Shop OBEX P1 Docs P2 Docs Learn Events
propeller chip android computer — Parallax Forums

propeller chip android computer

KeyBoardKeyBoard Posts: 22
edited 2012-10-04 00:30 in Propeller 1
Hi there

I want to start a project using a propeller as a cpu for a custom pda
I will start to get the parts together to connect the screen and keyboard to the propeller ( I want to eventually use a touch screen )

any help will be highly appreciated

Comments

  • jazzedjazzed Posts: 11,803
    edited 2012-10-03 11:17
    KeyBoard wrote: »
    I want to start a project using a propeller as a cpu for a custom pda ...

    Hi. Welcome to the Propeller forum.

    I'm fond of putting a Propeller, LCD, and such stuff in little hand held and palm sized boxes.
    What kind of apps did you have in mind? Some things may be too big for Propeller.
  • rod1963rod1963 Posts: 752
    edited 2012-10-03 11:27
    Doable if you keep it simple and forget about trying to port Android or any kind of Linux.
  • Heater.Heater. Posts: 21,230
    edited 2012-10-03 11:30
    Yep, You need to talk to Dr Acula who has done some amazing things with a Prop and a touch screen. Like this:
    http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php?142751-Pacman-for-the-Propeller
  • KeyBoardKeyBoard Posts: 22
    edited 2012-10-03 11:37
    i was kinda gonna keep the apps simple but i was gonna include the hardware(xbee's, gps, altermeter, etc) so that i can develop apps to control robots but i'm really still trying to plan it and getting it to loaded the os from an sd card
  • Duane DegnDuane Degn Posts: 10,588
    edited 2012-10-03 13:56
    Rayman has some cool touchscreens. I've used several of his products to make LCD robot remotes.

    I personally like Nordic nRF24L01+ modules over XBees for wireless interfaces. The Nordic modules are much less expensive XBees and they are also a lot smaller than XBees. XBees do have the advantage of being easier to use.

    Depending on which screen you use, you may need to use two Propeller chips and make one of them a graphics slave. Both of my current touchscreen projects use two Propellers.
  • prof_brainoprof_braino Posts: 4,313
    edited 2012-10-03 15:51
    One method is to use the prop to talk to peripherals, and use some Cortex/raspberry pi/etc linux box to do the OS.
  • StefanL38StefanL38 Posts: 2,292
    edited 2012-10-03 21:56
    if you look at the specs of an actual or even an old android smartphone
    processor old 300 MHz actual 1 GHz Memory: old 128.000 kB new 512.000 kB I think you can estimate that a propeller won't work with android.

    Android is a complete and sophisticated OS. Even Version 1.4. So with a propeller an OS has to be much smaller

    best regards
    Stefan
  • rod1963rod1963 Posts: 752
    edited 2012-10-03 22:45
    Rayman has a Prop + Video controller card that would work great for video.

    OS wise Prof Braino has the right approach IMO. Or you can build your own from the ground up. Either way it's a heck of a project.
  • KeyBoardKeyBoard Posts: 22
    edited 2012-10-03 23:49
    I only have a propstick at the moment but I have a prop plug from an old project and with a prop chip only costing 8 $ getting a lcd slave controller prop, or 1 to control peripherals is not a problem as many as I need to do the job.

    rod1963 said: ''Either way it's a heck of a project.'' I though as such but I didn’t think was so bad but may be I am being silly and greatly under estimating the scale of the project at hand. I what’d to simplify it by using android, because then I don’t have to make an os from scratch and android has a wealth of apps and support.
  • Heater.Heater. Posts: 21,230
    edited 2012-10-04 00:01
    You do realise that Android is based on a Linux kernel. Even that by itself is a few thousand time bigger than what will fit in a Propeller chips memory space. Even if the Prop had a few thousand times more memory space if Linux ran in there the Prop is so slow that it would take a week to boot up. Not to mention a hundred other obstacles to getting Linux running. Then you have the rest of Android to worry about...

    If you really want Android I would suggest you get a Raspberry Pi ARM board, only 30 dollars or so. Check out raspberrypi.org they have an Android that runs on that board.

    Personally I'd stick with the more tried and tested approach of using regular Linux on a Raspberry Pi board, or Beagle board or whatever you like. Hook that up to your Propeller system via as serial link. Bingo, Prop does real world interfacing, Linux board does your GUI, storage, networking etc.
  • KeyBoardKeyBoard Posts: 22
    edited 2012-10-04 00:30
    I checked out the raspberry board i like it and your idea thanks for the help Heater
Sign In or Register to comment.