Getting Started Help!

PlusOn3

I have been playing around with my Basic Stamp 2 Homework Board for a while and have started working on more involved setups. As my imagination quickly expanded the circuits, I realized how limited the Homework Board is. I am working on a project now and it is much bigger than the Homework Board I have.
I am wondering what I need to "take it to the next level"?
I am not sure if I need a carrier board, a blank proto board, and how the different Stamp modules connect to them? I am also curious if I should switch to the Propeller stuff instead?
I need quite a bit of help at this point, so any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks.

Kevin Wood

It depends on how is the HW board limited, and what more you need / want to accomplish.

If the HW board just ran out of breadboard space, you can always attach it to a bigger breadboard, and jumper some wires. However, if you're building an interactive art display the sits under a waterfall, you might need something else.

The more you can tell about your project, the easier it will be to make appropriate recommendations.

PlusOn3

Thanks for your reply Kevin.

The project requires me to control different servos and motors and LEDs with switches and levers and them all being able to toggle simultaneously. I am mostly out of space, although I feel like I wont have enough power to run everything either.

I could also use some help on figuring out how to connect motors to the boards; I don't seem to be getting enough power to the motor for them to work. I have been looking into the propeller boards and I think that might be what I want to go with, I just don't know if it will be overkill or not.

Also what do I need to do to make a circuit permanent? Is that when I need a proto board and another BS2 (or whatever I end up using) chip? And how do I get the program from my computer to the new BS2 chip, I don't see a serial or USB port on them anywhere?

Sorry I have so many questions, I am really really new to all of this.
Thanks

Franklin

http://www.parallax.com/tabid/535/Default.aspx all these resources are free downloads. Start with what's a microcontroller.

Jimmy Lieb

Maybe use propeller? It is a lot more powerful, and has 32 I/O pins vs. the basic stamp's 16. I have a propeller professional dev. board, and I love it because it has a huge breadboard, and many ports, like PS2, VGA, Serial, etc...
But, If you don't need the power, just space, maybe try this:
http://www.parallax.com/StoreSearchResults/tabid/768/txtSearch/professional/List/0/SortField/4/ProductID/123/Default.aspx
If it doesnt meet your needs or budget, maybe you can just use more breadboards, too.
Parallax doesnt sell large breadboards, but here is one from radioshack:
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2882885&filterName=Type&filterValue=Breadboards&camp=PPC%3AGoogle
I bet you could find something cheaper if you looked more.
Good luck,
Jimmy

Kevin Wood

Hey PlusOn3, sorry for the late reply.

Switching to the Propeller would certainly give you more to work with than the BS2. Either can be used to do what you outlined, and neither can directly drive a motor. For that, you'll need some form of motor controller circuit that can handle the current needed. Both can drive hobby servos, within limits.

If you want to stay with the BS2, consider using a BS2xx module with a carrier board, or a BS2sx OEM kit. Either would give you more features and code space that the HW board.

However, if you aren't afraid of making a jump, take a look at the Propeller USB ProtoBoard. It can handle a good amount of current (still not enough for motors), has servo connections, built in programming interface, and can be programmed in several languages (Spin, PASM, BASIC, C, Forth, others).