Is there an especially good online site to learn Spin ?
whiteoxe
Posts: 794
Ive been going through the Prop C tutorials and they are good but I want to learn a bit of spin as well to compare... I am using the Gadget Gangster USB platform(discontinued) so I have downloaded the PE kit documentation. I just am wondering if there is something else online to help me learn spin ?
Comments
Before the PEK came out, the Spin tutorial was part of the manual. In post #3 of my index, there's a link to the Propeller Manual version 1.0. It's where I first learned Spin (fun times).
An added plus with the PropBOE is it has a lifetime guarantee. (I've only burned out mine once so far.)
I think they've also done a stellar job with learn.parallax.com/ - especially the KickStarts.
Parallax, have a look at the two id;s ivve used to spend lots of money with you, not to mention RTN, and send me a prop plug
I think it's safe to say most Propeller boards don't have analog inputs. The QuickStart has pads where one can add components to perform sigma-delta ADC. I usually use an ADC chip myself. I like the eight channel MCP3208 and the two channel MCP3002 since they're so inexpensive.
Mike, you purchased the Propeller DIP Plus Kit? If so why are you griping? Yes, you need a Prop Plug to get it to work but you also need a breadboard and a USB cable. Should they send those too? The product page has a nice picture of the all the stuff in the kit and it's pretty clear there's no Prop Plug.
I can't think of anything you can do with the Prop DIP Plus Kit you can't do with the QuickStart. With the QuickStart you don't have to worry you got all your connections correct before you can start having fun.
Do you have something in mind?
I just made a quick video on how to power the QuickStart from the L298N board. The video is pretty poor quality (but high definition low quality) but I think I succeeded in making it clear which wires to connect where.
BTW, there are cheap FTDI adapters on ebay which can do the job of a Prop Plug. They're just a few dollars and usually have free shipping. I'll find one and add a link to this thread.
I'll make a new post when the video is done uploading. I'll try to add a link to the cheap FTDI adapter at the same time.
Edit: It looks like the video will take a couple of hours to upload.
Maybe Peter J has an extra one?
You could use your QuickStart card as a prop plug, but it would require some software to do this, and you would have to cut the reset connection and wire it to an IO pin. Has anybody ever used another prop as a replacement for a prop plug?
Long cable version.
Small PCB version.
You may need to use a capacitor inline with the DTR line to use it as the reset line. I think both of the above options have a 5V supply which could be used to power low current devices.
The video is still uploading but once it's done, it should be at this link. If I didn't make it clear enough let me know. Sorry for such a poor quality video (it's unlisted).
Edit: The video is up. Don't watch it unless they really want to know how to power a QuickStart from a L298N board or if you're looking to get sea sick from watching a shaky camera.
I didnt know the quickstart had no analogue either. yesterday i want to an elecrtonics store and asked for adc chips, they had none so i went to RS online but they sell in packs of 5 , free postage but it was still over $20 so maybe i will wait until i also need something else as well.there are other online local stores that i could by one or two but then with the postage i am not saving much if anything..
Thanks for letting me know about your video,I'll head over to your channel about 7am in a few hours, . its just 3am ...ive woken again, this is getting annoying waking at 3 or 4 in the mornings, imgoing to try and get back to sleep after watching the news and a cupa tea;)
BTW, i found the wheels for sale u used on your rover. they are very expensive so I'll put that idea away for later. I'm going to go back to Spin as you might already have read, its so well supported. but i cant even turn on an LED till i start. hopefully what id learned will come back to me quickly. but ill shut up about the prop plug its obviously not funny !!!!
edit: i just read the posts above Duanes, sorry to everyone for my perceived wingeing ..
I am considering buying this book on Spin but others might know if it worth the money.
http://www.parallax.com/product/122-32002
There is also this book which has a lot of examples of using the Propeller to do different things.
http://www.parallax.com/product/32316
Microchip offers samples of most of it's products as do many other electronics companies.
your close up video was perfect, you must have been using a good camera it refocused pretty quickly. I just had another idea that you may not like.. or like... I fitted my webcam to my other cameras tripod giving it a complete range of movement in every possible way. That could be handy when you need both hands free. One of these days i hope to use what ive learned to make my own vido that might help someone.
If i should run into trouble when needing a close up of anything, MC Board, sensors , chips, any device I might not bother printing out a picture
I would consider using a free screen recorder and using Gimp or Paint to draw and point out key areas. you can record audio at the same time and if you wanted to change the audio for any reason you can set the volume of that to zero(when you put it in a video editor) and then add a new audio track as you watch the video. When happy with it u then just splice it into wherever you want it to show.... just an idea but who knows in practice if its simpler or harder?
i learnt photoshop about 12 years ago but switched to Gimp three or four years ago and taught it at a small community college for awhile. Thats when i started using a screen recorded because the classes had to digest a lot and making notes was a really time consuming job. /It was far better for everyone to use screen recordings. I tried out a few and can't remember one that really stood out.
Maybe could just come up with a way to have better not perfect camera placement.is the easiest of all.
thx, cheers,
Mike.
SPIN-CODE-EXAMPLES-FOR-THE-BEGINNER
Everyone was a beginner.
Genetix, I have bought that first book years ago, round about the time I stopped this hobby for many reasons. Im lucky i still have it as when i moved from farm to city I threw out or left behind a lot. It is a good bookbut if id never programmed before it maybe not have been something i kept. I only just picked it up again the other day to flick through to try and decide if i should use C or Spin. Well, you or at lest i can't just flick through a book like that. . you have to read it properly;) it explains the chip well, how all cogs are idendical, how to start and stop cogs, use of each cogs memory and how to use the memory they all share. Simple examples of doing a task better by getting another cog to do a task such as getting the data from a sensor with one cog and getting it to ask another cog to respond. It has examples of motors, displays, pwm, other chips and examples. Maybe i should read the Prop Manual first. Or both at once , it will take a big chunk out of my week or month once i start. As soon as I have a LED blinking with Spin I'll post it in Completed Projects., no im just kidding.