pic micro versus basic stamp 2
Archiver
Posts: 46,084
i am in the market for a basic stamp but was looking over some books
of pic micros and noticed that the books...written by pic people of
course, stressed how much faster and cheaper pics are vs. basic
stamps. does anyone have any experience with both that can give me
an objective idea of which might be better, easier to learn, more
affordable, more expandable...thanks mark
of pic micros and noticed that the books...written by pic people of
course, stressed how much faster and cheaper pics are vs. basic
stamps. does anyone have any experience with both that can give me
an objective idea of which might be better, easier to learn, more
affordable, more expandable...thanks mark
Comments
markmcleod50@y... writes:
> i am in the market for a basic stamp but was looking over some books
> of pic micros and noticed that the books...written by pic people of
> course, stressed how much faster and cheaper pics are vs. basic
> stamps. does anyone have any experience with both that can give me
> an objective idea of which might be better, easier to learn, more
> affordable, more expandable...thanks mark
>
>
If you are just starting out I would suggest the Stamp because of ease of
programming. To program a PIC requires a compiler and some kind of a
programmer.
It can get a bit expensive. With the Stamp and the Stamp Editor you do not
have any of these problems.
Sid Weaver
W4EKQ
Port Richey, FL
[noparse][[/noparse]Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
purchase. However, a beginner trying to learn micros will have a VASTLY
easier time of it if they start on stamps. Parallax has oodles of
educational material for free. Other micro's, while possibly widely used and
having a gazillion example programs, just aren't going to be anywhere near
as usable by a new micro user.
Go out and spend $150ish (canadian) on a BS2 and board of education to get
started. As you progress, you'll probably pick up a larger breadboard and
various electronic parts/components etc. All these extras can be used by
other micros as well. So if you switch to a different uC, you aren't losing
anything.
P.S. I use Atmel chips for my projects now. Started on the BS2/BOE and I
still use the BOE for proof of concept and some prototyping - its just so
convenient and easy to get going compared to anything else that I just can't
retire the thing [noparse];)[/noparse]
>
Original Message
> From: sponsitility [noparse]/noparse]mailto:[url=http://forums.parallaxinc.com/group/basicstamps/post?postID=UuoDaL1sF42bMGAja21nDQkB0OueunE2xm7jJpJXzJQjWuqIaCjbn7Q_nXAGI0b52eZp9ACRjToHKKly6g]markmcleod50@y...[/url
> Sent: March 26, 2004 7:12 PM
> To: basicstamps@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] pic micro versus basic stamp 2
>
>
> i am in the market for a basic stamp but was looking over some books
> of pic micros and noticed that the books...written by pic people of
> course, stressed how much faster and cheaper pics are vs. basic
> stamps. does anyone have any experience with both that can give me
> an objective idea of which might be better, easier to learn, more
> affordable, more expandable...thanks mark
>
>
>
>
> To UNSUBSCRIBE, just send mail to:
> basicstamps-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
> from the same email address that you subscribed. Text in the
> Subject and Body of the message will be ignored.
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
>
wrote:
> i am in the market for a basic stamp but was looking over some books
> of pic micros and noticed that the books...written by pic people of
> course, stressed how much faster and cheaper pics are vs. basic
> stamps. does anyone have any experience with both that can give me
> an objective idea of which might be better, easier to learn, more
> affordable, more expandable...thanks mark
According to Parallax's web site, they sell the BS2 interpreter chip
preprogrammed (surface mount) for $5.04 in 1000 piece quantities. On
the other hand, Digikey sells the same chip (unprogrammed) for $2.61
each but you must buy 2100 pieces. The extra $2.43 per chip for the
Parallax Stamp sounds pretty reasonable to pay to ease of use, BASIC
programming support and all the schematics and support on this forum
and from Parallax.
> Pics (and other micros like the Atmel AVRs) as a LOT cheaper than
stamps to
> purchase. However, a beginner trying to learn micros will have a
VASTLY
> easier time of it if they start on stamps. Parallax has oodles of
> educational material for free. Other micro's, while possibly widely
used and
> having a gazillion example programs, just aren't going to be
anywhere near
> as usable by a new micro user.
>
> Go out and spend $150ish (canadian) on a BS2 and board of education
to get
> started. As you progress, you'll probably pick up a larger
breadboard and
> various electronic parts/components etc. All these extras can be
used by
> other micros as well. So if you switch to a different uC, you
aren't losing
> anything.
>
> P.S. I use Atmel chips for my projects now. Started on the BS2/BOE
and I
> still use the BOE for proof of concept and some prototyping - its
just so
> convenient and easy to get going compared to anything else that I
just can't
> retire the thing [noparse];)[/noparse]
Darn, that's really close to what I replied over on the PIC list.
The additional thing I added was that the people here who have
answered this in the past said that they feel that when using a Stamp
99% of the problems are in the hardware, not the Stamp and not the
Software.
When one is using some other device it is more like 50%/50% and it
can take twice as long to find the answer.
Another thing, and I have posted this in other lists as well.
At $150.00 the starter package is not parts, it is roughly equalivent
to a college course at a MUCH lower cost than at the local collage.
The $150.00 is an investment in your education, not an expensive
hobby. And it is one of the very few investments that will be worth
about 50% on e-bay in a year.
Dave
> to a college course at a MUCH lower cost than at the local collage.
> The $150.00 is an investment in your education, not an expensive
> hobby. And it is one of the very few investments that will be worth
> about 50% on e-bay in a year.
>
MEGGA DITTOS, Dave! I certainly wish that I'd had all the
great/cheap access to programming tools, hardware, collective knowledge
on the net that is readily available today at the click of a mouse. It would
have
made engineering school much easier and I could have learned so
much more. The tools available at Parallax, et al, are a bargain to say
the least.
Tom Fisher MD BSEE(SMU Class of '72)
Dallas,TX
Forgot to mention. $150 might seem like a lot to get started but,
that $2 Pic will also require a language (C, Basic, etc) for $150-
$600 (Unless you LIKE assembly language of course), a programming
dongle (depends on chip(s) chosen) at $50-$500), possibly a UV EEProm
Eraser ($??) Cables, Power supply (wall wart, couple caps and a
7805). And a few other odds and ends.
I had a cheaper time starting with Mega AVRs because I made the In
Circuit programming dongle myself. Some Pics can be done that way
too - but you have to do the electronics yourself.
--- In basicstamps@yahoogroups.com, PatM <pmeloy@s...> wrote:
> Go out and spend $150ish (canadian) on a BS2 and board of education
to get
> started. As you progress, you'll probably pick up a larger
breadboard and
> various electronic parts/components etc. All these extras can be
used by
> other micros as well. So if you switch to a different uC, you
aren't losing
> anything.
micro to get started with on the planet. I bought my first Stamp over 10
years ago, and also bought my first PIC programmer from Parallax a few
months later. Within the last week, I've worked with a Stamp and also with
PICs. Different jobs, different tools. Can you imagine a handyman who
shows up with just a hammer or just a screwdriver in his tool kit?
Certainly there are applications where the OEM Stamp or the OEM Stamp
chipset are the right tool for the application. But there are other cases
where they may not be the best fit. Some of the Stamp/PIC cost comparisons
I've seen here leave out key items or seem to indicate that the poster is
not familiar with all the details...
> According to Parallax's web site, they sell the BS2 interpreter chip
> preprogrammed (surface mount) for $5.04 in 1000 piece quantities. On
> the other hand, Digikey sells the same chip (unprogrammed) for $2.61
> each but you must buy 2100 pieces. The extra $2.43 per chip for the
> Parallax Stamp sounds pretty reasonable to pay to ease of use, BASIC
> programming support and all the schematics and support on this forum
> and from Parallax.
What about the EEPROM IC that must be also used with the BS2 interpreter IC?
Using the 1,000 qty. example above and adding the EEPROM, there is
approximately $3,000 difference between the two options -- which is about 10
times the cost of a nice PIC programmer and BASIC compiler. But even that
is an apples-to-oranges comparison...
The PIC 16C57 used in the BS2 is an older PIC and is not recommended by
Microchip for new designs. The newer PIC 16F648A might be more suitable for
comparison. It has Flash program memory (quickly erase and re-program like
a Stamp) and a better price/performance ratio than the 16C57...
It costs $1.97 each at qty. 25 and has: 4k words Flash program memory, 256
bytes RAM, 256 bytes EEPROM, UART module (receive/send serial without tying
up main program), PWM module (output PWM without tying up main program), up
to 16 I/O pins depending on configuration, "precision" internal clock
oscillator (resonator/crystal often not needed), three independent
timers/counters, etc.
Both Stamps and PICs (and Atmels, etc.) are great at what they do best, and
each has its place in our exciting hobby. When considering the best tool
for the job, it's good to make accurate apples-to-apples comparisons.
Randy
www.glitchbuster.com
> --- In basicstamps@yahoogroups.com, "sponsitility" <markmcleod50@y...>
> wrote:
> > i am in the market for a basic stamp but was looking over some books
> > of pic micros and noticed that the books...written by pic people of
> > course, stressed how much faster and cheaper pics are vs. basic
> > stamps. does anyone have any experience with both that can give me
> > an objective idea of which might be better, easier to learn, more
> > affordable, more expandable...thanks mark
port the code & the circuit to a pic micro.
On Sat, 27 Mar 2004, tboonefisher wrote:
> > At $150.00 the starter package is not parts, it is roughly equalivent
> > to a college course at a MUCH lower cost than at the local collage.
> > The $150.00 is an investment in your education, not an expensive
> > hobby. And it is one of the very few investments that will be worth
> > about 50% on e-bay in a year.
> >
> MEGGA DITTOS, Dave! I certainly wish that I'd had all the
> great/cheap access to programming tools, hardware, collective knowledge
> on the net that is readily available today at the click of a mouse. It would
> have
> made engineering school much easier and I could have learned so
> much more. The tools available at Parallax, et al, are a bargain to say
> the least.
> Tom Fisher MD BSEE(SMU Class of '72)
> Dallas,TX
>
>
>
>
>
> To UNSUBSCRIBE, just send mail to:
> basicstamps-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
> from the same email address that you subscribed. Text in the Subject and Body
of the message will be ignored.
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
>
Sean T. Lamont, CTO / Chief NetNerd, Abstract Software, Inc. (ServNet)
Seattle - Bellingham - Vancouver - Portland - Everett - Tacoma - Bremerton
email: lamont@a... WWW: http://www.serv.net
"Do not fear mistakes, There Are None" - Miles Davis