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What is your Christmas project? — Parallax Forums

What is your Christmas project?

Heater.Heater. Posts: 21,230
edited 2014-12-31 16:40 in General Discussion
Seasons greetings all.

It's been a tradition around here to get some little software/hardware project done over the Christmas break. Ever since we started to get computers under the Christmas tree back in the early 1980's or electronics kits, soldering irons and such as far back as the late 1960's !

What better time, when all in the house are passed out with an excess of food and Christmas spirit or vegging out in front of the Christmas TV fest. Ahh...peace and quite, quick, plug in the iron!

This year I'm trying to make progress on my version of propeller-load (From propgcc) in JavaScript. Yeah, I know, I'm crazy but I want to allow for programming a Prop from a Chrome Book or Chrome browser extension or from node.js. Initial, non-working and untested, code from a while back is here: https://github.com/ZiCog/propeller-loader.js

So what are you up to?
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Comments

  • mindrobotsmindrobots Posts: 6,506
    edited 2014-12-25 07:43
    Once I come out of my food coma, I need to clear a spot on my workbench for my 3D printer that should arrive mid-January. More prop related, I've been wanting to sit down with Bill Henning's PropPi and a Raspberry Pi and Node and see what I can do with that. Of course, ther's always the P1V and your favorite FPGA board to cozy up to the fire with! I just realized that the biggest space hog on my workbench is my unfinished Elev-8....so I could finish it (and clean the bench at the same time).

    Now this is all sounding a bit daunting. Maybe I should just grab a snack and sit down in front of the TV!
  • ratronicratronic Posts: 1,451
    edited 2014-12-25 07:54
    While waiting for family to arrive I am working with an Activity bot that I have attached a pan/tilt servo mechanism at the rear and a Raspberry Pi

    with a Pi camera. I currently have the pan tilt mechanism tracking a red SparkFun box. Merry Christmas everyone!
  • Heater.Heater. Posts: 21,230
    edited 2014-12-25 08:11
    mindrobots,

    Excellent. Because I was contemplating that my next step is to make the JS propeller loader into a simple HTTP server. Send it binary (HTTP PUT) and it programs the Propeller with it. As well as working from the command line of course. Using the UART on the Pi I need to make use of a GPIO pin to reset the Prop. I don't think there are any serial modules for node that allow for setting DTR/RTS anyway.

    Problem is I seem to have a turkey leg in one hand and a glass of wine in another and my nice code on github is looking a bit alien right now...
  • JonnyMacJonnyMac Posts: 9,105
    edited 2014-12-25 08:16
    I'm going to be in Rick Galinson's shop building my ELEV-8 V2!

    I'm also working on an idea called Propeller Platform Mini -- will send the files out for PCBs in a couple days. The board is 5cm x 5cm, has a 6MHz crystal, and MCP3202. I think it will be good for small prop (as in movie/tv prop) projects, as well as a flying co-processor for running WS2812s on my ELEV-8.

    Merry Christmas from Hollywood!
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  • Heater.Heater. Posts: 21,230
    edited 2014-12-25 09:23
    That's a neat looking board JonnyMac. I'm just wondering what a typical use case of a Prop in prop, as it were, like that is.

    I forgot to mention the other Christmas jobs to do around here: Shovel the snow out of the drive, pull the car out of that ditch it has gracefully slid into, put up the outdoor Christmas lights, split the wood for the sauna. Out in the forest jobs seem endless. All the while it's minus 15 C out there. Getting a 3G internet connection working nicely has been a challenge.
  • TtailspinTtailspin Posts: 1,326
    edited 2014-12-25 09:36
    Merry Christmas to all.


    My Christmas project is to install the electronics into my State of the Art "Table Top Flight Simulator".
    I figure once it's finished, In just a few minutes of "Training", and you should be able to control just about any Flying Machine...
    StateOfArtTableTopFlightSim.jpg




    -Tommy
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  • Heater.Heater. Posts: 21,230
    edited 2014-12-25 09:53
    Oh boy, that's cute. I want one !
  • JonnyMacJonnyMac Posts: 9,105
    edited 2014-12-25 10:17
    I'm just wondering what a typical use case of a Prop in prop, as it were, like that is.

    Well, lighting is a very big deal, and as I have been contacted by people that build props for the Star Trek movies -- and they have previously used a very small PIC board of their design -- this seemed like a good idea. First shield will be a combined 5V switcher (onboard 5V reg is only 1A) and drive for WS2812 LEDs. Will also put an RS-485 link on it so that it can be used in DMX systems. For discrete LEDs I'll build a shield with some small FETs on it.

    It's really a "let's do this for fun" project, but I think it will be practical, too.
  • David BetzDavid Betz Posts: 14,516
    edited 2014-12-25 10:21
    I'm afraid that my Christmas project this year was to migrate my NeoPixel Christmas ornament from the Prop Mini to a bare ATtiny85 chip. It isn't as easy or fun to program but it's a lot cheaper.
  • Heater.Heater. Posts: 21,230
    edited 2014-12-25 10:29
    JonnyMac,

    I hate to think that the vast computing power of the Enterprise is actually a bunch of PICs. Better use Propellers. Make it so.
  • Heater.Heater. Posts: 21,230
    edited 2014-12-25 10:46
    Did I say "Make it so"?

    Check out the Star Trek Christmas song https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RrG4JnrN5GA

    Merry Christmas all.

    Make it so, make it so, make it so.
  • JonnyMacJonnyMac Posts: 9,105
    edited 2014-12-25 12:31
    Working on it! :)
  • zappmanzappman Posts: 418
    edited 2014-12-25 17:35
    I usually built something between Christmas and New Years.

    Yesterday morning 12/24/2014, I built a new robot.

    Now I am working on its programming.

    Pictures attached below:

    Frank_left-2014-12-24_1024x768.jpg

    Frank_rear-2014-12-24_1024x768.jpg

    Frank_right-2014-12-24_1024x768.jpg

    Frank_front-2014-12-24_1024x768.jpg
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    Frank_front-2014-12-24_1024x768.jpg
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  • ercoerco Posts: 20,256
    edited 2014-12-25 20:35
    Nice bot, zappman. Frankly, Frank looks a bit like a Stingray Activity bot!
  • JonMJonM Posts: 318
    edited 2014-12-26 00:32
    It's not a Prop project but I did put together a LightShow Pi project with a RaspiPi B+ and a SainSmart 8 channel SSR connected it to my X-Mas tree. It would be interesting to port it to a Propeller though.

    http://youtu.be/kPA-YQyqO6I
  • zappmanzappman Posts: 418
    edited 2014-12-26 03:41
    erco wrote: »
    Nice bot, zappman. Frankly, Frank looks a bit like a Stingray Activity bot!

    Thanks for the compliment Eric.

    Frank Is 4 parts BOE-Bot, 3 parts Activity-Bot, 2 parts Stingray and 1 part Elev-8 with some more parts added.

    For a little more information on Frank, see this thread at Savage///Circuits, http://www.savagecircuits.com/showthread.php?643-ZappBot-5-0-Robot-AKA-quot-Frankenstein-quot-or-quot-Frank-quot-for-short

    Frank is a work in progress.

    (I have not started a thread for "Frank the Robot", here at Parallax, as the forums seem to be acting strange.)
  • Heater.Heater. Posts: 21,230
    edited 2014-12-26 04:59
    Ah, I see, it's "Frankenbot". Nice.
  • rogersydrogersyd Posts: 223
    edited 2014-12-26 05:58
    I procrastinated for far too long this year. So at nearly the last second, I took a parallax shipping box, cut a hole in the top, dropped in one of JonnyMac's AP16+ boards, connected two parts bin speakers to the sides, downloaded and modified a few wavs, and connected a PIR. Finally, I wrapped the box up in wrapping paper and poked a whole through the back for cables.

    I guess you could say I took an OOTB solution, and put it back in the box. :)
  • LoopyBytelooseLoopyByteloose Posts: 12,537
    edited 2014-12-26 08:02
    Seems that a lot of people got drones for Christmas.

    http://www.theverge.com/tldr/2014/12/25/7449183/drones-for-christmas-presents
  • Heater.Heater. Posts: 21,230
    edited 2014-12-26 08:14
    For years I want a quadcopter. Not to buy but to build, as a challenge. Being lazy that never happened.

    Now they are falling out of corn flake packets. So pass
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,256
    edited 2014-12-26 08:19
    rogersyd wrote: »
    I guess you could say I took an OOTB solution, and put it back in the box. :)

    Nice. Sounds like a JIT AP16+ MP3 BIN PIR OOTB BITB XMAS project. :)
  • davejamesdavejames Posts: 4,047
    edited 2014-12-26 08:28
    Well, Parallax-wise, I'll be be figuring out the code to program an ADV3205 and putting the finishing touches on the BS2pe-driven interface that does so.

    In other-wise, I've leaky faucets to replace, kitchen cabinet doors to tweak, fishing license to purchase, movies to watch, and a trip to the shooting range to do.

    Merry post-Christmas all, and Happy New Year.
  • kwinnkwinn Posts: 8,697
    edited 2014-12-26 09:23
    Loopy Byteloose wrote: »
    Seems that a lot of people got drones for Christmas.

    http://www.theverge.com/tldr/2014/12/25/7449183/drones-for-christmas-presents

    BTW, Parallax offices are closed until the 29th. Perhaps they are hiding?

    Or just taking a well deserved long weekend?
  • Heater.Heater. Posts: 21,230
    edited 2014-12-26 09:57
    I bet Chip is beavering away on the P2 "Chipmas" project in his burrow somewhere.

    Meanwhile my JavaScript Propeller loader code slowly came into focus again and I even managed to add a few lines to it and get it installed and running on a raspi. Man this is hard work.
  • mindrobotsmindrobots Posts: 6,506
    edited 2014-12-26 12:19
    Heater. wrote: »
    Man this is hard work.

    And the path to success is littered with turkey legs, wine bottles and assorted holiday treats!!! Be strong, friend!!
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,256
    edited 2014-12-26 18:50
    I have a brand new Boebot pyrotechnic gizmo I will post a video of for New Year's Eve. Mine is a handmade prototype, but it would be a cinch to 3D print...
  • zappmanzappman Posts: 418
    edited 2014-12-26 20:05
    zappman wrote: »
    Thanks for the compliment Eric.

    Frank Is 4 parts BOE-Bot, 3 parts Activity-Bot, 2 parts Stingray and 1 part Elev-8 with some more parts added.

    For a little more information on Frank, see this thread at Savage///Circuits, http://www.savagecircuits.com/showthread.php?643-ZappBot-5-0-Robot-AKA-quot-Frankenstein-quot-or-quot-Frank-quot-for-short

    Frank is a work in progress.

    (I have not started a thread for "Frank the Robot", here at Parallax, as the forums seem to be acting strange.)

    Here is a video of the "ZappBot 5.0 Robot" aka "FrankenBot"
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,256
    edited 2014-12-26 20:59
    "Wide stance" has a bad rap in some circles, but it gives a Bot like yours very good directional stability. Looks like a nice platform!
  • MoskogMoskog Posts: 554
    edited 2014-12-27 00:44
    No drones here, been busy with the snow. Been snowing and snowing all day long here during the holidays. So far its cold and calm, with temps down to -18C. If its getting windy we will really be in trouble! But there are lots of firewood so no problem!
  • Dr_AculaDr_Acula Posts: 5,484
    edited 2014-12-27 20:20
    This year's Christmas project has been to move the electronics lab out of the tin shed and into the Man Cave. Workbench, computer with internet access (via 3 wifi repeaters as it is some distance from the house), 200W music system (there is a good reason it is some distance from the house!), some nifty Ikea shelving my wife put together. Now to solder something together... :)
    ManCaveOutside.jpg
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