Getting Started
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Parallax offers a pretty good deal on a stamp kit, but it forces you
to buy the BS2SX. Is the ONLY difference between the SX and the BS2
in the timing?
Thanks
to buy the BS2SX. Is the ONLY difference between the SX and the BS2
in the timing?
Thanks
Comments
I selected the BS2, the Board of Education and the programming
manual. I did this on the Parallax website. This may not be an option
if they're doing some kind of promotion, however, the 2SX outperforms
the BS2 in every way except power consumption. If the deal with the
2SX comes out cheaper than the standard BS2 package I would take the
2SX
There are several differences between the 2SX and the plain vanilla
BS2. You can see a comparison at the Parallax website. I believe the
2SX allows for 4000 lines of pbasic code, runs faster, simplifies the
process of writing to an LCD. The 2SX is also 10 dollars more
expensive than the already pricey BS2. (Not really a complaint,
Parallax support is, and has been superb.)
There are times I long for the simplicity of sending data to a LCD
without having to resort to EEPROM strings (and all that jazz), but
if you're just starting out (like me) The extra steps that are
sometimes required when using the BS2 are, to me, a useful part of
the educational process.
Regards
Rich
--- In basicstamps@y..., pstrittmatter@y... wrote:
> Parallax offers a pretty good deal on a stamp kit, but it forces
you
> to buy the BS2SX. Is the ONLY difference between the SX and the
BS2
> in the timing?
>
> Thanks
consider trying to talk them into a kit with a BOE and a BS2p.
Original Message
> Parallax offers a pretty good deal on a stamp kit, but it forces you
> to buy the BS2SX. Is the ONLY difference between the SX and the BS2
> in the timing?
you want for a BS2. Big regulator, stuff for servos, etc... I foolishly got
the Activity Board and found out many of the pins are not available due to
stuff already connected to them on the board.
Original Message
> I put together my starter kit kind of like reading a menu.
> I selected the BS2, the Board of Education and the programming
> manual. I did this on the Parallax website. This may not be an option
> if they're doing some kind of promotion, however, the 2SX outperforms
> the BS2 in every way except power consumption. If the deal with the
> 2SX comes out cheaper than the standard BS2 package I would take the
> 2SX
I don't know what your level and goals are with the Stamp, but I'm just
starting out and didn't get the Board of Ed. I just got a BS2 and a
largish breadboard from Jameco plus a few parts, tact switches,
regulator, etc., and I have found the large breadboard useful
(actually, I'm considering a third breadboard now...I may have to mount
them vertically on the walls to regain working space ;-).
On word of caution if, like me, you're just starting with electronics
and Microcontrollers and plan to utilize the Parallax tutorials to gain
your footing, be forewarned there are textual errors in may of the
tutorials. You must read very carefully and if something looks wrong,
it just might be the text, not you.
There is also another Yahoo group, Stampsinclass, where there is
currently a current thread dealing with some of the errors.
Heads-up.
Cheers,
-Neal
like.
Regards,
Al Williams
AWC
http://www.al-williams.com/awce/asp2.htm
>
Original Message
> From: Rodent [noparse]/noparse]mailto:[url=http://forums.parallaxinc.com/group/basicstamps/post?postID=knO-Eaex-wQXigZP-FnhMV4Q3fACytZZR-KSVhikm74A1uEb-zv4GcDlzJmFQdJq57bnZ4c4FIe4YK9F]daweasel@s...[/url
> Sent: Monday, July 09, 2001 3:58 PM
> To: basicstamps@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: Re: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] Re: Getting Started
>
>
> Don't even think about the other boards -- the Board of Education
> is the one
> you want for a BS2. Big regulator, stuff for servos, etc... I
> foolishly got
> the Activity Board and found out many of the pins are not available due to
> stuff already connected to them on the board.
>
>
Original Message
>
> > I put together my starter kit kind of like reading a menu.
> > I selected the BS2, the Board of Education and the programming
> > manual. I did this on the Parallax website. This may not be an option
> > if they're doing some kind of promotion, however, the 2SX outperforms
> > the BS2 in every way except power consumption. If the deal with the
> > 2SX comes out cheaper than the standard BS2 package I would take the
> > 2SX
>
>
>
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>
have the BS2, but have no idea on how to get started hooking up the
motors and sensors to it. Specifically - do I just start buying servo
(or stepper) motors and connectors to plug them into the I/O lines,
or is it more complicated. I am truly at the "rock" stage of
knowledge, and would really appreciate somebody that would clue me in.
There is a bit of electronics required here.
I don't know much about robotics, but this seem pretty
straightforward. How to do it:
2 phototransistors point at the sun, they are seperated. When they
both receive the same amount of light your sun-tracker is optimally
positioned. When one phototransistor recieves more light that the
other your device rotates (towards the phototransistor recieving less
light) until both phototransistors are evenly illuminated.
Thats what I would do, here's part of the nuts and volts of it:
I would use a 555 as a frequency to voltage converter.
(photiotransistor drives control voltage on 555) The more light, the
greater the output frequency. This would be done twice, once for each
phototransistor.
The BS2 would look at the output frequency of these F/V converters
using the "COUNT" instruction.
The BS2 would compare both F/V inputs, it would then turn a motor in
the direction necessary to get both F/V converter inputs equal.
The BS2 could then rotate the device left and right just to make sure
that the device is indeed pointed at the sun.
A hobby servo could probably accomplish this. The servo can be
directly driven by one pin of the BS2.
There are tutorials on the Parallax website that explain the
operation and instruction on the use of servos.
There are probably a million better ways to do it, I simply love the
555, costs about half a buck, and does everything. This could also be
done using ADC's to convert the analog phototransistor voltages into
a digital pulsestream the BS2 can understand, but the ADC's are WAY
more expensive than the 555. The code would also be more involved.
Good Luck
Rich
--- In basicstamps@y..., solar20052001@y... wrote:
> I want to build a small heliostat(sun tracking device) using a BS2.
I
> have the BS2, but have no idea on how to get started hooking up the
> motors and sensors to it. Specifically - do I just start buying
servo
> (or stepper) motors and connectors to plug them into the I/O lines,
> or is it more complicated. I am truly at the "rock" stage of
> knowledge, and would really appreciate somebody that would clue me
in.
value CDS photo cells. Now the servo moved until the light was equal on
both photocells. You would still need a 555 or something to generate the
input pulse.
>
> Hello
>
> There is a bit of electronics required here.
>
> I don't know much about robotics, but this seem pretty
> straightforward. How to do it:
>
> 2 phototransistors point at the sun, they are seperated. When they
> both receive the same amount of light your sun-tracker is optimally
> positioned. When one phototransistor recieves more light that the
> other your device rotates (towards the phototransistor recieving less
> light) until both phototransistors are evenly illuminated.
>
> Thats what I would do, here's part of the nuts and volts of it:
> The BS2 could then rotate the device left and right just to make sure
> that the device is indeed pointed at the sun.
>
> A hobby servo could probably accomplish this. The servo can be
> directly driven by one pin of the BS2.
>
> There are tutorials on the Parallax website that explain the
> operation and instruction on the use of servos.
>
> There are probably a million better ways to do it, I simply love the
> 555, costs about half a buck, and does everything. This could also be
> done using ADC's to convert the analog phototransistor voltages into a
> digital pulsestream the BS2 can understand, but the ADC's are WAY more
> expensive than the 555. The code would also be more involved.
>
> Good Luck
>
> Rich
anything heavy. Get on the Parallax site and download the Board of Education
schematic and the student labs that go with it. The BoE has servo connectors
on it and should provide some insight.
Original Message
> I want to build a small heliostat(sun tracking device) using a BS2. I
> have the BS2, but have no idea on how to get started hooking up the
> motors and sensors to it. Specifically - do I just start buying servo
> (or stepper) motors and connectors to plug them into the I/O lines,
> or is it more complicated. I am truly at the "rock" stage of
> knowledge, and would really appreciate somebody that would clue me in.
anything with microcontrollers. I have a race car and I am wanting to make a
LCD dash similar to this http://www.motec.com/products/adldash.htm I would just
buy this dash if I had an extra $4500, but I don't so there goes that idea.
Anyways this motec dash can connect to my motec fuel inj computer and receive
all the sensor readings that the ecu knows about via rs232 serial. I figure I
can fake out the motec ecu by simulating the commands from my homemade dash and
get the ecu to send me the data. i think the BS2p40pin is what i want to use
since it has alot of i/o. I was also looking at getting al's PAK chips to
handle the PWM outputs I need to control relays. I need to read 4 Horiba
exhaust temp sensor Thermocouple Type K, some delco temperature sensors, and
high or low voltage inputs, speed, rpm, etc. Tthe serial connection from the ecu
will be in binary form, but the ecu doesnt know all these other sensors, so they
need to be read in by the microcontroller. What would I need in addition to
the bstamp and a lcd of course to read these sensors?
Thanks in advance
Clay
[noparse][[/noparse]Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
need you can use regular transistors, opto-isolators, darlingtons etc.
Number of I/O pins is less important than ram and speed. Thanks to I/O
expanders (shift registers) like the 74xx595 and the PCF8574, you can have
scads of I/O while only using 2-4 stamp pins.
Take a look at some of the docs on the parallax site www.parallax.com, they
have oodles of great lessons in there on just about everything.
Original Message
From: "Clay Wilcox" <cwilcox@i...>
To: <basicstamps@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Monday, January 13, 2003 6:15 AM
Subject: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] Getting Started
Hey guys, I am new to microcontrollers. I am a developer but I have never
done anything with microcontrollers. I have a race car and I am wanting to
make a LCD dash similar to this http://www.motec.com/products/adldash.htm I
would just buy this dash if I had an extra $4500, but I don't so there goes
that idea. Anyways this motec dash can connect to my motec fuel inj
computer and receive all the sensor readings that the ecu knows about via
rs232 serial. I figure I can fake out the motec ecu by simulating the
commands from my homemade dash and get the ecu to send me the data. i think
the BS2p40pin is what i want to use since it has alot of i/o. I was also
looking at getting al's PAK chips to handle the PWM outputs I need to
control relays. I need to read 4 Horiba exhaust temp sensor Thermocouple
Type K, some delco temperature sensors, and high or low voltage inputs,
speed, rpm, etc. Tthe serial connection from the ecu will be in binary form,
but the ecu doesnt know all these other sensors, so they nee
Thanks in advance
Clay
[noparse][[/noparse]Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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