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Comparing Basic Stamp Editor to PICaxe Editor — Parallax Forums

Comparing Basic Stamp Editor to PICaxe Editor

microcontrollerusermicrocontrolleruser Posts: 1,194
edited 2018-05-05 23:03 in BASIC Stamp
I have two comments:

Take a wander over to CCS C compiler.It looks like they both used the same IDE building software.

Those are NICE IDE's!

Second comment is I hope Terry Hitt that did SX/B and Propeller Propbasic has one more project in him.

Please build us a nice IDE like this one for Basic Stamps or SX's?PICaxe%20Editor.png
PICaxe Editor.png
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Comments

  • Mike GreenMike Green Posts: 23,101
    It's a huge amount of work to write a compiler for something even as simple as SX/B or PropBasic. The SX series is obsolete and has a hard "end of life". Who's going to pay Terry or anyone else for the work involved? Parallax is pretty committed to using Spin/Assembly, C, and C++ for programming Propellers as well as BlocklyProp (which compiles into C) for the educational/newcomer market. Parallax has existing compilers for PBasic for the Basic Stamps that run on a variety of platforms. Why spend a bunch of money developing a new compiler to support an obsolete product (SXs) or an older product that's being replaced by completely different new products (Propellers).

    If you want to take a compiler writing course and create a new compiler for the SXs or Basic Stamps, by all means, feel free to do it. There may be a small market for it for a while, but it'll have to have some valuable features for people to switch from a stable and reliable tool that's free.
  • microcontrollerusermicrocontrolleruser Posts: 1,194

    Parallax still has a ton of Stamps.

    Stamp2SX, Stamp2E.Stamp2P24,Stamp2P40,Stamp2PE and Stamp2PX's.

    That's wasteful for those to be just sitting there.

    A new compiler would help move them along.

    That's a fact.

    Maybe it's up to us hobbyists to take care of business about that.

    That IDE software is a known product.

    PICaxe and CCS IDE's look the same.
  • microcontrollerusermicrocontrolleruser Posts: 1,194


    CCS%20Compiler%20IDE.png
    CCS Compiler IDE.png
    1366 x 768 - 199K
  • yetiyeti Posts: 818
    edited 2018-05-06 18:02
    microcontrolleruser wrote: »
    A new compiler would help move them along.
    That's a fact.
    Maybe it's up to us hobbyists to take care of business about that.
    That doesn't work too. Look at the PropGCC drama.
    And why do you throw in so many empty lines?
  • David BetzDavid Betz Posts: 14,516
    microcontrolleruser wrote: »
    Parallax still has a ton of Stamps.

    Stamp2SX, Stamp2E.Stamp2P24,Stamp2P40,Stamp2PE and Stamp2PX's.

    That's wasteful for those to be just sitting there.

    A new compiler would help move them along.

    That's a fact.

    Maybe it's up to us hobbyists to take care of business about that.

    That IDE software is a known product.

    PICaxe and CCS IDE's look the same.
    What is wrong with the current BASIC Stamp IDE? It seems to have worked well for many people over many years.

  • microcontrollerusermicrocontrolleruser Posts: 1,194

    'What is wrong with the current BASIC Stamp IDE? It seems to have worked well for many people over many years.'

    Nothing is 'wrong' with it if you mean 'Does it work?'.

    The 'over many years' tells the tale though.

    It could use some revisions and updates.

    The PICaxe IDE has a Simulator.PBasic Editor could use a simulator.

    Like I said it can be a hobbyist project.

    Shouldn't be that hard to find that IDE software and just move things over to it.
  • microcontrollerusermicrocontrolleruser Posts: 1,194
    edited 2018-05-06 18:52
    If Parallax is tapped out then I pick the best idea.

    Solder the better Stamps to breakout boards.

    Sell them at a 'Stamp hobbyist to Stamp hobbyist' rate.$25

    I'm up for that.

    I will lay out for the Stamp and the breakout board.Can somebody solder it together?

    I'm suggesting a group project.Somebody besides me can run some programs on the 'Stamp2PXBreakout Board'

    and report in a post.

    https://www.parallax.com/product/pbasic48w_px24
  • microcontrollerusermicrocontrolleruser Posts: 1,194

    'That doesn't work too. Look at the PropGCC drama.'

    I don't want to.My trains just run straight down the track.

    'And why do you throw in so many empty lines? '

    For effect.
  • PublisonPublison Posts: 12,366
    microcontrolleruser wrote: »
    If Parallax is tapped out then I pick the best idea.

    Solder the better Stamps to breakout boards.

    Sell them at a 'Stamp hobbyist to Stamp hobbyist' rate.$25

    I'm up for that.

    I will lay out for the Stamp and the breakout board.Can somebody solder it together?

    I'm suggesting a group project.Somebody besides me can run some programs on the 'Stamp2PXBreakout Board'

    and report in a post.

    https://www.parallax.com/product/pbasic48w_px24

    Let's see a picture/drawing of what your breakout board would look like.


  • David BetzDavid Betz Posts: 14,516
    microcontrolleruser wrote: »
    'What is wrong with the current BASIC Stamp IDE? It seems to have worked well for many people over many years.'

    Nothing is 'wrong' with it if you mean 'Does it work?'.

    The 'over many years' tells the tale though.

    It could use some revisions and updates.

    The PICaxe IDE has a Simulator.PBasic Editor could use a simulator.

    Like I said it can be a hobbyist project.

    Shouldn't be that hard to find that IDE software and just move things over to it.
    It can't be a hobby project because the algorithm for tokenizing PBasic programs has not been published by Parallax. I suppose the simulator could work at the source level. Have fun building it. It may be of interest to a few.
  • microcontrollerusermicrocontrolleruser Posts: 1,194

    Publison

    I'm looking away on Futurlec.Maybe I saw them somewhere else.

    Do you want to be treasurer of the project?
  • David BetzDavid Betz Posts: 14,516
    microcontrolleruser wrote: »
    If Parallax is tapped out then I pick the best idea.

    Solder the better Stamps to breakout boards.

    Sell them at a 'Stamp hobbyist to Stamp hobbyist' rate.$25

    I'm up for that.

    I will lay out for the Stamp and the breakout board.Can somebody solder it together?

    I'm suggesting a group project.Somebody besides me can run some programs on the 'Stamp2PXBreakout Board'

    and report in a post.

    https://www.parallax.com/product/pbasic48w_px24
    A BASIC Stamp interpreter chip soldered to a board is just called a BASIC Stamp module. It can easily be plugged into a breadboard for prototyping. What is the need for a breakout board?

  • microcontrollerusermicrocontrolleruser Posts: 1,194

    It's cheaper.

    $12.99 for the Stamp.

    $3-4 for breakout board.

    Still looking for right breakout board.
  • Mike GreenMike Green Posts: 23,101
    You have to have a resonator and EEPROM at a minimum. Are you proposing having a regulator as well? That adds a capacitor. What about a programming interface? If you’re not planning on including those, you do have to figure those costs in when comparing the breakout board with a Stamp module which includes those.
  • David BetzDavid Betz Posts: 14,516
    microcontrolleruser wrote: »
    It's cheaper.

    $12.99 for the Stamp.

    $3-4 for breakout board.

    Still looking for right breakout board.
    How about this one?

    https://www.adafruit.com/product/1377
  • PublisonPublison Posts: 12,366
    Mike Green wrote: »
    You have to have a resonator and EEPROM at a minimum. Are you proposing having a regulator as well? That adds a capacitor. What about a programming interface? If you’re not planning on including those, you do have to figure those costs in when comparing the breakout board with a Stamp module which includes those.

    That's what I was getting at when I asked for a drawing. The BOM is not going to be $25 out the door.

  • microcontrollerusermicrocontrolleruser Posts: 1,194

    Here we go.

    http://schmartboard.com/surface-mount-boards/

    Schmartboard specializes in these, I believe.

    Could somebody figure out which one the Stamp2PX takes?

    'How about this one?'

    Yes.That's the idea.

    ' If you’re not planning on including those,'

    Can the breakout board be built to just bring the pins out?

    Then add those parts on the breadboard.

  • microcontrollerusermicrocontrolleruser Posts: 1,194
    edited 2018-05-06 20:48
    We need:

    Soldering person

    Treasurer

    Tester

    I will cover the cost of Stamp2PX and the breakout board for the first one.

    Okay.The breadboard and extra components too as Mike pointed out.
  • microcontrollerusermicrocontrolleruser Posts: 1,194

    Think this might work.

    http://schmartboard.com/schmartboard-ez-5mm-pitch-48-pin-qfp-qfn-to-dip-adapter-204-0014-01/

    Schmartboard%2048%20pin%20adapter.jpg
    Schmartboard 48 pin adapter.jpg
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  • kwinnkwinn Posts: 8,697
    edited 2018-05-07 03:13
    microcontrolleruser wrote: »
    'That doesn't work too. Look at the PropGCC drama.'

    I don't want to.My trains just run straight down the track.

    'And why do you throw in so many empty lines? '

    For effect.

    Unfortunately the effect is mostly annoyance, so is flogging a dead horse. The Basic Stamps have seen their day in the sun. The P1 can do anything the Basic Stamps can do and then some. On top of that, it can do it faster and at a lower price.
  • Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) Posts: 23,514
    kwinn wrote:
    Unfortunately the effect is mostly annoyance, so is flogging a dead horse.
    +1

    -Phil
  • Mike GreenMike Green Posts: 23,101
    One significant capability of the Stamps is that of interfacing seamlessly to 5V devices. The Propeller can work with +5V inputs with only a series resistor. Its +3.3V output levels are acceptable for some +5V inputs, but marginal at best with others.
  • microcontrollerusermicrocontrolleruser Posts: 1,194

    Bottom line is getting a DIP stamp from Parallax first.

    Then will get to work on Stamp2px breakout board.

    At this point we will just take care of it ourselves.

    They pitch those Schmartboards as something anybody can do.We'll see!

  • microcontrollerusermicrocontrolleruser Posts: 1,194

    'One significant capability of the Stamps is that of interfacing seamlessly to 5V devices'

    If you look at all the Stamps.From Stamp 1 to Stamp P40 and PX.

    You can spend a long time digging into all the features on them.
  • GenetixGenetix Posts: 1,754
    microcontrolleruser,

    Ken will make you a great deal on his remaining stock of SX chips.
  • The_MasterThe_Master Posts: 200
    microcontrolleruser,

    Have you ever actually purchased a Parallax product?
  • microcontrollerusermicrocontrolleruser Posts: 1,194

    'Ken will make you a great deal on his remaining stock of SX chips. '

    Really?
  • David BetzDavid Betz Posts: 14,516
    edited 2018-05-07 15:58
    Genetix wrote: »
    microcontrolleruser,

    Ken will make you a great deal on his remaining stock of SX chips.
    Yes but will he program them with the PBasic interpreter before selling them? If microcontrolleruser wants to make BS clones he'll need the interpreter on each chip.
  • Mike GreenMike Green Posts: 23,101
    The BS2px module provides the SX48 package pre-programmed with the PBasic interpreter, a voltage regulator, a 16K I2C EEPROM, a 32MHz resonator, some passive components for the resonator, regulator, EEPROM, and a few transistors for the serial to TTL programming/debugging interface, all on a convenient 24-pin DIP module.

    You're suggesting using the $13 SX48 package on a $6 SchmartBoard 48-pin breadboard adapter with the SX soldered to the adapter for $6. Add on the regulator, resonator, EEPROM, transistors and passive components and you'll have $35+ in parts costs and some soldering still needed for some of the small parts. If you buy the module, that's $80 ... a premium of $45 for convenience and reliability. Parallax tests their modules and will replace any that don't work (even if you somehow destroyed it). The module provides very short leads between the SX48 package and the resonator and between the supply bypass capacitors and the SX48. Your SchmartBoard has no direct connections for a resonator and for bypass capacitors. Will you have noise problems that the module would not have? ... Hard to tell until you make one and test it, but given the design it's very possible.
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