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What's the best way to be introduced to the Propeller Microcontrollers. — Parallax Forums

What's the best way to be introduced to the Propeller Microcontrollers.

garyggaryg Posts: 420
edited 2012-12-19 10:15 in General Discussion
I keep looking at postings related to the Propeller programming and use in projects.
It seems that using the Propeller is very complicated.

What would be the most simple, straightforward way to be able to understand exactly how the Propeller microcontroller works?

My concerns are:
Programming Language.
1) BS1 and BS2 use is pretty straightforward when using the Basic Stamp Syntax and Reference Manual.

2) Using the 3Volt I/O of the Propeller also would appear to me to be somewhat confusing.

I'm currently building what I call a ScareCrow Robotic Platform project and am using BS2 Homework board.

If I can make my platform work as efficiently as is possible with my BS2, my next project may need to involve the Propeller.

This sounds like there should be an easy answer to this question, but in the hours I've spent in the forum, I haven't really
seen an answer to this simple question.

Thanks for any comments, suggestions.

garyg

Comments

  • Mike GreenMike Green Posts: 23,101
    edited 2012-12-18 16:55
    The BS1 and BS2 are old, but still very useful products (mature might be a better word) with a tremendous amount of educational material created for them over the years. The Propeller is relatively new and is just really beginning to have a crucial mass of introductory materials. The Propeller Education Kit Labs is one excellent starting point. Parallax's new <learn.parallax.com> website is also good. There is a lot of helpful information in the two "sticky threads" at the top of the Propeller Forum thread list.

    3V I/O is pretty much the standard these days with many parts including most new microcontrollers working with 3.3V logic levels and some being "5V tolerant". There's a good thread mentioned in one of the "sticky threads" on 5V interfacing.

    The Propeller BOE is intended as a mostly drop-in replacement for the BASIC Stamp BOE. I say "mostly" because of the 3.3V logic levels. It's a much more powerful board than the BASIC Stamp BOE. You might also keep an eye out for the Spin Stamp. There was a problem with availability of the crystal used on that device, but this may have been resolved. You can plug the Spin Stamp into the BASIC Stamp BOE socket and run Propeller programs (using 3.3V logic levels). There's a BoeBotBasic that was originally developed for the BASIC Stamp BOE and a Spin Stamp. I rewrote the Roaming with the BoeBot program for this and it's exciting to watch it roam around and modify and test the program without a PC (using an iPhone/iPad as a terminal).
  • RDL2004RDL2004 Posts: 2,554
    edited 2012-12-18 17:01
    I agree, the Propeller Education Kit manual is a very good place to start. It's included in the Propeller Tool download (select "Help" on the menu).
  • NWCCTVNWCCTV Posts: 3,629
    edited 2012-12-18 17:13
    Myself I started with the Quickstart board. http://www.parallax.com/StoreSearchResults/tabid/768/txtSearch/quickstart/List/0/SortField/4/ProductID/748/Default.aspx

    I also received a free book for it when I bought my grab bag for the 25th sale. I am an avid Stamp user but once I tried this board out I found it and SPIN quite useful. Although my current robot I am building is designed around the BS2, once it is fully functional I will be switching it to the prop. There are so many cool add ons for cheap that it seems it can't be beat. Not to mention Prop 2 which is in the works!!!
  • Martin_HMartin_H Posts: 4,051
    edited 2012-12-18 17:43
    Take a look at http://learn.parallax.com/ which has projects and examples for using the Propeller chip. Also the 3.3 volts to 5 volts is more of a headache than a show stopper. If you have any questions post a note in the Propeller forum and people will probably know how to help you.

    BTW I still use my BS2 powered robot frequently because all the sample code out there lets me put something together fast.
  • Roy ElthamRoy Eltham Posts: 3,000
    edited 2012-12-18 18:08
    I know I am biased, but I would like to suggest listening to the First Spin podcast at www.firstspin.tv ? The first several episodes cover the propeller architecture and so forth, then we move into cover programming in Spin as well as interfacing to various modules using the kickstart pages at learn.parallax.com as reference.
  • msrobotsmsrobots Posts: 3,709
    edited 2012-12-18 20:03
    I think the best value you get for your money , educational-wise is

    http://www.parallax.com/Store/Microcontrollers/PropellerKits/tabid/144/ProductID/415/List/0/Default.aspx?SortField=ProductName,ProductName

    Enjoy!

    Mike
  • Ken GraceyKen Gracey Posts: 7,400
    edited 2012-12-18 20:25
    We're sitting on over 50 pages of C examples that will be unveiled on Learn.parallax.com in the near future (end of January).

    Our marketing staff will want to destroy me if they see this post, but it should be known for future readers of the original poster's question.
  • lardomlardom Posts: 1,659
    edited 2012-12-18 21:28
    I started with the Propeller education kit. I recommend it.
  • rwgast_logicdesignrwgast_logicdesign Posts: 1,464
    edited 2012-12-18 22:41
    Ken this is awesome news!!!! Ive really been hoping for a good c/prop primer to show up! Learning C for any new platform is difficult.

    @OP, if you have hardware already the prop manual v1 not 1.1/1.2 has a really good spin tutorial also! The free hydra book is also a good source of info which includes a PASM as well as Spin, and you dont need the hydra to follow it.
  • TymkrsTymkrs Posts: 539
    edited 2012-12-19 02:32
    I'm from a background of little electronics and no programming experience - and the Propeller was the first thing I've picked up. Love it and it's not intimidating to do beginners stuff, but not so limited that you can't do complex stuff.

    What're you looking to do with your microcontrollers?

    And I second the listening to First Spin (http://firstspin.tv) - we go step by step and make it less intimidating, I think.
  • Duane C. JohnsonDuane C. Johnson Posts: 955
    edited 2012-12-19 06:23
    I recommend introducing the newbie to the prop pretty much the way I did.
    Start by dumping FemtoBasic into the prop and start doing stuff medially and interactively.
    There's nothing quite so rewarding as seeing some LEDs blink on your command.

    Second, try PropForth. Interactive and fast.

    Third and only third is to get into spin or other languages.

    Duane J
  • Oldbitcollector (Jeff)Oldbitcollector (Jeff) Posts: 8,091
    edited 2012-12-19 08:55
    It depends on what you like..

    I tend to lean toward the hardware side of making things in hardware, (and I didn't have much of a budget starting out) so I was introduced to the Propeller with the "Protoboard" products from Parallax. Truth be told, any Propeller-based board is an excellent starting point, and there are many more options now than when I started a few years ago.

    Here's a few options with reasons...

    1) If you want something that works without fuss out of the box. (To dive into the software side) Get a PropBOE or Quickstart w/Human Interface Combo.

    2) If you like breadboarding, grab PE Kit. There is a great reference that comes with it that will get you started.

    3) Like to solder? Grab a PMC Kit and you'll have a project you built that will help you explore the Propeller with some of the most interesting options.

    4) Prefer the liberty of having no restrictions and like to solder? Grab the new Propeller Project Board USB.

    5) There is even a robot based on the Propeller complete with an experimenter's port.

    Jeff
  • garyggaryg Posts: 420
    edited 2012-12-19 09:19
    Thanks to Everyone for your suggestions and comments.
    I've printed this thread and will follow through on all of your suggestions.

    I started using Parallax Microcontrollers about Two years ago.
    1st project was a simple 10 minute off delay timer using BS1
    2nd progect was a test platform set up to run 2 servos and small motor using BS1
    3rd project was a Tachometer for measuring shaft speed on small motors using BS2 and LCD display.
    4th Project was a Parallax PIR sensor, no microcontroller to turn on a Big Mouth Billy Bones toy when Deer get close to my bird feeder.
    5th project is ongoing, controlling my 3 wheeled Scarecrow platform.

    The Propeller looks interesting to me because of it's capability of being able to do several things at the same time.
    I think my 1st Propeller project will be to flash LED's and possibly drive a few servos.
  • xanatosxanatos Posts: 1,120
    edited 2012-12-19 09:51
    Thanks for this info, very useful references. I've also been trying to figure some propeller stuff out... which I find odd because I have successfully made a few propeller-based items, but even when I was done I felt like I didn't quite "get" what I had done. My intro to the Basic Stamp was completely different. I bought the "What is a Microcontroller" kit at Radio Shack and in one night went through the whole thing, and by the following week I was making projects using things never mentioned in that kit - something about the stamp I just "got" right away. I have actually wondered if I am so well versed in stamp architecture and PBasic by now (about 4 years after WiaM) that my brain has a hard time wrapping around SPIN and the Prop architecture... but something is very different in that every time I go to try to "get" the prop, I still feel like I don't. I'm odd... :-)

    Dave
  • Duane DegnDuane Degn Posts: 10,588
    edited 2012-12-19 10:15
    Gary, The Propeller's ability to do several things at once is a huge advantage over other microcontrollers.

    The 5V to 3.3V level shifting is rarely an issue. Most 5V devices will read 3.3V as logic high and all you need between the Prop and a 5V signal is a 4.7k or higher resistor (I usually use 10k resistors).

    I've had a few 5V devices not work if I use resistors on an out going signal from a Prop, but once I remove the resistor, I've had very few 5V devices not able to receive input from the Prop.

    You mentioned wanting to drive servos. It's been a few days since I've mentioned my 32 servo demo so I figure now's a good time to mention it again.

    I agree with those who have recommended a QuickStart as good board to start with. You can use the touchpads as input devices (though they're not as simple to use as normal buttons) and you have eight LEDs to blink. Since the LEDs are on buffers, they don't interfere with the I/O pin if you use the pin to control something else. This comes in handy since you can use the LEDs to monitor the output (or input) to other devices.

    I've listed some "learn to program the Prop" references in post #3 of my index. Many of the ones I've listed have already been mentioned in this thread, but there are a few that haven't been mentioned yet.
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