offer.
  • davejamesdavejames Posts: 4,047
    edited 2011-07-20 10:20
    erco wrote: »
    But sadly, I noticed they are finally out of LM3909 chips. They were the last bastion of hope against Ebay scalpers who charge ridiculous amounts for one old chip!

    Erco - I just stumbled on these this morning. Halted is a fixture in the Sillycone Valley surplus industry; been around for years. I'll be shopping there this Saturday for some power connectors.

    http://www.halted.com/commerce/catalog/product.jsp?product_id=12509&czuid=1311182189143
  • rod1963rod1963 Posts: 752
    edited 2011-07-20 10:20
    Other ARM Stamp vendors include Coridium Corp and GHI Electronics. The latter's ARM products use .NET and C#. Their Stamp products do fit in a 24pin DIP socket.

    Then there's the Coldfire stamp from NetBurner that fits in a DIP40 socket.
  • Duane DegnDuane Degn Posts: 10,588
    edited 2011-07-20 10:26
    erco wrote: »
    I'm just here to poke most any hornet's nest by pointing out an alternative product and wait for all the Prop heads to dogpile on top of it...

    Hey, That Leon's job.

    Next thing you know, Leon will start spouting the virtues of plywood.

    Let's not turn the world upside-down!

    Duane
  • davejamesdavejames Posts: 4,047
    edited 2011-07-20 10:26
    ...man! Having A/D capability on these alternative Stamps is really great.

    Just wish Parallax would follow suit (hint, hint)...;)

    BS3, anyone?
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,259
    edited 2011-07-20 10:34
    RobotWorkshop wrote: »
    If they are going to use "Stamp" in the name then the module should really fit a Standard 24-pin or 40-pin DIP socket. Wide processor modules or fine but don't deserve to reference the "Stamp" in any way unless it can plug into that socket and be pin compatible with it.......

    I have a first generation 48-pin C-Stamp ( http://c-stamp.com/products.htm ) that won't fit into ANY standard socket. The fabricator spaced the pins too wide and it's not 0.100" spacing width-wise. Takes two tall headers leaning to fit it onto a board.

    Here's hoping that error will make this "Stamp" incredibly valuable, such as when the USPS makes a mistake printing their stamps. If anyone is interested, I'll let it go for a cool $10K. After all, I do have got twin college educations to save for...
  • Kevin WoodKevin Wood Posts: 1,266
    edited 2011-07-20 12:19
    RobotWorkshop wrote:
    If they are going to use "Stamp" in the name then the module should really fit a Standard 24-pin or 40-pin DIP socket. Wide processor modules or fine but don't deserve to reference the "Stamp" in any way unless it can plug into that socket and be pin compatible with it.......

    Why can't they use the term "Stamp"? Is it a Parallax trademarked/copyrighted/IP/invented term?

    Or maybe, perhaps, Parallax borrowed the word & concept from somewhere else?
  • rod1963rod1963 Posts: 752
    edited 2011-07-20 12:28
    Stamp is a common usage term, too generic to copyright.

    And if you'll look at the names of the boards most companies don't use the term Basic Stamp or even Stamp. At most they'll state that their product fits in a 24 dip socket or something similar.
  • schillschill Posts: 741
    edited 2011-07-20 12:56
    rod1963 wrote: »
    Stamp is a common usage term, too generic to copyright.

    Do you think "stamp" was commonly used in this sense before Parallax used it? The form factor wasn't exactly common before Parallax came out with their first Stamps.

    Granted, most of what I knew was going on at the time came from reading Circuit Cellar, but I don't recall anything before them called stamps. The only similar things I remember at that time were the 80C52 (?) modules from Micromint (who also came out with Basic Stamp clones (not called Stamps)).

    I'm not saying Parallax should own the term, but I expect they could have trademarked it if they wanted to (I don't know if they did or not).

    Just because it's a common word doesn't mean it can't be protected in one way or another. I believe I had seen windows (or seen through them) before Windows came out and I've certainly eaten a lot of lower-case apples.
  • HumanoidoHumanoido Posts: 5,770
    edited 2011-07-20 13:13
    That's not a real STAMP. Only Parallax has a real stamp.
  • WBA ConsultingWBA Consulting Posts: 2,935
    edited 2011-07-20 18:44
    Keep in mind that Parallax's product is called the "BASIC Stamp" not just "Stamp". There are a lot of products out there that are of relatively small size that carry "stamp" in the product name. Even Parallax themselves did it: Spin Stamp.
  • Kevin WoodKevin Wood Posts: 1,266
    edited 2011-07-20 18:52
    Come on people... Parallax is an electronics manufacturer, not a cult. No need to get upset.
  • schillschill Posts: 741
    edited 2011-07-20 19:17
    Kevin Wood wrote: »
    Come on people... Parallax is an electronics manufacturer, not a cult. No need to get upset.

    I'm trying to figure out who you think is upset. I don't even see any of the normal "Parallax is better than everyone else" posts in this thread.
  • RobotWorkshopRobotWorkshop Posts: 2,307
    edited 2011-07-20 19:34
    Kevin Wood wrote: »
    Why can't they use the term "Stamp"? Is it a Parallax trademarked/copyrighted/IP/invented term?

    Or maybe, perhaps, Parallax borrowed the word & concept from somewhere else?

    I never said someone else couldn't use it. However I think it only should be applied to modules that are really smaller in size and typically when I think of a "Stamp" module it is one that would fit in a DIP-24 or DIP-40 socket (and the original in SIP form). Personal preference on my part and that's they way I've always viewed them.
  • rod1963rod1963 Posts: 752
    edited 2011-07-20 21:01
    Schill

    They did trademark BASICStamp and PBASIC.

    The fact is most of the companies don't even mention the word "BasicStamp" unless their are directly comparing their product to Parallax's. Look at Coridium's offering which is directly aimed at BS2 users: It's called Coridium ARMExpress, they only mention Parallax and BASIC Stamp in the user manual since their version of PBasic is somewhat based on Parallax's.

    Cubloc with Cube series; GHI with their FEZ Mini and NetBurner with their 5210 Module doesn't even mention Parallax's products in their write ups.

    It's pretty clear the market for DIP24 to small board micros has evolved far beyond the BS2 at this point that the originator of it no longer needs mentioning in their ad copy.
  • Kevin WoodKevin Wood Posts: 1,266
    edited 2011-07-20 21:20
    schill wrote:
    I'm trying to figure out who you think is upset. I don't even see any of the normal "Parallax is better than everyone else" posts in this thread.

    This thread has the "Parallax is the one true Stamp" undercurrent flowing through it. There's even a "let's bash Leon" zinger thrown in for good measure.

    But that's okay, because erco already said he was poking the hornet's nest. I just figured I'd swat at a few that I saw buzzing around. :)
  • Martin_HMartin_H Posts: 4,051
    edited 2011-07-21 07:26
    Kevin Wood wrote: »
    Come on people... Parallax is an electronics manufacturer, not a cult. No need to get upset.

    You mean you didn't get invited to the monthly mind control meeting? Sorry for the oversight, hopefully you'll get invited next time.
  • Duane DegnDuane Degn Posts: 10,588
    edited 2011-07-21 10:29
    Kevin Wood wrote: »
    There's even a "let's bash Leon" zinger thrown in for good measure.

    Since the only post that mentioned Leon (that I found in my quick rereading of the thread) was written by me, I suppose I'm the one who sugguested "let's bash Leon."

    I want to assure you, Kevin, other forum member and Leon, I had no intention of "bashing Leon."

    Leon, has helped me out more than once. And while other's might not like having the virtures of other uC pointed out, I personally don't mind. I don't have the time nor inclination to learn the strength of many of the other microcontrollers. I also don't want to invest the time needed to learn to use them.

    I apologize for a post that came across as "let's bash Leon."

    Nor was my intent bash erco. My intent was to show off my junior high level sense of humor.

    Here's what I said:
    Hey, That Leon's job.

    Next thing you know, Leon will start spouting the virtues of plywood.

    Let's not turn the world upside-down!

    Duane

    Come on. . . Wasn't it a little funny? Ha Ha (Don't you hate when the only one laughing at a joke is the one who told it?)

    Can we down grade the "bash" to "poke fun"?

    Duane
  • Kevin WoodKevin Wood Posts: 1,266
    edited 2011-07-21 10:52
    Duane, I apologize if I came across too strongly. As much as I like Parallax products, I like other products, also, and sometimes lament that we can't always have objective, thought provoking converstaions about them here.
  • User NameUser Name Posts: 1,451
    edited 2011-07-21 10:57
    I'm going to agree with Leon for a change. There are better values in the ARM world than this. You can pay the same amount of money and get a faster chip, a great IDE, and a serviceable JTAG device.

    On the stamp matter... imho Futurelec is cheating by using the word "Stamp." Parallax set a high bar. Now when I see "Stamp" I expect an onboard compiler or interpreter - pretty much a complete system. Just slapping a processor on a PCB and calling it a stamp is hardly worthy of the name.

    Finally, as much as I I like LPCXpresso boards and the CodeRed IDE, I wouldn't dream of using anything but the Propeller for my present project. The combination of ASM, Spin, eight cores, and the PropTool is just too freaking great for words! The flexibility of this platform blows my mind on a daily basis. I think one has to use a tool to fully appreciate its virtues.
  • HumanoidoHumanoido Posts: 5,770
    edited 2011-07-21 11:11
    First we had the real Apple. Then we had the plethora of fakes. Like Franklin Ace 1000 and the Booby Banana, the Banana Jr. and a long list of copies. Where are they now? http://toastytech.com/guis/banana.html Only Apple is real. Now we have the real Parallax Stamp and all the fakes by other companies. And yet, is there one fake that can offer the long term staying power, support, reliability, and infinitely expanding library of materials that Parallax can offer? You'd better choose your Stamp carefully. On a positive side, some fakes may offer new ideas and good competition that drives up innovations with the real product. It may include attractive pricing, upgrade of a special feature, or otherwise.
  • Duane DegnDuane Degn Posts: 10,588
    edited 2011-07-21 11:16
    Kevin Wood wrote: »
    Duane, I apologize if I came across too strongly. As much as I like Parallax products, I like other products, also, and sometimes lament that we can't always have objective, thought provoking converstaions about them here.

    Kevin, I agree completely.

    As much as I like the Propeller, I'd like to be able to program ATtiny chips. These Nordic FOBs use an ATtiny24 and I'd like to modify the firmware. I downloaded AVR Studio but I'm clueless on how to start (not that I have time now anyway). I'm trying to get this project finished but my day job keeps getting in the way.

    Duane
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