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2004 Parallax Catalog — Parallax Forums

2004 Parallax Catalog

microcontrollerusermicrocontrolleruser Posts: 1,194
in General Discussion

Found this while looking for something else.

http://www.mouser.com/catalog/supplier/library/parallaxminicatalog.pdf

Javelin.

Downloaded Javelin Editor and that is a SERIOUS editor. Heavy emphasis on Debugging like SX Editor.

SX

Where's the SX Blitz? Did it come out after 2004? That's a short time for them to totally disappear. Say if it came out in 2008 or 2010.

FPGA

Guess there is some connection to today's Propeller 2 FPGA files.

Comments

  • Ken GraceyKen Gracey Posts: 7,392
    Well, you're just unravelling a history of technology from Parallax and others. We've been in business for 30 years and there's been a lot of progress over that period of time. If you go way back you might even stumble across the ISEPIC.

    Where's the SX Blitz? End of life, retired, ran its course already. It was a program-only tool for the SX, usually used in low-quantity production environments and for people who didn't care about lack of debugging capabilities.

    Ken Gracey
  • microcontrollerusermicrocontrolleruser Posts: 1,194

    Ken

    'Microprocessor Archaeology' is big fun!

    ISEPIC? Sounds like it might have something to do with MELabs Epic programmer.

    I'll find out what it was.

    Good take on the SX Blitz. Have a lead on one though. We'll see how it pans out.

    That Javelin Editor IS impressive!

    Well.Let me get my pith helmet and keep digging here. Like the archaeologist's in the Mummy movies. :smile:
  • Beau SchwabeBeau Schwabe Posts: 6,566
    I received a promotional SX-Blitz in 1998 or 1999 directly from Jeff Martin .... I still have it along with the 3.5 inch disk
  • microcontrollerusermicrocontrolleruser Posts: 1,194

    Beau

    About all I got done in the 90's was read Qbasic for dummies and the Que book on Qbasic.

    It was hard to do hobbies in that occupation.

    That places the SX blitz pretty good. Out in '98 and all gone in 2004.

    That probably explains why they are hard to find now.

    PM me if you can come up with a price on the one you have.

    That whole catalog is full of interesting stuff.

    The NXP boards and Demo boards are pretty cool.
  • David BetzDavid Betz Posts: 14,516
    Interesting. I didn't know that Parallax had FPGA boards prior to the Prop123 ones. Was there educational material from Parallax to go with those FPGA boards?
  • Ken GraceyKen Gracey Posts: 7,392
    Beau Schwabe wrote: »
    I received a promotional SX-Blitz in 1998 or 1999 directly from Jeff Martin .... I still have it along with the 3.5 inch disk

    microcontrolleruser wants it, Beau :)

  • Ken GraceyKen Gracey Posts: 7,392
    edited 2017-11-02 04:14
    I'm surprised our SX Development System software still runs on Windows. Pretty soon it's not going to work anymore. When that time comes we won't be able to remedy the situation. This software represents some work from Chip, then Günther Daubach (a super EE from Germany who we worked with for many years but passed recently), and Peter Montgomery. The software had layers of revisions and libraries from others.

    Sometimes it looked like we were just patching the ship with duct tape and zip ties.

    If it doesn't "work" anymore you're on your own, microcontrolleruser! It was twenty (20) years ago we started the SX project with then-named Scenix Semiconductor. Chip met the Scenix founder Steve Leung while searching on-line with Webcrawler for super high-speed flash EEPROMs. Steve was a motivated and very capable Hong Kong / American tech startup leader. He has since passed away but left a number of productive companies behind.

    The SX came out of the gate really hot as the fastest 8-bit micro on planet earth, almost a bit too hot because it attracted the attention of Microchip.

    And then the lawyers got involved. And things got messy. And. . .you'll need to buy the book, but I assure you it's an interesting story!

    Ken Gracey
  • microcontrollerusermicrocontrolleruser Posts: 1,194

    Ken

    My end game is to get an SX-Key from Iconstructix for $59.95.

    Another source I'm waiting to hear from has Key's and maybe Blitz's.

    Point is don't worry about it too much.We'll get one some how! :smile:

    You are right about the quality of the IDE.

    The Javelin Editor looks very good too.

    Installing Windows 2000 on second hard drive to run Tech Tools PIC assembler compiler.

    Can install third drive for Windows 7 Pro if we ever upgrade to run Windows 10.

    Thanks for the interest! :smile:
  • microcontrollerusermicrocontrolleruser Posts: 1,194
    edited 2017-11-03 01:56
    The NXP1000 and the BS2P24 and P40 Demo boards are just gnarly!

    Read the blurb for BS2P24 and BS2P40 Professional Demo Boards.

    'For the engineer'. Plus their named 'Professional.

    Not much talk here lately about 'Hobbyist' or 'Professional'.

    Seems geared to education primarily.

    EDIT

    Guess one of the big differences between then and now is the emphasis on Basic Stamps and Basic language.

    Parallax still seems to have all the Stamp modules. They are just not selling out.

    More than half of them are Scenix based so if they did sell out there is no replacing them.

    Except maybe they could be replaced with PIC's.

    Guess it's Propeller for Parallax now but there is a whole lot that you can do with Stamps.
  • WhitWhit Posts: 4,191
    @microcontrolleruser,

    Have field day - I apologize in advance for the hours you will spend looking! Have fun.

    http://forums.parallax.com/discussion/156945/past-parallax-catalogs
  • microcontrollerusermicrocontrolleruser Posts: 1,194

    Whit

    I have been sensing Publison and I have something in common. :smile:

    That is a cool link.

    Plenty of past Parallax catalogs.

    I will attempt to use some self discipline. :smile:
  • ajwardajward Posts: 1,130
    Anyone have manuals for the SX-Blitz or The KeyRing they could share? Yeah the SX is so yesterday, but I like learning things. :-)
    One of my ongoing projects is programming a Z80 in assembly language.

    Anyhow.

    @
  • microcontrollerusermicrocontrolleruser Posts: 1,194
    edited 2017-11-13 20:26
    AJ

    Go to parallax website and search 'SX Blitz'. Manual should come up. It's there.

    Yes. We've got a brand new Z80 eval kit too.

    EDIT

    Here's the link to manual.

    https://www.parallax.com/downloads/sx-keyblitz-development-system-manual
  • AwesomeCronkAwesomeCronk Posts: 1,055
    Is the SX really a clone of another chip(?
  • Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) Posts: 23,514
    Not a clone, but a much-enhanced PIC derivative.

    -Phil
  • AwesomeCronkAwesomeCronk Posts: 1,055
    Hmmm, what got everyone so upset about this then?
  • microcontrollerusermicrocontrolleruser Posts: 1,194

    There have been successful clones in tech business.

    Microchip just decided to push the issue and get rid of Ubicom.

    As you can see Microchip is riding high today so take from it what you will.
  • Buck RogersBuck Rogers Posts: 2,185
    Odd.
    I got my start with Parallax about the time the company launched the Stamp One design. And in fact that was with the DOS based product.

    In fact the blurb on the original list, that was archived off of Yahoo and available from the original Forum page, is why most of the time the first programs on both the Stamp One and the Stamp Two are the ones for the TI Calculator, the TI-83Plus design.

    In fact the fellow's website for that very issue is still up, there's no reason to go digging via the Internet Archive for it.
  • microcontrollerusermicrocontrolleruser Posts: 1,194

    'In fact the blurb on the original list'

    Do you mean something in the catalog?
  • PublisonPublison Posts: 12,366
    microcontrolleruser wrote: »
    'In fact the blurb on the original list'

    Do you mean something in the catalog?

    I believe he means the Yahoo list, which was the original Parallax forum.

  • Buck RogersBuck Rogers Posts: 2,185
    Publison wrote: »
    microcontrolleruser wrote: »
    'In fact the blurb on the original list'

    Do you mean something in the catalog?

    I believe he means the Yahoo list, which was the original Parallax forum.

    Hello!
    Exactly. It was right there in the original posting.

    I'd give anything to find out just how many Stamp-D designs are still in use someplace.

  • microcontrollerusermicrocontrolleruser Posts: 1,194

    'I believe he means the Yahoo list, which was the original Parallax forum.'

    Thanks!

  • KotobukiKotobuki Posts: 82
    I miss the "old days" when manufacturers had catalogs and people actually read paper documents. I must be one of the few that still writes letters to friends, (mostly overseas) and enjoys receiving them. I still send cards to relatives on their birthdays and holidays. I still leave my wife love notes in her car so that she gets them when she goes to work.

    I might be a has been, but I am not a Luddite. I love technology, but my life does not revolve around technology.

    Best,

    J
  • microcontrollerusermicrocontrolleruser Posts: 1,194

    Good going!

    I prefer book manual over .PDF

    .PDF serves it's purpose.You can see if you like it first.

  • AntediluvianAntediluvian Posts: 87
    microcontrolleruser wrote: »
    My end game is to get an SX-Key from Iconstructix for $59.95. Another source I'm waiting to hear from has Key's and maybe Blitz's. Point is don't worry about it too much.We'll get one some how! :smile:

    I have a handful of SX Blitz / Keys that I could give you if I can ever get back to my storage unit and go through the parts boxes. I was looking for SX stuff for you before I was forced to "un-occupy" my house. Sorry I ran out of time. Someday I hope to get back to all that stuff and start unloading it.


  • microcontrollerusermicrocontrolleruser Posts: 1,194

    Chris

    I'm on it.

    PMing you.
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