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Parallax KickStart wiki — Parallax Forums

Parallax KickStart wiki

tdlivingstdlivings Posts: 437
edited 2011-11-25 12:15 in General Discussion
Very good additon to the in store products.
Sensor examples using Basic Stamp, Propeller, and even the Adrunio

I wonder if Paralax and Gordon will publish this like a Forrest Mimms book
at RS with links or QR codes to the online content.

Tom

Comments

  • doggiedocdoggiedoc Posts: 2,245
    edited 2011-11-23 09:22
    Tom, I've been thinking along the same lines as you. Here is the link to the page you mention above.

    Paul
  • GordonMcCombGordonMcComb Posts: 3,366
    edited 2011-11-23 09:44
    A book of some type would be great, and it's been in the discussion from the beginning. We'll see.

    These have been fun to do, though challenging. Working with Ken, Stephanie, Matt, Lauren, Jen, and the others has been a rewarding experience. I almost won't mind working over T-day break to put out more! :smile:

    -- Gordon
  • doggiedocdoggiedoc Posts: 2,245
    edited 2011-11-23 09:58
    Mr McComb - I'd buy it! :D

    I can see at least three titles on my self that have your name on the binding.

    Paul
  • sylvie369sylvie369 Posts: 1,622
    edited 2011-11-23 10:39
    The Kickstart pages are beautiful - exactly what those of us who don't have an engineering background need. Very impressive.

    I have a picky question about something on the XBee page. It says
    The XBee® Wireless Kit contains two self-contained radio transceivers, capable of communicating with one another wirelessly at data rates of up to 115,200 baud — 9,600 baud is the default, and is fast enough for most applications.

    My understanding is that the baudrate setting (ATBD) adjusts the rate at which an XBee communicates with its attached microprocessor or PC serial port, and not, strictly speaking anyway, the rate at which it sends and receives wireless data. Now, I might be dead wrong about this, but isn't the wireless rate affected by a number of things, notably retries, and not expected to match the baud setting? In fact, my assumption - again, possibly dead wrong - was that the XBees always send and receive data among each other at as fast a speed as they can, again, limited by a number of conditions, and that increasing the baud setting does not necessary have any effect at all on that rate.

    Am I way off-base here?

    The XBee Manual entry for the ATBD command reads
    The BD command is used to set and read the serial interface data rate used between the RF module and host. This parameter determines the rate at which serial data is sent to
    the module from the host.

    and
    The RF data rate is not affected by the BD parameter. If the interface data rate is set higher than the RF data rate, a flow control configuration may need to be implemented.

    This is the main thing that leads me to think what I said above.

    Now, I know the part of the Kickstart that I quoted doesn't actually say that the RF rate is set by the ATBD command, but I've noticed that people asking questions here about XBees often seem to assume that's what the ATBD command is for, and that's the rate that I'd assume "9600 baud is the default" refers to. If that's also true for the RF rate, and that rate can be adjusted, it'd still be worth making the distinction clear to newbies. I'm unaware of any way to adjust the RF data rate on an XBee, though, again, that might just mean that I don't know what I'm doing.
  • GordonMcCombGordonMcComb Posts: 3,366
    edited 2011-11-23 11:06
    Point taken, but it doesn't mention "RF data rate," (on purpose) just data rate. Even so, it might be revised to refer to enabling two devices, like a microcontroller and sensor, to wirelessly communicate at data rates of up to... That would clear up any ambiguity, if it exists.

    Most people don't even realize there's an RF data speed for wireless devices, but if they do know it, it's a foregone conclusion they're ready for the full documentation. That's why there are further reading links at the bottom of each KickStart.

    -- Gordon
  • davejamesdavejames Posts: 4,047
    edited 2011-11-23 11:45
    Mr. McComb - RE: Parallax Kickstart Wiki.

    Clear and concise. Not attempting to be my firend, but not aloof.

    Refreshing to see such to-the-point writings.

    Nicely done Sir, nicely done!
  • sylvie369sylvie369 Posts: 1,622
    edited 2011-11-24 04:02
    GordonMcComb wrote: »
    Point taken, but it doesn't mention "RF data rate," (on purpose) just data rate. Even so, it might be revised to refer to enabling two devices, like a microcontroller and sensor, to wirelessly communicate at data rates of up to... That would clear up any ambiguity, if it exists.

    Most people don't even realize there's an RF data speed for wireless devices, but if they do know it, it's a foregone conclusion they're ready for the full documentation. That's why there are further reading links at the bottom of each KickStart.

    -- Gordon

    Ah, gotcha. Yes, I can see it that way. I just fall into some strange cracks - know just enough to be dangerous, I guess.

    The pages are great - exactly what makes Parallax so valuable. Thanks.
  • doggiedocdoggiedoc Posts: 2,245
    edited 2011-11-24 08:43
    Noticed a bit more press about it on the Make: front page.

    LINK

    Paul
  • Kevin WoodKevin Wood Posts: 1,266
    edited 2011-11-24 17:33
    The page looks good. I'd like to make a suggestion... move the QuickStart picture to the right of the page, make the 3 images slightly smaller (75%), and fill the current QuickStart location with a group shot of some accessories.
  • GordonMcCombGordonMcComb Posts: 3,366
    edited 2011-11-25 10:34
    Kevin, Working on something very similar, with a photo of a bunch of the product all spilled out on a tabletop, and with the three different controllers superimposed over. Just waiting to feel a little better -- coming out of a bad flu.
  • Ken GraceyKen Gracey Posts: 7,401
    edited 2011-11-25 10:54
    GordonMcComb wrote: »
    Kevin, Working on something very similar, with a photo of a bunch of the product all spilled out on a tabletop, and with the three different controllers superimposed over. Just waiting to feel a little better -- coming out of a bad flu.

    Aww, Gordon. Sorry you are feeling under the weather. Rest up, take your time, and rebuild.

    Ken Gracey
  • SRLMSRLM Posts: 5,045
    edited 2011-11-25 10:58
    I find the name confusing with the much more well known http://www.kickstart.org/ and http://www.kickstarter.com/...
  • GordonMcCombGordonMcComb Posts: 3,366
    edited 2011-11-25 12:15
    A more well-known use of the term is for a motor kick starter, invented a century ago. It's just a common English term that so happens to be used by various people for various things. The site isn't about taking donations of any type, so I don't see how it would be confusing regarding its intent.

    -- Gordon
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