what next

um..., Hi

hey I got "Whats a microcontroller?" (that has the homework board) for x-mas and am almost done with the book. I was wondering where can you go from here without spending too much cash?

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I wish i knew how to put a pic here! Oh, well!

Post Edited (um..., Hi) : 1/13/2005 2:28:29 AM GMT

Andy Lindsay (Parallax)

Check out www.parallax.com -> Education -> Stamps in Class(TM) Tutorials. The thriftiest choices, ranging from $45 to $79, are Basic Analog and Digital, Industrial Control, and Applied Sensors.· What's a Microcontroller also has information about these and many other books in the Further Investigation section at the end of each chapter.· It might also help to download them first, and decide which one you're most interested in.· They are all free downloads from www.parallax.com -> Downloads -> Stamps in Class Tutorials.·

The funnest choice (though not as thrifty) is Robotics with the Boe-Bot. Since you already have a BASIC Stamp HomeWork board, you can significantly reduce the cost of a Boe-Bot as follows: Download the book·for free from·www.parallax.com -> Downloads -> Stamps in Class Tutorials.·Then, get only the Boe-Bot(R) Robot·Parts Kit, along with (2) 3-Pin Single Row Headers and (1) Battery Holder with Tinned Leads.· As of today, that totals $126.85, compared to $199 for the Boe-Bot Robot Full·Kit.

Another excellent pick that's in a slightly higher price range ($149) is Understanding Signals.· Reason being, the Parallax Oscilloscope is a very valuable tool·for·measuring what's·happening in electronic circuits while they are running.· Again, the book is a free download.

All this is still just the tip of the iceberg.· It's a good idea to request a catalog (from the Parallax home page), and surf the site too.

Post Edited (Andy Lindsay (Parallax)) : 1/15/2005 1:38:01 AM GMT

Andy Lindsay (Parallax)

One other thing. Since you can dowload all the books, you can try indivdual experiments. Many of the Stamps in Class texts use parts that are common, and easy to obtain locally. You can also buy parts individaully from the Parallax web site's components shop. So if there's an experiment you're interested in a given chapter of one of the books, you can order just those parts for a few dollars instead of buying the entire kit.