Spin down under and a what if?
BiblioTech
Posts: 10
I have two initial questions, one for anyone in Australia and the other for anyone.
First is there a·Parallax products distributer in Aus and if not where do you buy your bits from?
An idea that has jumped at me in the last few hour requires some expert consideration.
Can we use a propeller to program a sumo-bot or as a canned program dump for uploading in the field or not?
With all the discusion in the forums about a basic interpreter for the Propeller could a pbasic IDE be built to program a bot. If not would it(the propeller) be able to select one from many canned(pre-compiled)·operating programs and upload it to the bot. These are for·"in the field" conditions, away from·a 98/200/XP computer, no handy power·outlet and·more than enough weight to carry around already.
Why I ask is that I have·five nephews all 6 or under, 3 in one home(sometimes too close) who have all the gadgets needed today. Watching them interact has often led me to think of ways to let them compete with thier minds and no the mouth, feet, teeth and claws. And while researching a design I came across the propeller, 7 days ago in fact(answer to my prayers but thats another story). But to continue,·I began at the beginning·and have been working my way through these forums, with all the speculation, anticipation, joy and disapointment(not in the product)·of the release, the testing, the surprise and some confusion but overall the potential of what is the Propeller. A couple(or hundreds)·of threads caught my attention, one theme was·about the functionality of the display(vga, text, TV etc.) technology and the other was emulating "old" computers like the Tandy coco, ZX 80-81 which evolved into the single chip childs computer with a simple interpreted Basic and enough power to let young children play.
So collect play, young(myself back when), Basic, TV display, bots and competition. Mix them around a little bit and put it in a sturdy box. What comes out is "Bots in a box", a box that can be lived in with a place for everything needed for 2 to 4 sumo bots. Must·not forget the handle as the stronger of the two parents will be carrying this around, alot.
Pack the bots, a programming(for the bots) tool, spares and a SLC 12V 18Ah battery into the box. The problem is the programming tool, can it be the old time interpreted basic colour computer with a bot programming interface or can it only deliver pre compiled code to the bots?
So is a pbasic IDE able to fit on a Propeller or do I have to include a PC?
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First is there a·Parallax products distributer in Aus and if not where do you buy your bits from?
[noparse][[/noparse]to Parallax] Is R.T. Nollet still active because the web site was last updated on 9/2/2005?
An idea that has jumped at me in the last few hour requires some expert consideration.
Can we use a propeller to program a sumo-bot or as a canned program dump for uploading in the field or not?
With all the discusion in the forums about a basic interpreter for the Propeller could a pbasic IDE be built to program a bot. If not would it(the propeller) be able to select one from many canned(pre-compiled)·operating programs and upload it to the bot. These are for·"in the field" conditions, away from·a 98/200/XP computer, no handy power·outlet and·more than enough weight to carry around already.
Why I ask is that I have·five nephews all 6 or under, 3 in one home(sometimes too close) who have all the gadgets needed today. Watching them interact has often led me to think of ways to let them compete with thier minds and no the mouth, feet, teeth and claws. And while researching a design I came across the propeller, 7 days ago in fact(answer to my prayers but thats another story). But to continue,·I began at the beginning·and have been working my way through these forums, with all the speculation, anticipation, joy and disapointment(not in the product)·of the release, the testing, the surprise and some confusion but overall the potential of what is the Propeller. A couple(or hundreds)·of threads caught my attention, one theme was·about the functionality of the display(vga, text, TV etc.) technology and the other was emulating "old" computers like the Tandy coco, ZX 80-81 which evolved into the single chip childs computer with a simple interpreted Basic and enough power to let young children play.
So collect play, young(myself back when), Basic, TV display, bots and competition. Mix them around a little bit and put it in a sturdy box. What comes out is "Bots in a box", a box that can be lived in with a place for everything needed for 2 to 4 sumo bots. Must·not forget the handle as the stronger of the two parents will be carrying this around, alot.
Pack the bots, a programming(for the bots) tool, spares and a SLC 12V 18Ah battery into the box. The problem is the programming tool, can it be the old time interpreted basic colour computer with a bot programming interface or can it only deliver pre compiled code to the bots?
So is a pbasic IDE able to fit on a Propeller or do I have to include a PC?
Frans.
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Comments
Sales tells me that R.T. Nollet is "very active" and is checking right now to make sure the RTN·contact information on our international distributor website is up-to-date.· If it isn't, we will update it shortly.
http://www.parallax.com/html_pages/company/distributors/dist_australia_newzealand.asp
-Stephanie Lindsay
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Who says you have to have knowledge to use it?
I've killed a fly with my bare mind.
RTN is still very active.
Rons mobile is 0407804712.
His email is ...· ron@nollet.com.au
You will find him to be very proffessional and helpful.
Cheers,
Chris, WA
sent an email to ron@nollet.com.au just now. Its just that an inactive site makes me question things as this forum is so active.
About the other question, could the IDE used to program a Sumo-bot be replicated within a Propeller with other cogs doing I/O (display, keyboard,etc.) and then dump the compiled program into the bot?
Frans.
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Read a book, under a lamp and think what it took to get here.
Marty
It's a what if.
What I was wondering is if a relatively cheap, bot programming system for children can be made from a Propeller. Using any portable LCD screen(like a portable DVD player) through the RCA connector and a childrens keyboard/mouse combination, parts that are likely to be available or cheap to source.
If a PBasic IDE could be programmed for the Propeller then for the cost of a propstick and a handfull of components, a fully integrated, portable, robust and cheap Bot development system is made. $50 For the Prop and its bits, add the lcd screen, Kb/mouse, with one or more Sumo-Bots and a biggish battery(12VDC @18Ah) put them all in a box and your ready for competition or the road.
But this is from someone whose only read about bots and hasn't programed one and is yet to get a Propeller(Fri by the latest, I hope). So use this for speculation, pondering, outright scoffing or whatever you feel like.
SeeYa,
Frans
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Read a book, under a lamp and think what it took to get here.
On a related note, many laptops get 12v DC from the AC adaptor making it simple to hook them up to an external battery. Heh, Lithium-ion batterys are also charged in a similar way to Lead-Acid batteries. (constant current till a set voltage, then constant voltage till full charge) I bet a laptop that normally used a 3 cell Li-Ion battery would be perfectly happy charging and running from a 12v lead-acid battery. (though the max charge voltage of 4.2*3 volts aka 12.6v might not get a lead-acid fully charged)
Marty