A few questions from a newb in the BOE world
TTKoshi
Posts: 9
Ok, so I ordered myself the BOE-BOT full kit, so I can get started in robotics. I have a basic knowledge of electronics (mostly from repairing small electronic devices), I know some basic programming (VB, Basic, some C), and the only thing I know about robots is that mine will probably over-take my house and hold my TV hostage.
So anyways, here are my questions. Assuming I'm an average man of intellect, how much do i have to worry about the following:
a) putting in the wrong code somewhere and accidentally frying the basic board, or a motor, or some other part
b) wiring something wrong and frying something
c) chances of successfully building the BOE
d) lastly, what is the program used to program the BOE? Can I download it somewhere to play around with it, and get a feel from it?
Thanks for any advice and suggestions. I appreciate it, and hope to be able to help out some new person in the future in return.
TTKoshi
(Tom T)
So anyways, here are my questions. Assuming I'm an average man of intellect, how much do i have to worry about the following:
a) putting in the wrong code somewhere and accidentally frying the basic board, or a motor, or some other part
b) wiring something wrong and frying something
c) chances of successfully building the BOE
d) lastly, what is the program used to program the BOE? Can I download it somewhere to play around with it, and get a feel from it?
Thanks for any advice and suggestions. I appreciate it, and hope to be able to help out some new person in the future in return.
TTKoshi
(Tom T)
Comments
Now, while you can 'compile' PBasic programs (via a 'syntax check'), and see what 'memory map' would be loaded -- you can't actually download them and run them without the BOE. But you can get some practice that way.
The only way you can actually hurt a servo is by driving it too far one way or the other. The BOE-Bot kit only has "continuous servos" -- meaning they rotate continuously, so there IS no "too far" with them. The other way you can hurt them is by driving them with more than 7.5 volts -- set the jumper to use Vdd with your servo's, or use only 4 alkaline batteries with them, and there's no problem.
The other gotcha is if you wire two BS2 pins together, then program the two pins so one is an output HIGH, and one an output LOW. This will make a short circuit, which will probably burn out one of the drivers 'behind' one of the pins. Putting a 220 ohm resistor between the two pins will prevent damage, in this extremely unlikely event.
Basically, this platform is very robust, well documented, and easy to experiment with. There's only a few 'gotcha's, and they're pretty easily avoided.
Welcome to forums. You shouldn't have any problems with the kit. If you want, while you're waiting for the kit, you can download the "What's a Microcontroller" manual and look through it. This is the kit that Parallax uses for an introduction to Stamps, so it covers some things at a bit simpler level than the Boe-Bot text.
The biggest gotcha for the Board of Education is that it requires a 220ohm (or larger) resistor between the I/O pins & ground to avoid "accidents" that can damage the Stamp. It just prevents the pin from being shorted to ground in some conditions, such as setting a pin HIGH, with the pin directly connected to Vss.
Here are some links to the pages where you can find the downloads:
What's a Microcontroller Manual: www.parallax.com/detail.asp?product_id=28152
Boe-Bot Manual: www.parallax.com/detail.asp?product_id=28132
Basic Stamp Editor Software: www.parallax.com/html_pages/downloads/software/software_basic_stamp.asp