SX28 or SX series VS Basic Stamp 2 series ?
T&E Engineer
Posts: 1,396
Has anyone came up with a Pro / Con or Advantage / Disadvantage comparison chart between the SX Series and Basic Stamp 2 series?
I know one is that the Basic Stamp 2 is $50 compared to an SX28 being $5. The programming is somewhat simpler on a Basic Stamp 2 as compared to SX/B on the SX28 (and not even going into Assembly difficulties).
Just thought I would pose the question.
Comments...thoughts.
I know one is that the Basic Stamp 2 is $50 compared to an SX28 being $5. The programming is somewhat simpler on a Basic Stamp 2 as compared to SX/B on the SX28 (and not even going into Assembly difficulties).
Just thought I would pose the question.
Comments...thoughts.
Comments
All kidding aside, we're not into the Pro/Con tables -- especially comparing our own products like that.· What one person considers a "pro" is easily a "con" for another.· All we can do is let you know what our products are capable of and let you decide which works best for you.
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Jon Williams
Applications Engineer, Parallax
I love both products the same for what they can do.
Tim
The SX28 is just a microprocessor - you'll need to attach a voltage regulator circuit, and depending on the application a serial interface circuit and external memory to store data to use it.
"The SX28 is just a microprocessor" ouch - that hurts! Actually, the SX has all the components that are typical for a computer: Program memory, variable memory, an arithmetic-logical unit, a program counter, stack memory, parallel I/O, etc... Insofar, the BS2SX is also a simple "computer" - actually, it is an SX with some additional peripherals on one small PCB but additional EEPROM, a voltage regulator, and a serial interface circuit are not the parts that make it a "computer".
Why shouldn't we compare an SX with an Athlon or a Pentium: Athlons and Pentiums are "just" miroprocessors gut no computers - they don't have program memory, variable memory, no parallel or serial I/O, just a bus to interface to external components. Yes, I know, I'm comparing Apples and IBMs, and I'm only kidding
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Greetings from Germany,
G
One project that I'll start soon will be converting the Nuts and Volts article Weather on the Wire. I could never justify dedicating a BS2p to this project, but I think I can make it work on a SX48/52 Proto board, add a surplus LCD display, and have a heads up display for about $25.00 including the case!
Mike
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"OEM NMEA GPS Module" Now available on ebay for only $19.99
Product web site: http://www.allsurplus.net/Axiom/
Post Edited (Mike Cook) : 11/16/2005 7:08:35 PM GMT
···· It,s because of you That I brought the Pro development board?seeing how much you liked it,·Nut&volt's being my got to have mag!
···· The SX part looks good as the chips are only $5 but the darn programmer is 5
···· times that! I just spent $305 on other goodies(grin) I don't HAVE $79.95 for it, is there not a
···· ·CHEEPER build·it yourself version around,
····· bar being in your job(ducking) with all those goodies.......
····· I (HAD) the complete set of all the stamp·books,till my car took a swan dive·
···· drowned them!Now I find I cannot replace them?? Pdf files (Argg)·
···· one of these days I'll figure out something to make
···· Cheers
···· Dennis····· P.s Have a great Turkey day
····
·
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Jon Williams
Applications Engineer, Parallax
As a Lead Test Engineer...Always put your money into a product that has been tried and tested.
I certainly have invested a lot of money into Parallax but I look at it as an investment in myself. I am learning a technology that I have always wanted to pursue. I am quite happy with Parallax and the outstanding support with their great products.
Thanks again,
Timothy Gilmore
I grew up in a town called Lakeland (named for obvious reasons) and I use to have frequent nightmares when I started driving that I would loose my brakes on this hill that ended into a lake.
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·1+1=10
Post Edited (Paul Baker) : 11/17/2005 4:27:15 PM GMT
· I did that a week before(grin) near miss! Then hit the brakes a hair too late a week later! hill down , slight dip then a SHARP right turn,did'nt make it.
· wet road...Sideswiped the curb, down a bank, over a flat area and plopped into 3ft of COLD water,front in rear out(grin)
·sat in there watching the water rise!
· Cheers Dennis
Seriously though, the answer to your question is that the Basic Stamp is bigger, more expensive, and a LOT easier to use.
I got started with a BS2, and within hours of getting it out of the box had readings from a flexiforce sensor displaying on an LED display. Not because of any great skill on my part, but rather because I downloaded code from Parallax and pasted it together.
The SX has a steeper learning curve, but is cheaper and more versatile.
For example, you can run the SX off 3.3 or even 2.5 volt power supplies, which helps save battery life on portable applications. (The SX key still needs 5V to program it though).
My current project is a Simon Sez game that is only 1'' wide by 1.5" long and less than 1/2" thick.
It's based on the SX28 and runs off a single CR2403 coin battery.
The entire game will be about the size of a BS2.
A number of people who frequent this forum sell products based on the SX chip.
For most of them I would bet that the price difference between SX an BS is make or break.
The Basic Stamp is ideal for educational purposes, or for controlling large expensive objects.
If you are building a $1000 robot then the extra cost of The BS2 will be offset by the value of the pre-written code you can get from Parallax for things like driving servomotors or processing video input.
Good luck either way!
-Electronegativity
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I wonder if this wire is hot...
I did not know that the SX28 can be powered off of a watch battery. That is very good news and gives me some ideas. I appreciate all of your good input on this.
I am currently working on a few hobby ideas one of which is a Moving LED display which I started using a BS2 which doesn't appear to be fast enough. I have a BS2PX on its way to me today that I will also look at (almost 5 times faster than a BS2) plus I am looking at the ROBOLYMICS code for the SX28 and have some CD4028's on order to be delivered next Monday. I
I started out a short time ago with a BS2 and have grown into a SX Tech Tool Kit Pro (w/ PDB) and now a BS2PX (fastest BS2). I really enjoy getting involved with electronics again (especially microcontrollers/computers like the BS2 series and SX28). My wife says I spend too much time so I am now balancing that out appropriately.
BTW...tdg8934 is something I learned in college in that "tdg" is my initials and "8934" are the last 4 of my SS#. It works well for most people as a computer "Username" as it satisfies the requirements.
Thanks again,
Timothy Gilmore (tdg8934)
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·1+1=10
That's what is guaranteed to work under all speeds and environmental conditions.
My experience has been that 2.5V works fine, and 2.5V regulators are readily available.
In fact, I was running a test last night and as of this morning an SX28 was running on 2.2V and still sourcing enough current to light a couple of LEDs.
The advantage of this is that for battery operated devices that use LEDs you can minimize the power lost by heating resistors if Vdd is close to Vf.
If your application is being used in outer space or for life-sustaining medical equipment you would probably want to keep it in spec though.
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I wonder if this wire is hot...