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What A Deal!!!! — Parallax Forums

What A Deal!!!!

NWCCTVNWCCTV Posts: 3,629
edited 2015-02-20 20:02 in General Discussion
What a great sale Parallax has this weekend!! I got a PPDB for a cool 40% off!! http://www.parallax.com/product/32111
I have been wanting one for some time but just did not want to spend over $100.00 on it. I also picked up a couple WizNet Ethernet Boards for almost 30% off. http://www.parallax.com/product/40002
Coupled with Free shipping I think I got a great deal. eBay was good to me this weekend also. I got a brand new RN-42 BT module for half price. Looks like I will be staying busy for some time now!!!

Comments

  • NWCCTVNWCCTV Posts: 3,629
    edited 2015-02-18 16:00
    So I know the Stamp Project Board comes with a whole slew of program activities. Is there something similar for the PPDB?
  • PublisonPublison Posts: 12,366
    edited 2015-02-19 09:59
    Andy,

    The Kickstart has a bunch of programs:

    http://learn.parallax.com/KickStart

    as well as the PEK:

    http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php/89958-Propeller-Education-Kit-Labs-Tools-and-Applications

    Probably the StampWorks for the Propeller.
  • NWCCTVNWCCTV Posts: 3,629
    edited 2015-02-19 16:55
    So there's no instruction manual or anything that shows how to use the various components on the board?
  • PublisonPublison Posts: 12,366
    edited 2015-02-20 07:01
    NWCCTV wrote: »
    So I know the Stamp Project Board comes with a whole slew of program activities. Is there something similar for the PPDB?

    The standard Stamp Professional Development Board (28138) did not come with directions either.

    If you bought the StampWorks Kit (27297), it came with a book and components.
  • PublisonPublison Posts: 12,366
    edited 2015-02-20 07:07
    NWCCTV wrote: »
    So there's no instruction manual or anything that shows how to use the various components on the board?

    I guess it's the difference of a "Development Board" and not a "Board of Education".

    The BOE does have curriculum on line, (no instructions included with the board).

    The PPDB is a "canvas" to prototype your ideas without having to populate a Bread Board with common components first. It just gives you a head start when ideas pop into your head.
  • Chris SavageChris Savage Parallax Engineering Posts: 14,406
    edited 2015-02-20 08:07
    Both the PDB and the PPDB had documentation online. However, it wasn't intended to be any more than it was, a quick guide to the different components on the board and a schematic. The "Professional" part of the name kind of implied that you shouldn't need more than that to develop on it. =)

    For example as a developer you can see there are 8 push-buttons, but how are they connected? A quick look at the schematic and you're good to go. Active-low with a 10K pull-up to 3.3V. There were a few improvements we made over time. Minor things for clarity and consistency. But it was intended to be as it was and not require any tutorials or educational materials. On the PDB the StampWorks kit was a bonus. =)
  • TtailspinTtailspin Posts: 1,326
    edited 2015-02-20 08:47
    You will need a fistful of hook-up wires.
    Hook up a cheap stepper motor, and try to control the speed and direction with the variable resistors, while the step patterns are displayed on some of the leds,
    also display the direction of the stepper graphically using one of the 16 segment leds, and using a VGA monitor to display the step pattern and rotation direction.
    Make sure you can hear an audible 'beep' from the amplifier when you change motor direction. And don't forget to display the time on the VGA monitor too.
    Use the push buttons to control a servo or two, just for fun...
    Oh, and all this can only happen if the 'Secret Code' is correctly set on the dip switches...
    For more advanced fun, be sure to plug your favorite sensor into the bread board, and make it do stuff too.
    It's a Propeller, so all this can happen at the same time... :)

    I really like my PPDB.



    -Tommy
  • xanaduxanadu Posts: 3,347
    edited 2015-02-20 11:42
    If you're using Spin I recommend working your way through the "Propeller Education Kit Labs: Fundamentals" book. I have the spiral bound book and other than the forum it's my best friend. The other things that help me are keeping datasheets organized, printing "cheat sheets", keeping good notes, and organizing my project files on disk.

    Personally I'd grab the datasheet for the L293D and control a small motor (in Spin). Maybe add a paper wheel to the motor and build an IR tachometer that displays the RPM on the seven segment display. Then throw in a closed loop controller and turn the color wheel into an encoder. Then add a second motor and send me the code :)
  • PublisonPublison Posts: 12,366
    edited 2015-02-20 12:07
    Another good source of examples in the propeller manual Ver 1.1:

    Also From the Prop Tool Menu, hit F1 and select "SPIN Programming Tutorial"
    pdf
    pdf
    PropManual_1_1.pdf
    5M
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,256
    edited 2015-02-20 19:21
    xanadu wrote: »
    Personally I'd grab the datasheet for the L293D and control a small motor (in Spin). Maybe add a paper wheel to the motor and build an IR tachometer that displays the RPM on the seven segment display. Then throw in a closed loop controller and turn the color wheel into an encoder. Then add a second motor and send me the code :)

    No, no, no. Get the antigrav and time travel circuits working and them PM me the code. Don't post it here in the open, it IS 2015 after all and Biff might be following along.
  • xanaduxanadu Posts: 3,347
    edited 2015-02-20 20:02
    I am close to posting code, but I'd like to get the whole thing working in one cog. Two cogs for time travel seems excessive.
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