BASIC Stamps <-> PIC?
At the risk of starting a religious war, I'd like to find out about
the trade-offs between using BASIC Stamp vs. PIC. I've read that:
- they're the same processor, except for the BASIC interpreter on a
stamp
- Stamp is easier to learn, but PIC is more powerful
- BASIC (and other) compilers exist for PIC
- PIC processors are cheaper
Some questions I have are:
- How hard is it to port between Stamp and PIC?
- Are the same devices (sensors, servos, etc.) compatible with each?
- In what ways is PIC more difficult and more powerful (assuming that
it is)?
the trade-offs between using BASIC Stamp vs. PIC. I've read that:
- they're the same processor, except for the BASIC interpreter on a
stamp
- Stamp is easier to learn, but PIC is more powerful
- BASIC (and other) compilers exist for PIC
- PIC processors are cheaper
Some questions I have are:
- How hard is it to port between Stamp and PIC?
- Are the same devices (sensors, servos, etc.) compatible with each?
- In what ways is PIC more difficult and more powerful (assuming that
it is)?
Comments
>
> - How hard is it to port between Stamp and PIC?
Not very difficult, but it does depend upon how close the compiler you are
using is to the stamp Basic syntax.
> - Are the same devices (sensors, servos, etc.) compatible with each?
Yes
> - In what ways is PIC more difficult and more powerful (assuming that
> it is)?
More difficult because you have a few additional steps with a PIC and it
requires a few additional parts. Extra steps are that in a Stamp you program
and download your code to the stamp in a single environment and can run the
stamp in the carrierboard you program with. In a PIC you commonly use one
program to write and compile your code and another to load it into the PIC.
Also, you usually need a programmer (a hardware device) to load the code
into a PIC and you then move the PIC to a project board to run it. Usually
is because there are carrier boards that let you program and run from the
same board, and there are PICs that can be programmed serially like a Stamp
once a bootloader code is programmed in. The extra components requires is
that most of the mid range PICs need an external crystal or resonator and
you have to provide the 5 v yourself as they don't have a built in voltage
regulator.
More powerful in that they execute instructions in far less clock cycles
because of compiled code, they have built in timers, they have interrupts,
many of them have built in ADCs, hardware PWM, comparators.
Best of all a PIC costs between $3.00 and $10.00 depending upon the number
of pins, speed, memory, and other features.
Tim
[noparse][[/noparse]Denver, CO]