The way I see it is that not everyone can be satisfied. Although I have never used the Proto Board, I have used the Project Board and I really like it. There are a few things on it that I myself may never use, but I am sure others would find these items useful. This does not deter me from buying the board. I buy it and if ever I do need the "extras" then they are there. I think if there is a specific way that someone wants a board, then design it and build it. If others like it, maybe Parallax will use your idea. If not, you have what you like and can complete your projects how you like.
Also please keep in mind, that I started this thread, so I would assume that it is a little obvious.
EDIT:
However, if we are speaking from the wish list mentality of my mind:
As I said before: the strength of propeller is multiprocessing. Sometimes 8 COGs are not sufficient. Prepare the pad for a second prop, which could run from the same clock (Xout of the first to Xin of the second) and allow two pins to bootstrap the second and later to communicate. Have the pins of the second prop routed to pad on the backside to allow arbitrary connections. This could give a push in direction to multichipprocession.
ErNa
Give me a high voltage proto board with a second Propeller chip. Now we're talking
Also please keep in mind, that I started this thread, so I would assume that it is a little obvious.
EDIT:
However, if we are speaking from the wish list mentality of my mind:
Give me a high voltage proto board with a second Propeller chip. Now we're talking
With the Propeller-2 presumably coming out next, which contains 16 cogs, I don't think adding a second Propeller chip is justified. You might have much better luck playing with the new Propeller when it comes out since it has 512KB and some math capability.
This thread is about what user can get now or maybe within a month.
The Prop-2 has been years in the making and still have no estimated date of completion so i don't think that is a reasonable solution for a proto board. The only chip that exist is the Prop as we know it today.
Did Parallax ever answer the question that started this thread? Is the Proto Board being discontinued?
I don't think this has been answered. It kind of sounds like this won't be decided until the new Project Boards have been released so we/they can see if the new boards meets our needs.
I think the USB Proto Board has been discontinued. I think the FTDI reset issue caused too many problems.
The original goal was to replace the Proto Board USB with the Project Board and keep the Propeller Proto Board (#32212) available for those that wanted a board without the USB circuitry on it. However the price point and a few other factors caused that board to go EOL. Currently it is unavailable. However it may be that once the Propeller Project board has been revised we can revisit the Propeller Proto Board as an option. That's not to say we'll bring it back. Just re-evaluate whether we should.
The original goal was to replace the Proto Board USB with the Project Board and keep the Propeller Proto Board (#32212) available for those that wanted a board without the USB circuitry on it. However the price point and a few other factors caused that board to go EOL. Currently it is unavailable. However it may be that once the Propeller Project board has been revised we can revisit the Propeller Proto Board as an option. That's not to say we'll bring it back. Just re-evaluate whether we should.
Thanks for the update. Any idea when the new Project Board details will be available?
However the price point and a few other factors caused that board to go EOL.
If price is the issue, jack up the selling price instead of discontinuing the board. As far as the "other factors".... I am sure the P2 falls in there somewhere.
To be perfectly honest, I cannot believe Parallax is EOL'ing the Proto Board. Most people could probably care less, but this issue has weighed heavily on my mind. The most useful board bites the dust.
We're in the process of manufacturing 1,000 units and our first article should be off the production line in a few weeks at most.
I'd expect to see them to be available by end of October or early November at the very latest.
Ken Gracey
This time around I think I'll be buying a few project boards. I still wish that a project board without on-board usb could be made but you've already made it clear that there won't be anymore new boards without on-board usb.
If price is the issue, jack up the selling price instead of discontinuing the board. As far as the "other factors".... I am sure the P2 falls in there somewhere.
To be perfectly honest, I cannot believe Parallax is EOL'ing the Proto Board. Most people could probably care less, but this issue has weighed heavily on my mind. The most useful board bites the dust.
Shame on you Parallax.
Parallax has EOL'ed quite a few cool products in the last year but it's different from their perspective. If enough people moan and groan though they may reinstate it.
Parallax has EOL'ed quite a few cool products in the last year but it's different from their perspective. If enough people moan and groan though they may reinstate it.
Of course it is different from their perspective. This is the way I figure it, of course I am just guessing. I would assume with all the R & D going into the new chip or whatever "it" is at this point, cash must be very tight and they must seriously evaluate risk, investment, return on investment, inventory, production runs, etc... I have no doubt that Parallax is keeping a very close eye on all data available at this point.
As for moaning and groaning, I do not believe it will do a bit of good, because their decisions will be based mostly upon making the most profit possible from the money they have invested into their products.
Of course it is different from their perspective. This is the way I figure it, of course I am just guessing. I would assume with all the R & D going into the new chip or whatever "it" is at this point, cash must be very tight and they must seriously evaluate risk, investment, return on investment, inventory, production runs, etc... I have no doubt that Parallax is keeping a very close eye on all data available at this point.
As for moaning and groaning, I do not believe it will do a bit of good, because their decisions will be based mostly upon making the most profit possible from the money they have invested into their products.
While I understand Parallax discontinuing products based on profitability I just wish they would let us know when they do. More then once I've gone to their website to buy something only to find that it has been discontinued and no longer available.
The interesting thing to note here is that a customer may purchase a product from us that we later list on our website as EOL. This may be years after the customer bought the part and another year before the product isn't available. The reaction to coming back to the site many years later and not finding the product is the same. As I said, the product may well have been marked EOL for a year or more, but if the customer doesn't come back to the product page and see that, to them we simply discontinued the product without letting them know. We do attempt to let customers who purchase large volumes of a product know of impending EOL, allowing them to make a final lifetime purchase, however we cannot easily contact every customer who ever bought that product to let them know.
Shame on you for being so open with your customers.
Shame on you for the times that you discontinued a product and released the design files so they can be recreated by anyone instead of just hoarding them for future use.
Shame on you for trying to operate a business, while trying to operate a community at the same time.
All of Parallax's good points will never change the issue of the Propeller Proto Boards becoming discontinued. I wish Parallax all the success with their new Project Board, but in my eyes, I doubt it will ever be as useful to me as the Proto Board has been.
As I said previously, we are looking into the option of continuing the Propeller Proto Board Serial (Prop Plug) version. I hope to have more information next week. One thing to keep in mind is that sometimes we have to order these in lots of 1000 pieces or more. If the product isn't selling that means excessive stock on hand that has some effect on taxes and such (not my area of expertise), but it is not good to keep building a product that isn't selling.
As I said previously, we are looking into the option of continuing the Propeller Proto Board Serial (Prop Plug) version. I hope to have more information next week. One thing to keep in mind is that sometimes we have to order these in lots of 1000 pieces or more. If the product isn't selling that means excessive stock on hand that has some effect on taxes and such (not my area of expertise), but it is not good to keep building a product that isn't selling.
But didn't Ken say in message #37 that he wouldn't make this board unless it had USB?
The Propeller Project Board replaced the Propeller Proto Board USB. So at this point we're looking at costs and other information to determine if we can bring the Propeller Proto Board Serial back.
The Propeller Project Board replaced the Propeller Proto Board USB. So at this point we're looking at costs and other information to determine if we can bring the Propeller Proto Board Serial back.
I guess I misunderstood Ken's post. I thought he meant that no PropPlug-based Proto Boards would be made. Sorry.
It seems that Parallax should produce whatever the market is demanding. If people aren't buying the non-USB boards then they shouldn't make them. If Bruce is the only one that will buy a non-USB board then maybe he should build it himself or try to entice somebody else to build him a small quantity of boards. Bruce, if you contact Parallax and tell them you'll purchase a few hundred non-USB boards I'm sure you can convince them to build a batch for you. Shaming them in public seems like a very childish thing to do.
If Bruce is the only one that will buy a non-USB board then maybe he should build it himself or try to entice somebody else to build him a small quantity of boards.
I could care less what type it is, USB versus Prop Plug, just keep at least one of them. As for building them myself, I would design an actual board instead. Nice try Dave.
I could care less what type it is, USB versus Prop Plug, just keep at least one of them. As for building them myself, I would design an actual board instead. Nice try Dave.
Thanks Bruce. Just having fun with you. Moderators, sorry if you interpreted that as a personal attack. Anyhow, Ken said they are producing 1000 boards, which should be available the end of the month or early next month.
Comments
The perfect board to switch from PPDB breadboard to soldered solution.
But who am I? Just building one of whatever things...
Enjoy!
Mike
If only it were that simple. I have tried that before.
http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php/133037-Dear-Mr.-Parallax-High-Voltage-Propeller-Proto-Board
Also please keep in mind, that I started this thread, so I would assume that it is a little obvious.
EDIT:
However, if we are speaking from the wish list mentality of my mind:
Give me a high voltage proto board with a second Propeller chip. Now we're talking
With the Propeller-2 presumably coming out next, which contains 16 cogs, I don't think adding a second Propeller chip is justified. You might have much better luck playing with the new Propeller when it comes out since it has 512KB and some math capability.
This thread is about what user can get now or maybe within a month.
The Prop-2 has been years in the making and still have no estimated date of completion so i don't think that is a reasonable solution for a proto board. The only chip that exist is the Prop as we know it today.
cheers,
rich
I don't think this has been answered. It kind of sounds like this won't be decided until the new Project Boards have been released so we/they can see if the new boards meets our needs.
I think the USB Proto Board has been discontinued. I think the FTDI reset issue caused too many problems.
We're in the process of manufacturing 1,000 units and our first article should be off the production line in a few weeks at most.
I'd expect to see them to be available by end of October or early November at the very latest.
Ken Gracey
If price is the issue, jack up the selling price instead of discontinuing the board. As far as the "other factors".... I am sure the P2 falls in there somewhere.
To be perfectly honest, I cannot believe Parallax is EOL'ing the Proto Board. Most people could probably care less, but this issue has weighed heavily on my mind. The most useful board bites the dust.
Shame on you Parallax.
This time around I think I'll be buying a few project boards. I still wish that a project board without on-board usb could be made but you've already made it clear that there won't be anymore new boards without on-board usb.
Parallax has EOL'ed quite a few cool products in the last year but it's different from their perspective. If enough people moan and groan though they may reinstate it.
Of course it is different from their perspective. This is the way I figure it, of course I am just guessing. I would assume with all the R & D going into the new chip or whatever "it" is at this point, cash must be very tight and they must seriously evaluate risk, investment, return on investment, inventory, production runs, etc... I have no doubt that Parallax is keeping a very close eye on all data available at this point.
As for moaning and groaning, I do not believe it will do a bit of good, because their decisions will be based mostly upon making the most profit possible from the money they have invested into their products.
While I understand Parallax discontinuing products based on profitability I just wish they would let us know when they do. More then once I've gone to their website to buy something only to find that it has been discontinued and no longer available.
Shame on you for being so open with your customers.
Shame on you for the times that you discontinued a product and released the design files so they can be recreated by anyone instead of just hoarding them for future use.
Shame on you for trying to operate a business, while trying to operate a community at the same time.
traVis.
If you want to be sarcastic.... Go for it.
All of Parallax's good points will never change the issue of the Propeller Proto Boards becoming discontinued. I wish Parallax all the success with their new Project Board, but in my eyes, I doubt it will ever be as useful to me as the Proto Board has been.
What I should have said was that in my opinion, Parallax has nothing to be ashamed of.
traVis.
I could care less what type it is, USB versus Prop Plug, just keep at least one of them. As for building them myself, I would design an actual board instead. Nice try Dave.
Keep it civil guys.
Personal attacks will be deleted.
I apologize for my part of that conversation.