newbie setup to discover the propeller world.
darkxceed
Posts: 34
Hello,
I'm a newbie to the propeller chip.
I want to make a setup that must be very cheap.
The next list is what I have in mind to buy so that I can start programming.
5Mhz Crystal 20pF HC-49··········· Stock#: 251-05000········ ··········· 1x··········· 2,03Euro
24LC168 ········· ··········· ··········· Stock#: 602-10007········ ··········· 1x··········· 4,50Euro~
24LC256 ········· ··········· ··········· Stock#: 602-00032········ ··········· 2x··········· 4,50Euro~
P8X32A-D40···· ··········· ··········· Stock#: P8X32A-D40···· ··········· 1x··········· 11,66Euro
I am still wondering what to do with de rs232 interface.
1. The prop-clip/plug is one option but is expensive and I don't know if there is a 'USB mini b' connector on it.
2. I also found a schematic of a signal converter.(cmos vs TTL)
http://www.parallax.com/propeller/media.asp
Can I use this schematic by removing the 2n3904 and 2n3906, and replacing them with bc547 and bc557?
3. Ofcourse the prop-clip/plug has a USB converter, but I also saw other usbTOserial 'plugs' that are much cheaper than the prop-clip.
So what are differences between those usb converters(prop-clip/plug and the cheaper usbTOserial 'plugs' ).
And can those 2n3904 and 2n3906 be replaced by· bc547 and bc557
Is my setup compleet if I have the components metioned above.
Post Edited (darkxceed) : 9/14/2006 12:47:04 PM GMT
I'm a newbie to the propeller chip.
I want to make a setup that must be very cheap.
The next list is what I have in mind to buy so that I can start programming.
5Mhz Crystal 20pF HC-49··········· Stock#: 251-05000········ ··········· 1x··········· 2,03Euro
24LC168 ········· ··········· ··········· Stock#: 602-10007········ ··········· 1x··········· 4,50Euro~
24LC256 ········· ··········· ··········· Stock#: 602-00032········ ··········· 2x··········· 4,50Euro~
P8X32A-D40···· ··········· ··········· Stock#: P8X32A-D40···· ··········· 1x··········· 11,66Euro
I am still wondering what to do with de rs232 interface.
1. The prop-clip/plug is one option but is expensive and I don't know if there is a 'USB mini b' connector on it.
2. I also found a schematic of a signal converter.(cmos vs TTL)
http://www.parallax.com/propeller/media.asp
Can I use this schematic by removing the 2n3904 and 2n3906, and replacing them with bc547 and bc557?
3. Ofcourse the prop-clip/plug has a USB converter, but I also saw other usbTOserial 'plugs' that are much cheaper than the prop-clip.
So what are differences between those usb converters(prop-clip/plug and the cheaper usbTOserial 'plugs' ).
And can those 2n3904 and 2n3906 be replaced by· bc547 and bc557
Is my setup compleet if I have the components metioned above.
Post Edited (darkxceed) : 9/14/2006 12:47:04 PM GMT
Comments
A minimum setup would include:
1 x 5MHz Xtal
1 x P8X32A-D40
1 x 24LC256
1 x 10K Ohm resistor
1 x 3.3V supply (e.g. via a LM3940)
You will also need the serial interface, which can be as simple as a MAX232 chip and a few capacitors, or the circuit on the web page you've mentioned.
I don't know the difference between the PropClip/Plug and USB2SER, but it's a good question.
HTH.
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Cheers,
Simon
USB/Serial converters are getting easier and cheaper every day as both FTDI and Silabs etc have cheap single-chip solutions that do not require external components other than capacitors. All these chips are smd so you will need a pcb if you want usb otherwise you have your 20c RS-232 interface.
What's a 24LC168??? and why would you need it if you already had the 24LC256???
BTW, you will need a 3.3V regulator (or 3V battery) plus decoupling capacitors plus matrix board but yes there is nothing else you need to fire it up.
*Peter*
Well I guess I'll use those bc547/bc557 than, I also saw the specs and difference ly more in the speed I believe, but·rs232 ain't that fast.
As for the other component like resistors and capacitors and voltage regulators.
I work at an electronic factory and can take then from there.
The 24LC168 en 24LC256 are for experimenting.
They where not that expensive and I have to pay 15euro(about 15dollar) for sending.
24LC168 is 2048kbit eeprom, I thought that if I would need space to store data on I could use the 24LC168, if that doesn't work, than 2 time the 24LC256 to see how to store data.
I do have a·matrixboard now.
Another question:
Did someone wrote a object for driving a pcf8491 and/or pcf8574, these are I2C components, think they are very nice to use.(because we have then at work)
pcf8591 => 4 analoge in, 1 analoge out
pcf8574 => 8 I/O
I used a siemens C164 to drive them just like my touchscreen.
Or is there a reason why not use I2C but SPI or what do you use...
Bart
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Cheers,
Simon
I have been playing with the I2C drivers but have found it necessary to make some changes. Also, I find them very slow so I think I will write new ones in assembler.
The PCF8574 and 8591 have been around a long time and it is many years since I have touched them. Microchip make enhanced 8 and 16 bit port versions of the 8574 but I can't see the advantage in the 8591. The propeller does a good job of A/D & D/A but if I wanted to add some analog I would find another chip or else dedicate a $2 micro to analog and I/O functions over the I2C bus. The LPC2101 springs to mind here but there are many cheap micros with all the peripherals that you could want which you could turn into a slave to the propeller or even vice versa have the propeller a slave to the other micro. It doesn't matter as long as it works. Personally I would much prefer to develop on the propeller but I wouldn't hesitate in using some other micro in the manner I described.
I will release some I2C assembler code shortly that can run on it's own cog as a master or slave.
*Peter*
I saw something on this site where they say that it is possible to use more than 32kbyte eeprom so you can store data on then.
So that is what I want to do.
If you mean where to get it? Well here at the parallax site under #602-10007 you will find the 24LC256.
How shall I make use of the analoge in en outs?
Which components are the fastest ones for analoge in en out.
My siemens also has 8 analoge in's(10bit) an 16 IO's.
Is it true that because they have hardware I2C they are better to use?
the LPC2101 is much like the siemens c164 if I saw correctly.
But the reason that I want to get used to the propeller is because of the speed.
It is also very simple to plug stuff like een keyboard, mouse and monitor to it.
bart
It certainly got my attention, too. I mean, it'd be twice as big a Microchip's 24xx1025. I had to have one! The part number Googled* up a whole slew of pages, too, but no actual datasheets, and only obsolete parts brokers listing them. Hmm.
There is, however, a 24LC16B, a readily-available 2048-byte EEPROM...
Though my fondest hopes may be dashed, I'm betting that this be our elusive quarry. Bart, can you verify please, and calm the adrenaline rush?
Thanks,
Phil
* Sorry, Google. I know you're only trying to protect your trademark (news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3006486.stm). But in English any noun can be verbed — even proper nouns.
My mistake, however the stock number is ok, #602-10007.
But still, would it be possible to use the 24LC16B for extra memory?
So that one 24lc256 for the propeller and 24LC16B for extra mem storage?
I do not speak englisch very often so I sometime don't understand exactly what you mean if the a sentence can be explained 2 ways.
Why would you bother with a 24lc16 as it has 16 times less memory than a 24lc256? Does it cost 16 times less?
Just use the highest capacity device at the best value for money otherwise use the 24lc256.
I would rather use an SD card for lots of memory storage with faster access. I am writing my own high-speed SD drivers with FAT16 access.
*Peter*
Not for sale at parallax, to bad...
SD card would indeed be very nice, much like a harddrive for your microcontroller.
It's for sure the future for computers, as laptops are now available with mem cards instead of harddrives.
greetz bart
Post Edited (darkxceed) : 9/16/2006 8:53:51 PM GMT
Does that mean a driver that'll connect directly to an SD card (I guess through SPI)? I sure would be interested in that -- I was going to build one using a PIC and Proton+, but if you're doing a native PChip one I'll be watching closely :-)
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Cheers,
Simon