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Which Parallax Board is this? — Parallax Forums

Which Parallax Board is this?

ercoerco Posts: 20,256
edited 2013-06-18 08:53 in General Discussion
Stamp kit, I assume made by Parallax. 1994. Pre-BoE? Museum-worthy? :)

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BASIC-STAMP-STARTER-KIT-BY-PARALLAX-/400507761053?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5d401f719d#ht_455wt_679

Comments

  • localrogerlocalroger Posts: 3,451
    edited 2013-06-13 18:15
    If that board is in fact genuine, it would be like the very first prototype era versions of the BS1, and also useless as it obviously is lacking the microcontroller which would have to be preprogrammed with the PBasic interpreter for the program in the also-missing but more easily replaced EEPROM. I have some doubts that it's the right board because the socket for the PIC has too many pins, the original BS1 had only 8 I/O and the Scott Edwards Counterfeit version used a much smaller chip.
  • GenetixGenetix Posts: 1,754
    edited 2013-06-13 18:45
    I see -10 and version 1.0 and other than 1994 I can't make anything out. It would be nice if the sell showed a top and bottom view so you could read everything.
  • Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) Posts: 23,514
    edited 2013-06-13 18:53
    'Looks bogus to me. The board has far too many electorlytic caps, a 32-pin socket (for ?), and no headers, pads, or other connections for the port pins.

    -Phil
  • Ken GraceyKen Gracey Posts: 7,392
    edited 2013-06-13 21:08
    Wow. I can't even name that board. That's an interesting socket for a BS1. We didn't manufacture that board, but it appears to have all of the support circuitry in EEPROM, resonator, and power supply. 1994 was a long time ago.

    Okay guys, what would you think of a new BASIC Stamp 1 Starter Kit? Maybe you're thinking - it's old, dated, small memory, etc. BUT, what if we released a really cool retro BS1 kit packaged up like a 1950s metal robot in a cardboard box? It could have a couple of parts to control and a sensor or two, and be decidedly very simple. And here's the icing: open-sourced, top to bottom - interpreter, IDE and all!

    I think it could be a lot of fun, and a great way to celebrate simplicity and make fun of everybody's demands for more speed, more I/Os, etc. I think the BS1 is still very useful for simple projects.

    Ken Gracey
  • pedwardpedward Posts: 1,642
    edited 2013-06-14 00:34
    I think it looks like a carrier board for a sound synthesis or recorder chip. The ones RadioShack sold were 28 pins and this has 32, but I think the 8 pin socket is for an LM386 and there is a speaker lead near the power switch.
  • davejamesdavejames Posts: 4,047
    edited 2013-06-14 07:45
    ...I sent the seller a "question" stating that the product description was incorrect. The question has not been posted to the page.

    Unfortunately, there are 4 bids. In about 5 hours, someone is going to buy something they don't want.

    Is this an example of that caveat emptor thing?

    :frown:
  • TinkersALotTinkersALot Posts: 535
    edited 2013-06-14 08:18
    Ken Gracey wrote: »
    And here's the icing: open-sourced, top to bottom - interpreter, IDE and all!

    I think it could be a lot of fun, and a great way to celebrate simplicity and make fun of everybody's demands for more speed, more I/Os, etc. I think the BS1 is still very useful for simple projects.

    Ken Gracey

    sounds like a cake i would like a slice of
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,256
    edited 2013-06-14 08:38
    Ken Gracey wrote: »
    Okay guys, what would you think of a new BASIC Stamp 1 Starter Kit? Maybe you're thinking - it's old, dated, small memory, etc. BUT, what if we released a really cool retro BS1 kit packaged up like a 1950s metal robot in a cardboard box? It could have a couple of parts to control and a sensor or two, and be decidedly very simple. And here's the icing: open-sourced, top to bottom - interpreter, IDE and all!

    NOW YOU'RE BARKIN'! You had me at BS1 Robot, Ken. If you didn't recall, I won the very first Trinity Firefighting robot contest in 1994 with my BS1-controlled robot. And I continue to extol the virtues of the BS1 in numerous more recent projects, like this simple mobile robot doing the Figure 8 challenge: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9l32qYXJfTg and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tonyRJ3SPIY

    With the flurry of recent activity to design "my first robot", or the simplest Boy Scout robot, the BS1 has been overlooked. I think more emphasis was placed on minimum cost than ease of use in most cases. Propeller-driven dual stepper motors are not an easy introduction to robots. From my experience in using and teaching the BS1 is about the simplest place to start and believe it or not, you can do a lot with 256 bytes. Kids don't write huge programs, not right away. In fact, they don't plan very far ahead. It's a very good match for a brief attention span. Maybe that's why I like it so much.

    A BS1 GUI, as you provided for both Scribbler robots, would be the bomb. Make one for the BS2 while you're at it. :)

    Robot chassis-wise, the BS1-IC could plug nicely into those tiny dollar breadboards. Micro CR servos and a small LiPo could go underneath. I also love the BS1 project board, as used in that robot in the video. (I should have stocked up back when they were $15!) What would be cool is a new BS1 board with a direct USB connnection, some standard servo headers, and provision for a better battery (maybe a 7.4V Lipo), suitable for driving motors & servos. That's where it's at.
  • WhitWhit Posts: 4,191
    edited 2013-06-14 08:39
    Ken Gracey wrote: »
    Okay guys, what would you think of a new BASIC Stamp 1 Starter Kit? Maybe you're thinking - it's old, dated, small memory, etc. BUT, what if we released a really cool retro BS1 kit packaged up like a 1950s metal robot in a cardboard box? It could have a couple of parts to control and a sensor or two, and be decidedly very simple. And here's the icing: open-sourced, top to bottom - interpreter, IDE and all!

    Sweet! I 'd buy one for sure. Sounds like lots of fun with some cool educational possibilities too.

    Right now the hottest thing for my 13 year old son is retro gaming. We can pick up used games and systems for almost nothing. The simplicity is really neat!
  • WhitWhit Posts: 4,191
    edited 2013-06-14 09:31
    I think Ken was talking about packaging the BS1 kit "like" an 1950's metal robot in a box.

    Even though no robot was suggested - it would be very cool.
  • PJAllenPJAllen Banned Posts: 5,065
    edited 2013-06-14 11:21
    Ken Gracey wrote: »
    what if we released a really cool retro BS1 kit packaged up like a 1950s metal robot in a cardboard box?

    The box is going to look like a "1950s metal robot"?
  • GenetixGenetix Posts: 1,754
    edited 2013-06-15 10:59
    I just saw this the other day. In the 2001 catalog the Basic Stamp Rev. D Module (#27100) has an 18-pin DIP. The same catalog also has a BS1 OEM (27295/27296) also has an 18-pin DIP but this time I can tell it's a Microchip PIC.
  • JonnyMacJonnyMac Posts: 9,108
    edited 2013-06-17 11:29
    And here's the icing: open-sourced, top to bottom - interpreter, IDE and all!

    Yes, please. EFX-TEK sells a lot of BS1-based Prop-1 controller boards and a problem that comes up from time-to-time is a lack of a native tool for Mac. The "Hollywood" crowd loves the Mac. Oi. I think it is good for Parallax to have cross-platform development tools for ALL of their processors, the BS1 included.

    I think the BS1 is still very useful for simple projects.

    Yes, it is. My friends at Disneyland have hundreds of BS1s in the park (mostly in the form of Prop-1 controllers) -- they're fantastic for small control projects that require quick turn-around. Last year I wrote a little BS1 program that was used to protect a $40K animatronic from specific unsafe conditions. Yes, the BS1 is still useful.
  • GenetixGenetix Posts: 1,754
    edited 2013-06-17 15:32
    I know the BS2 is good for automation but I always thought the BS1 was too limited. The BS1 is simpler, smaller, and cheaper than the BS2 so hearing that Disneyland uses them has perked my interest. One idea might be to create a Stamp-in-class book or set of books using the BS1 if that hasn't been done already.
  • localrogerlocalroger Posts: 3,451
    edited 2013-06-17 16:18
    Back around 1996 I installed several systems at state highway scales. These had a panel with several momentary pushbuttons that turned on message lights for the drivers, radio style, such as "PULL UP" "BACK UP" or "REPORT INSIDE." There was also a kill switch for an over height detector alarm and a couple of automatic switching functions. The original implementation used about 20 relays.

    At the time the BS2 either didn't exist yet or I didn't have any and I had a pile of then-new BS1 SIPs. I used two BS1's, one to read the buttons which were relayed by serial to the second, which turned on the outputs. Those consoles stayed in service until a couple of years ago.
  • JonnyMacJonnyMac Posts: 9,108
    edited 2013-06-18 08:53
    I know the BS2 is good for automation but I always thought the BS1 was too limited.

    The BS1 is certainly not going to solve all the world's problems but with a little imagination and coding, it can do far more than most will give it credit for. My focus is on electronics having to do with entertainment, and in those markets it works really well for small, discrete projects like museum displays, small holiday props and animatronics, etc. My friend John helped a corporate customer using a BS1 to measure/dispense black power in a re-loader machine. The BS1 even controls a stepper to dispense the powder, going four steps forward then one step back to prevent jams.
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