Was: Motor interfacing gets better - also points about BSII / BasicX
Brandon,
> -The easiest option? Suck it up and be limited. I don't like
> this option at all...
You could use one of the serial I/O expander board from AW...
> -Ditch the Stamp and opt instead for the BasicX from NetMedia, a
> pin-for-pin BSII replacement. The BX does multitasking, which
> could do the PWM I need through software. And burying through
> the .docs, I noticed that indeed it does support two hardware PWM
> channels. Getting warmer...
I have been looking at the BasicX and I think - although it's well hidden,
and not shown in the BasicStamp / BasicX comparison chart - that it only has
two serial ports. The other lines are classed as 'digital I/O'...this means
they can be serial ports or not?
I have an application where I'm communicating with a GPS receiver, GSM data
modem, serial printer and 4x4 keypad - all via serial ports. I am not sure
this can be done with the BasicX.
> -Maybe, just MAYBE, some sort of circuit that uses a 555 timer to
> control PWM... but this would use plenty of the I/O. I could get
> a serial I/O expander... Getting more complicated...
Not a good idea, too complex for what you need - regarding the PWM. I/O
expanders are fine.
> -Use the easily available PWM coprocessors for each and every
> instance of PWM motor control. Probably would be more expensive
> than I want, plus require board space which don’t want to allocate
Well, that's life I guess :-)
> So I guess that all I want is a motor controller with many
> similarities to the SSCII, only designed for DC motor control.
I'd have one too!!
Cheers, and good luck on your project,
Mike
> -The easiest option? Suck it up and be limited. I don't like
> this option at all...
You could use one of the serial I/O expander board from AW...
> -Ditch the Stamp and opt instead for the BasicX from NetMedia, a
> pin-for-pin BSII replacement. The BX does multitasking, which
> could do the PWM I need through software. And burying through
> the .docs, I noticed that indeed it does support two hardware PWM
> channels. Getting warmer...
I have been looking at the BasicX and I think - although it's well hidden,
and not shown in the BasicStamp / BasicX comparison chart - that it only has
two serial ports. The other lines are classed as 'digital I/O'...this means
they can be serial ports or not?
I have an application where I'm communicating with a GPS receiver, GSM data
modem, serial printer and 4x4 keypad - all via serial ports. I am not sure
this can be done with the BasicX.
> -Maybe, just MAYBE, some sort of circuit that uses a 555 timer to
> control PWM... but this would use plenty of the I/O. I could get
> a serial I/O expander... Getting more complicated...
Not a good idea, too complex for what you need - regarding the PWM. I/O
expanders are fine.
> -Use the easily available PWM coprocessors for each and every
> instance of PWM motor control. Probably would be more expensive
> than I want, plus require board space which don’t want to allocate
Well, that's life I guess :-)
> So I guess that all I want is a motor controller with many
> similarities to the SSCII, only designed for DC motor control.
I'd have one too!!
Cheers, and good luck on your project,
Mike
Comments
>
> Brandon,
>
> > -The easiest option? Suck it up and be limited. I don't like
> > this option at all...
>
> You could use one of the serial I/O expander board from AW...
>
> > -Ditch the Stamp and opt instead for the BasicX from NetMedia, a
> > pin-for-pin BSII replacement. The BX does multitasking, which
> > could do the PWM I need through software. And burying through
> > the .docs, I noticed that indeed it does support two hardware PWM
> > channels. Getting warmer...
>
> I have been looking at the BasicX and I think - although it's well hidden,
> and not shown in the BasicStamp / BasicX comparison chart - that it only has
> two serial ports. The other lines are classed as 'digital I/O'...this means
> they can be serial ports or not?
READ THE Dox CAREFULLY. There are limitations on what can be done with
the serial ports (one, or the other, or posibbly both). Its been some
time since I read the dox, and I didn't keep them, but I WASN'T
impressed DUE to the limitations. YMMV, of course, depending on your
application.
> I have an application where I'm communicating with a GPS receiver, GSM data
> modem, serial printer and 4x4 keypad - all via serial ports. I am not sure
> this can be done with the BasicX.
You might consider the one of the EDExxxx (E-Labs) or PAK (AWC) modules,
to drive the printer, and to UNBURDEN the CPU. The MORE you can do in
hardware, the LESS is required of the SOFTWARE, and thus you GAIN
"horsepower", by load shedding.
>
> > -Maybe, just MAYBE, some sort of circuit that uses a 555 timer to
> > control PWM... but this would use plenty of the I/O. I could get
> > a serial I/O expander... Getting more complicated...
Please see the references below.
>
> Not a good idea, too complex for what you need - regarding the PWM. I/O
> expanders are fine.
>
> > -Use the easily available PWM coprocessors for each and every
> > instance of PWM motor control. Probably would be more expensive
> > than I want, plus require board space which don’t want to allocate
>
> Well, that's life I guess :-)
>
> > So I guess that all I want is a motor controller with many
> > similarities to the SSCII, only designed for DC motor control.
>
> I'd have one too!!
>
> Cheers, and good luck on your project,
>
> Mike
Regards,
Bruce
References:
E-Labs www.elabinc.com Todd Peterson (& co) [noparse][[/noparse]on this list]
AWC www.al-williams.com/awce/ Al Williams [noparse][[/noparse]on this list]