Bs2 WAM, Analog and Digital, Process Control a good start?
rwgast_logicdesign
Posts: 1,464
Ok so I came across parallax due to the propeller not bs2. Ive built some propeller boards and add ons, ran some obex code and have written some spin. I also have done quite a few pre built AVR based projects. I also know how to program in quite a few languages on the PC including many variants of Basic.
I want to try to learn this stuff and get good at it. My problem is ive been having alot of problems grasping the hardware side of things, i.e theory and design not following schematics, ive also been reading the all about circuits pdf books to make up for that.
I have the WAM kit and noticed thats I have almost all the components except the ADC used in the analog and digital book and the control processes book. So im wondering if going through all these texts will give me a better base for the fundamentals in how hardware works and how to communicate with it that I can then carry over to the propeller or other micro controllers? Or am I just wasting time and should learn on a propeller? There just seems to be plethora of basically free easy o follow educational material for the bs2 compared to the propeller.
Im also wondering the process control book says it requires a full BOE kit, would the HW board work? They seem exactly the same to me except that the HW board has the stamp soldiered on, while the boe has a socket for a stamp module. The other question is both of these book use an adc0831, I can buy one but.. I have a microchip mcp3208 would that work in pace of an adc0831? Obviously thes pin connections will be different but will the same code work across both ADCs? If not i can get an 0831 its just easier to use what I have.
Some of the stuff in this WAM book is really basic but im just trying to maybe start fresh unlearn what i think i know about electronics and get a good foundation with this stuff. Id really like to turn this into a career path someday.
I want to try to learn this stuff and get good at it. My problem is ive been having alot of problems grasping the hardware side of things, i.e theory and design not following schematics, ive also been reading the all about circuits pdf books to make up for that.
I have the WAM kit and noticed thats I have almost all the components except the ADC used in the analog and digital book and the control processes book. So im wondering if going through all these texts will give me a better base for the fundamentals in how hardware works and how to communicate with it that I can then carry over to the propeller or other micro controllers? Or am I just wasting time and should learn on a propeller? There just seems to be plethora of basically free easy o follow educational material for the bs2 compared to the propeller.
Im also wondering the process control book says it requires a full BOE kit, would the HW board work? They seem exactly the same to me except that the HW board has the stamp soldiered on, while the boe has a socket for a stamp module. The other question is both of these book use an adc0831, I can buy one but.. I have a microchip mcp3208 would that work in pace of an adc0831? Obviously thes pin connections will be different but will the same code work across both ADCs? If not i can get an 0831 its just easier to use what I have.
Some of the stuff in this WAM book is really basic but im just trying to maybe start fresh unlearn what i think i know about electronics and get a good foundation with this stuff. Id really like to turn this into a career path someday.
Comments
Devices likes BS2 have a tendency to either run out of processing time or out of hardware I/O pins and memory.
With exception of proprietary software / development, most of the microcontrollers can be programmed using similar languages and your general programming skills can be easy applied.
I would suggest to you to over-design you project hardware first before selecting the processor.
Of course it is helpful to have some idea about what processor you would eventually use.
Having both hardware and software knowledge / skill is the key.
Good luck.