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New Edition RBB

manxstampmanxstamp Posts: 57
edited 2006-04-17 11:20 in Robotics
I have just acquired the new 2006 third edition Robot Builder's Bonanza (RBB3). This has a new author: Myke Predko in addition to Gordon McComb. Interestingly it is now totally based around the Basic Stamp with many software examples to back up the well known hardware descriptions and circuit diagrams. Previous editions used several different microcontrollers in the examples.

However, there are some typos and in the first project, aimed at the beginner, the BS2 is driving LEDs using active high outputs without any current limiting resistors!

Has anyone else looked at this book?

John Wardle (manxstamp)

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Manxstamp,
Isle of Man, British Isles

Comments

  • Bruce BatesBruce Bates Posts: 3,045
    edited 2006-04-06 03:53
    John -

    Just as a pasing comment, more than anything else since I don't have a copy of the book mentioned, there are some LEDs manufactured with built-in current limiting resistors. If Myke had used those, it certainly would have been appropriate if he'd mentioned it in the text however.


    Regards,

    Bruce Bates

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  • Kenny GardnerKenny Gardner Posts: 169
    edited 2006-04-06 19:52
    Just for your info:

    Gordon didn't have anything whatsoever to do with the new edition, other than allowing them to use his name.

    Kenny
  • Kenny GardnerKenny Gardner Posts: 169
    edited 2006-04-06 19:57
    Just checked. Page 237. No resistors and no mention that resistors are even needed or that the part he is using has built in resistors.

    Shame, shame, shame freaked.gif

    Wonder how many BS2's are going to be returned to Parallax because of that circuit nono.gif

    Kenny
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  • ForrestForrest Posts: 1,341
    edited 2006-04-06 23:49
    Does the book include a BS2 carrier board, like Myke's '123 Robotics Experiments for the Evil Genius'? If so, the board may include current limiting resistors for each Stamp I/O pin like the 123 Robotics Experiments board.
  • manxstampmanxstamp Posts: 57
    edited 2006-04-09 22:37
    The book does not include a PCB or reference to something like the homework board with built in resistors. I think the diagrams on pages 237-239, which show 8 LEDS attached to output pins without resistors, may have been lazily drawn, and poorly proofed, and·are meant to represent LEDs with built in resistors. The photo of the same circuit, set up on a breadboard, shows eight rectangular LEDs referred to as '5 x 2 mm LEDs' (no mention of resistors). Also the text·and the table, 'Parts List',·mention nothing about these and the circuit·can easily be read as any ordinary LEDs by someone not used to the Basic Stamp.

    Earlier in the book, on page 196 (this section looks mainly to be a carry over from the earlier edition) there is a diagram of an active high microcontroller output driving a LED with a 470K resistor in series.

    I recommend that the old edition is retained if you buy the third edition as this new·version·is more of a Basic Stamp-oriented addition rather than simply an update to the second edition. I still recommend it as a useful book for those experienced enough to filter the information·and I hope that this error is corrected in future reprints.

    I should be interested if anyone spots any other mistakes or misleading items in it.

    John

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    Manxstamp,
    Isle of Man, British Isles
  • Jake11611Jake11611 Posts: 47
    edited 2006-04-17 11:20
    If you read 'BS2 Application Design Suggestions' at the end of that chapter, it says the resistors were left out to simplify the breadboarding.
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