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StampII Interpreter

ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
edited 2001-02-13 16:13 in General Discussion
Under the what's new section on parallax's website they talk of a new
version of the StampII Interpreter chip(PIC16C57C) and provide a link to a
pdf file to address some differences.

The link does not appear to work. Has anyone managed to follow the link,
and if so, what are some of the differences compared to the PIC16C57?

From glancing at the datasheet for the PIC16C57C, I don't see anything
obvious.

Thanks

Steve



Below was copied from parallax website


January 29, 2001

Notice of Change in BS2 Interpreter Chip Hardware

Last year (2000), Microchip Technology, Inc. began producing a new version
of the PIC16C57microcontroller that Parallax, Inc. uses for the BASIC Stamp
2 Interpreter Chip (PBASIC2/P,PBASIC2/SO and PBASIC2/SS). Microchip has
labeled this new version "Rev. C".

Due to indications that the previous version of this microcontroller would
be discontinued, Parallax,Inc. began producing BASIC Stamp 2 modules and
OEM units using the new "Rev. C" PIC chips.

This document describes the necessary change to the BASIC Stamp 2 circuitry
to support this chip and is intended for use by any customer who is
currently, or plans on, using BS2 Interpreters for the purpose of building
their own BS2 circuit. For customers who are only using BS2-IC modules or
OEMBS2 modules, this document, and the issues pertaining to this change,
may be ignored.7

Click here to download the pdf file which contains diagrams and an
explanation of the recent changes.

Comments

  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2001-02-12 09:09
    At 6:34 PM -0600 2/9/01, sargent@s... wrote:
    >Under the what's new section on parallax's website they talk of a new
    >version of the StampII Interpreter chip(PIC16C57C) and provide a link to a
    >pdf file to address some differences.
    >
    >The link does not appear to work. Has anyone managed to follow the link,
    >and if so, what are some of the differences compared to the PIC16C57?
    >
    > >From glancing at the datasheet for the PIC16C57C, I don't see anything
    >obvious.

    The new silicon is manufactured on a new fab line. It is a smaller
    geometry and produces more chips on each wafer (and theoretically
    higher yield and lower price!)

    The allowable supply voltage is reduced from 6.25 to 5.5 volts, which
    shouldn't affect the StampIC with its 5 volt supply. However, that
    might be a big factor to someone wanting to run an OEM stamp from 4
    AA cells without regulation. It looks like there is a difference in
    the way the chip is programmed, which would be a big deal for
    production at Parallax.

    I haven't looked at the Parallax document either (broken link).
    There might be subtle (undocumented) differences in the oscillator
    circuit, capacitors required, or the timings or input/output specs.
    From the following Mocrochip document
    <http://www.microchip.com/10/lit/migrat/index.htm >
    the input threshold tolerance is specified differently for the two
    chips. It _might_ change the timing of the RCtime command slightly.


    -- Tracy Allen
    electronically monitored ecosystems
    http://www.emesystems.com
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2001-02-13 08:18
    Thanks Tracy,

    By the way, just how does one get to the threshold voltage of the input pin
    from data sheet you pointed out to me(migration sheet)? I know for the
    stamp it's near 1.4 vdc, but i never actually see that number in the
    datasheet, though that doesn't mean it's not there [noparse]:)[/noparse]


    Steve






    At 01:09 AM 02/12/2001 -0800, you wrote:
    >At 6:34 PM -0600 2/9/01, sargent@s... wrote:
    >>Under the what's new section on parallax's website they talk of a new
    >>version of the StampII Interpreter chip(PIC16C57C) and provide a link to a
    >>pdf file to address some differences.
    >>
    >>The link does not appear to work. Has anyone managed to follow the link,
    >>and if so, what are some of the differences compared to the PIC16C57?
    >>
    >> >From glancing at the datasheet for the PIC16C57C, I don't see anything
    >>obvious.
    >
    >The new silicon is manufactured on a new fab line. It is a smaller
    >geometry and produces more chips on each wafer (and theoretically
    >higher yield and lower price!)
    >
    >The allowable supply voltage is reduced from 6.25 to 5.5 volts, which
    >shouldn't affect the StampIC with its 5 volt supply. However, that
    >might be a big factor to someone wanting to run an OEM stamp from 4
    >AA cells without regulation. It looks like there is a difference in
    >the way the chip is programmed, which would be a big deal for
    >production at Parallax.
    >
    >I haven't looked at the Parallax document either (broken link).
    >There might be subtle (undocumented) differences in the oscillator
    >circuit, capacitors required, or the timings or input/output specs.
    > From the following Mocrochip document
    > <http://www.microchip.com/10/lit/migrat/index.htm >
    >the input threshold tolerance is specified differently for the two
    >chips. It _might_ change the timing of the RCtime command slightly.
    >
    >
    > -- Tracy Allen
    > electronically monitored ecosystems
    > http://www.emesystems.com
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2001-02-13 16:13
    The threshold is shown on a graph:

    FIGURE 16-8: VTH (INPUT THRESHOLD TRIP POINT VOLTAGE) OF I/O PINS vs. VDD

    At 5 volts Vdd, it shows 1.4 volts threshold. The few times I have
    actually measured it for a BS2 Stamp, it has come out closer to
    1.3--1.35 volts.

    >By the way, just how does one get to the threshold voltage of the input pin
    >from data sheet you pointed out to me(migration sheet)? I know for the
    >stamp it's near 1.4 vdc, but i never actually see that number in the
    >datasheet, though that doesn't mean it's not there [noparse]:)[/noparse]
    >
    >
    >At 01:09 AM 02/12/2001 -0800, you wrote:
    > >At 6:34 PM -0600 2/9/01, sargent@s... wrote:
    > >>Under the what's new section on parallax's website they talk of a new
    > >>version of the StampII Interpreter chip(PIC16C57C) and provide a link to a
    > >>pdf file to address some differences.
    > >>
    > >>The link does not appear to work. Has anyone managed to follow the link,
    > >>and if so, what are some of the differences compared to the PIC16C57?
    > >>
    > >> >From glancing at the datasheet for the PIC16C57C, I don't see anything
    > >>obvious.
    > >
    > >The new silicon is manufactured on a new fab line. It is a smaller
    > >geometry and produces more chips on each wafer (and theoretically
    > >higher yield and lower price!)
    > >
    > >The allowable supply voltage is reduced from 6.25 to 5.5 volts, which
    > >shouldn't affect the StampIC with its 5 volt supply. However, that
    > >might be a big factor to someone wanting to run an OEM stamp from 4
    > >AA cells without regulation. It looks like there is a difference in
    > >the way the chip is programmed, which would be a big deal for
    > >production at Parallax.
    > >
    > >I haven't looked at the Parallax document either (broken link).
    > >There might be subtle (undocumented) differences in the oscillator
    > >circuit, capacitors required, or the timings or input/output specs.
    > > From the following Mocrochip document
    > > <http://www.microchip.com/10/lit/migrat/index.htm >
    > >the input threshold tolerance is specified differently for the two
    > >chips. It _might_ change the timing of the RCtime command slightly.
    > >
    > >
    > > -- Tracy Allen
    > > electronically monitored ecosystems
    > > http://www.emesystems.com
    > >
    > >
    > >
    > >
    > >
    > >
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