Propeller Mini
W9GFO
Posts: 4,010
Just received two Propeller Minis. I really like that they include three times as many header pins as are needed. I initially thought it was an error but both packages include not one but two 40 pin header strips. I can always use more of those things.
Can't help but wonder why a few more IO weren't brought out. Looks like six more would fit without increasing the size of the board.
Can't help but wonder why a few more IO weren't brought out. Looks like six more would fit without increasing the size of the board.
Comments
I was looking at these for my project, but I need all the pins. Is there any way to get at the rest?
There is always the Propstick
Well, with a $13 labor and material cost (with no consideration to design NRE, tooling, stencil, documentation or support) it seems reasonable that we should be able to at least make the same margin that Wal-Mart would take on a toilet bowl brush, hence the small price increase to $24.99.
I like that statement Ken, I may need to borrow it in future negotiations with clients.
C.W.
My M44D40+ module / PowerTwig combo give you the same results plus all IO in a standard Prop DIP40 pinout. See post #7 on this thread for a picture and details.
I should have some details next week of a project where I put Parallax's Propeller Mini to work. The smaller form factor is excellent when you don't need all the pins. (the project only needs 14 and I want it super small)
I originally thought you'd figured out some magic to make them at $20 each, but it seems that wasn't really doable.
I debated doing the same with the avatar, but left the horse's rear end open for others. Have at it!
Inside Parallax we sweat prices too much. Problem is, we keep thinking that we have to compare price-wise to Arduino (open source, licensed - made for very low margins) and RasPi (non-profit company). But we have 42 salaries, and more importantly a thriving R&D investment that has to be fed on a daily basis. But this kind of business model will let us leap beyond what currently exists as competition, and bring our customers the next generation product that's far ahead of what we're seeing on the market today.
I would much rather pay more for a well-documented product, rather than pay less for something with poor documentation.
I remember getting my first BS2 and the book (the old one that had both the BS1 and BS2 commands, spiral-bound, red cover) and seeing all the example projects. I was so excited to start using it, the price didn't even come into my mind.
I'm not sure who wrote that manual, but it was really good. I wish the propeller had a manual like that one.
Bean
Same here. Your documentation and code examples/ theory of operation really gives depth to each product. Lots of people will make a tutorial for basic blinkers and "Hello world" but you guys write text books and that's why I choose the BS2 5-6 years ago instead of something else. Deep waters and all of that.
If you need all the I/O and small, my CpuBlade is 1"sq and brings all pins out, has an optional onboard 3v3 regulator from 5v, and has an optional transistor reset circuit. Plus I regularly overclock to 104MHz using 6.5MHz xtal.