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Microcontroller KickStarts: what should Gordon write about next? — Parallax Forums

Microcontroller KickStarts: what should Gordon write about next?

Steph LindsaySteph Lindsay Posts: 767
edited 2012-06-04 14:50 in General Discussion
Hey Forum Folks,

Gordon McComb is getting ready to to publish another round of Microcontroller KickStarts to complement his original dozen (thank you, Gordon!). To help prioritize this task stack, I'll be posting a series of polls at the KickStarts' new home: http://learn.parallax.com/KickStart.

The first poll will be up until Friday morning. The current choices are:

Sound Impact Sensor (#29132)
29132-M.jpg


4-Directional Tilt Sensor (#28036)
28036-M.jpg


>>Click here to vote in the poll.<<

We'd love to have your vote. If there are other Parallax devices you'd like Gordon to write about in his KickStart series, just ask, and maybe we can include them in a future run-off.

Thanks!

-Steph
29132-M.jpg
216 x 168 - 14K
28036-M.jpg
152 x 168 - 9K

Comments

  • ercoerco Posts: 20,259
    edited 2012-05-30 16:24
    Page not found!
  • RDL2004RDL2004 Posts: 2,554
    edited 2012-05-30 16:42
    It's just a little a typo, change dnode to node.

    http://learn.parallax.com/node/351
  • Steph LindsaySteph Lindsay Posts: 767
    edited 2012-05-30 16:57
    Fixed, thanks! (Now where is the blushing smiley face? Must be about time to go home...)
  • MicrocontrolledMicrocontrolled Posts: 2,461
    edited 2012-05-31 15:33
    Working with the Sound Impact Sensor is a easy as reading a pushbutton, so I'm voting tilt sensor.
  • msrobotsmsrobots Posts: 3,709
    edited 2012-06-01 16:46
    neither nor - how about the SAY-IT Module ? Or some other of those plentyful Parallax-Items with bs2 but without Propeller-support ?

    Enjoy!
  • Capt. QuirkCapt. Quirk Posts: 872
    edited 2012-06-02 22:22
    He should write about the Spin Stamp, and it's ability to make fast work of any 5v breadboard project.
  • msrobotsmsrobots Posts: 3,709
    edited 2012-06-03 14:33
    @Capt. Quirk - yes I second that. completly forgot about them. very useful little guys.

    Enjoy!
    Mike
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,259
    edited 2012-06-03 14:58
    Capt. Quirk wrote: »
    He should write about the Spin Stamp, and it's ability to make fast work of any 5v breadboard project.

    +1, XLNT call. At $30, the same price at a BS1 or Project Board, the Spin Stamp needs some love. Build a bot around it, the Spin Stamp Stomper!
  • GordonMcCombGordonMcComb Posts: 3,366
    edited 2012-06-03 15:10
    You guys are clairvoyant. I've been dressing up some ideas for the Spin Stamp the last couple of weeks. I'll be at Parallax HQ on Tuesday, and will bring it up with the powers that be.

    On the Say It -- I LOVE that thing, even though it never understood when I said "look." Alas, the product is no more. At least it's not in the Parallax shop. The VeeAr guys still sell their branded version.

    -- Gordon
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,259
    edited 2012-06-03 15:35
    Spin Stamp+orig BoE= Poor Man's Prop BoE for those who can't afford the $129 PropBoE right now. How 'bout some Spin Stamp/BoeBot magic?
  • localrogerlocalroger Posts: 3,452
    edited 2012-06-03 16:25
    wrote:
    On the Sound Impact Sensor -- how is it at detecting continuous sound? I have a personal project where I need to "hear" the contact of a drill bit with the material. Have been putting it off because I don't want to mess with microphones, etc. The decibel level change is pretty sharp (it's a lapidary drill).
  • msrobotsmsrobots Posts: 3,709
    edited 2012-06-03 18:53
    @Gordon - this is excellent!

    Enjoy!

    Mike
  • GordonMcCombGordonMcComb Posts: 3,366
    edited 2012-06-03 22:35
    Roger, I actually wrote these KickStarts a while ago, so it's been a few months since I played with the SIS. But as I recall, it just keeps the trigger high. It may not even toggle if the sound is constant and above the threshold. You can always just poll the output of the SIS at a somewhat lazy period, etc.

    As "simple" as the SIS is, it's quite a handy little critter. I wish it had an analog tap (like Parallax's gas modules), but overall it's quite flexible.

    -- Gordon
  • GordonMcCombGordonMcComb Posts: 3,366
    edited 2012-06-04 10:32
    erco wrote: »
    Spin Stamp+orig BoE= Poor Man's Prop BoE for those who can't afford the $129 PropBoE right now. How 'bout some Spin Stamp/BoeBot magic?

    It's not clear (to me anyway) that the Spin Stamp can be used in USB-based BOEs. From the Spin Stamp documentation, which goes back to 2007, pins 1-3 say Do Not Connect. That's probably okay for a serial-based BOE, but I wonder what would happen in one with USB, where the circuitry is always connected.

    -- Gordon
  • Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) Posts: 23,514
    edited 2012-06-04 11:08
    I don't get that "Do not connect" business. The schematic clearly shows compatible circuitry for SIN, SOUT, and ATN. Although they're non-functional for programming, they should work fine for communication -- even with a USB-based BOE.

    -Phil
  • Mike GreenMike Green Posts: 23,101
    edited 2012-06-04 12:06
    BoeBotBasic was originally done using a Spin Stamp and a standard USB BOE and BoeBot chassis with a PING and PING bracket. I had to add a 1K series resistor in the control lead to the PING and change the IR LED series resistors for a 3.3V supply ... worked great.
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,259
    edited 2012-06-04 14:50
    Three consecutive posts from my heroes of the Forum.

    NOW this thread is a party. :)
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