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$30 BASIC Stamp Activity Kit — Parallax Forums

$30 BASIC Stamp Activity Kit

ercoerco Posts: 20,259
edited 2012-09-09 14:56 in General Discussion
Right there on Parallax.com:

http://www.parallax.com/Store/Microcontrollers/BASICStampProgrammingKits/tabid/136/ProductID/789/List/0/Default.aspx?SortField=ProductName,ProductName

Izzit just me, or is that a smokin' hot deal? $30, down from orig. $70 price! 10 for $250!

1) OK, it comes in a bag, not a box (but environmentally friendly).

2) It's the serial version (but the USB serial adapter is included).

3) The book is the 2.2 version (but the 3.0 is a free download).

4) It's out of stock (but expected to ship on 6/8/2012)

BS2 HW board, servo, cables, USB , adapter, electronic parts, book. So what's not to like? Better hurry, I'll buy 'em all if you don't!

Comments

  • LoopyBytelooseLoopyByteloose Posts: 12,537
    edited 2012-06-07 07:14
    I should buy 10 or 20 and donate them to the local National Science and Technology Museum for a course for kids. After all, they can download a copy of "What's a Microcontroller" in Chinese.

    Actually, having the USB to Serial adapter is better for future projects of all sorts.
  • GordonMcCombGordonMcComb Posts: 3,366
    edited 2012-06-07 08:30
    erco wrote: »
    Izzit just me, or is that a smokin' hot deal?

    No, it's a KILLER deal! The USB-serial and servo alone are worth the $30 price. You get a free BS2 Homework board and assorted goodies to keep you busy for a few days (or weeks).

    -- Gordon
  • LoopyBytelooseLoopyByteloose Posts: 12,537
    edited 2012-06-07 09:15
    Ummm... This is rather awkward, but they have plenty of the same that are available at $40 each, but with the v3.0 text.

    Could it be that the stock is all gone and never to be replenished? Maybe the web page needs to be removed.

    $40 is still an excellent deal. And buying 10 for $350 is a good deal for educators.
  • GordonMcCombGordonMcComb Posts: 3,366
    edited 2012-06-07 12:17
    V2.2 or V3.0, both WAM texts are excellent. You save $10 by getting the slightly older but still useful version -- until, I'm sure, they sell out. The electronic version is still free. What's not to like about saving ten more bucks?

    -- Gordon
  • tobdectobdec Posts: 267
    edited 2012-06-07 12:22
    I have a few friends that would love these as gifts...hmmm
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,259
    edited 2012-06-07 16:39
  • xanaduxanadu Posts: 3,347
    edited 2012-06-07 17:25
    I need a wav sound of a cash register chi-ching every time I read your posts Erco.
  • LoopyBytelooseLoopyByteloose Posts: 12,537
    edited 2012-06-08 02:48
    Well, the WHAM translation to Chinese is only available in V2.2. So I guess I should order a 10 pack of those, give a couple to students and the rest to the Kaoshiung National Science and Technology Museum. Time to contact Sales@Parallax.com
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,259
    edited 2012-06-14 09:40
    Another great value for parts is the BoeBot refresher pack: http://www.parallax.com/StoreSearchResults/tabid/768/txtSearch/refresh/List/0/SortField/4/ProductID/480/Default.aspx

    $10 gets you a lot of good parts, useful with or without a BoeBot. Considering that the kit includes 2 IR receivers costing $4 each at Parallax, the refresh kit is the way to go. Shhh, don't tell Parallax or they'll double the price! :)

    http://www.parallax.com/Store/Components/Optoelectronics/tabid/152/ProductID/177/List/1/Default.aspx?SortField=ProductName,ProductName
  • LoopyBytelooseLoopyByteloose Posts: 12,537
    edited 2012-06-18 07:23
    UPS is trying to catch me to deliver 10 WAM kits. Now I have to consider the best way to teach these in Chinese.

    It may be much easier to use a generic editor for writing programs and then the tokenizer in Linux. It would be nice to have a Chinese language IDE, but it is unlikely to happen. That first chapter about installing the IDE is rather daunting for kids.

    Translation may be easy enough, but I suspect Parallax would have to pay $$$ to compile an Asian language for use in a Windows environment.

    It also would be wonderful if the BasicStamp Manual was completely translated to Chinese. But it just may be possible to muddle though with translation software. I'll just have to see what students come up with.
  • LoopyBytelooseLoopyByteloose Posts: 12,537
    edited 2012-06-23 05:07
    We have all heard that the longest of journeys all start with just one step.

    10 WAM kits v2.2 arrived in Kaohsiung and now I am a bit puzzled about how to best deploy them - though I do have some ideas of how to do so. I will likely try approaching the Electronics department of a local technical university and see if they have a microcontroller/robotics club. Then try to arrange a presentation and brainstorming session with that club.

    A bit of panic set in as I began thinking that I have an awful lot of Homework boards and related items. But considering the value, the panic has subsided.

    Consider this.
    Currently listed you can buy 10 BasicStamp Homework boards for $399.00 at the usual quantify discount.

    Or
    You can buy 10 WAM kits - including the Homework Boards, a USB to RS232 converter, a servo, a USB cable, an RS233 cable, and a rather useful array of component including one transistor, one variable resistor IC, a bunch LEDs, a few capacitors, a lot of resistors, a couple of switches, wire, etc.

    With shipping to Taiwan if all came in under $440 USD or about $44 USD per unit and you got the WAM book in English.

    There is an awful lot of value here. If I were greedy, I'd just try to sell off individual items at a profit. But the idea is to get students aware of what BS Homework board is and how much they can do with one.

    I'll spend next week trying to make contacts, printing out Chinese WAM manuals, preparing a CD of all useful downloads, and set up a presentation date.
  • mindrobotsmindrobots Posts: 6,506
    edited 2012-06-23 05:58
    Loopy, what a great project and donation to the future. I'm sure you wil have a solid following of thankful "Stampers" in no time at all.
  • LoopyBytelooseLoopyByteloose Posts: 12,537
    edited 2012-06-23 09:55
    The real trick has always been to find users that are willing to deal with some English. The BasicStamp Manual and the IDE are all in English.

    It is nice that the WAM V2.2 has been translated to Traditional Chinese, but I think you can see that there is still a lot of other material that is not. Has anyone ever written a Basic language that uses Unicode and Chinese Traditional Characters?

    So I am going to try to place this with university students and have them use it to mentor high school students.

    Westerners take a lot for granted in terms of what is a computer language. Which would you choose for 'if'.



    conjunction -- if


    如果
    if, in case



    as, if


    是否
    whether, if, whether ... or


    假如
    if, in case, supposing


    要是
    if



    if, in case, provided, supposing


    倘若
    if, provided, in case, supposing, granted


    的話
    if


    若是
    if


    假若
    if, in case, supposing



    if


    假使
    if, in case


    就是
    if



    if



    suppose, given, if


    使
    if, supposing



    if



    although, though, even if, if



    if

  • ercoerco Posts: 20,259
    edited 2012-09-09 12:13
    Well they're just $25 now during the sale: http://www.parallax.com/Store/Microcontrollers/BASICStampProgrammingKits/tabid/136/CategoryID/11/List/0/SortField/0/Level/a/ProductID/789/Default.aspx

    Tough call for $25, mystery bag or activity kit? This is one heckuva gift for an inquisitive kid.
  • RDL2004RDL2004 Posts: 2,554
    edited 2012-09-09 12:28
    For someone that's just getting started and doesn't already have a lot of those parts, that is an absolute steal at $25
  • rwgast_logicdesignrwgast_logicdesign Posts: 1,464
    edited 2012-09-09 14:20
    i won one of these in the contest and i gotta say at 25 this is a killer deal. mine came yesterday im pretty excited about how quickly the bs2 can get simple
    projects going, having only used propellers and avrs.

    my maine focus is micro computer type stuff, but since i got all this stuff and found an erector set im thinking i may build a robot on the side.. if ur not a bs2 user think about this 25 bucks gives u a fast system and enough parts to get your imagination going on projects you may have had no intrest in before. its always nice to get a real book too
  • ajwardajward Posts: 1,130
    edited 2012-09-09 14:48
    Local Radio Shack is selling them for $99!!!!
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,259
    edited 2012-09-09 14:55
    +1 !!!!!!!!!
  • RDL2004RDL2004 Posts: 2,554
    edited 2012-09-09 14:56
    There's some on eBay for $50
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