First day with Propeller and spin

azmax100

Hi everyone.

This is my first day with Propeller·& Spin. I've receive my Propeller demo board and i have with me the manual,Programming Propeller PDF and some object file which I download from the object exchange.

My interest is in robotic. I've experience with BS2 and BoeBot about six month and even though I think its not enough for a newbie like me to understand all about the BS2 especially the Pbasic but I can't hold myself to get one of the propeller.

My Target:

To make an Atonomous·Tank tread(modified from RC Tank)·base robot with Ping Sensor,IR Sensor and use LCD screen to project the face of my robot. Use the Audio line out for robot voice.

My Question:

1. Where do I start with this propeller.

My Hope:

1.Since I'm a newbie I hope to get some tips and guidence from all of u in this forum especially on the programming.

2.To finish this project within 6 month.

To Parallax I hope to have more documentation as u did with stamp in class .

What I have wit me:

1. Propeller demo board
2. Ping Sensor.
3. HB 25 motor controller (ordered and on the way)
4. LCD display (used for Playstation 2)
5. Interest in robotic and positive mind.

I hope i'm not asking to much but my success in this projecti really depend on u people in this forum.

Thanks in advance for any reply.

azmi.

Leon

Start with something simple like flashing an LED and controlling it with a push button.

Leon

Bill Henning

Hi azmax100,

Welcome to the wonderful world of the Propeller!

Your biggest limitation is going to be the demo board - it only brings out eight I/O lines to the breadboard area. Fortunately it is very easy to expand the ammount of digital I/O available using 74HC165 (parallel in, serial out) and 74HC595 (serial in, parallel out) chips.

Alternately, you could get some of the excellent Propeller Proto boards (and a Propeller Plug) as those boards have 28 I/O lines available if you don't populate the VGA and PS/2 sections; and a five pack is only $100.

Bill

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Mike Green

Have a look at BoeBotBasic which is downloadable from the Object Exchange (ww1.parallax.com/Default.aspx?tabid=65). It will help you get started with Robotics with the Propeller and there's Spin code you can use in your own program for PING and IR distance sensing and servo control (for the HB-25s). It's designed for use with the Protoboard, but will also work with the Demo Board (with some limitations ... no SD card and difficulty adding the I/O Extenders). It uses an I2C 8-bit I/O Extender (PCA9554) to supply the I/O pins for an HM55B compass and additional Extenders can be added for more I/O pins and that code can also be used in your own program.

Post Edited (Mike Green) : 4/15/2007 3:26:23 PM GMT

Oldbitcollector (Jeff)

Welcome to Propeller!

You will find this group to be an indispensable part of learning the propeller!

There are wizards present, as well as several of us newbies, but the wizards here are kind hearted and are willing to answer newbie questions, and not laugh (at least out loud) when dumb questions are asked. Don't be afraid to ask questions and keep up posted on your progress!

Oldbitcollector

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azmax100

Hi all,

Thanks for the warm welcome to this forum.

Just try some example for blinking the led as sugested by leon,graphic demo·and some other thing.·I already download the BoeBot Basic.Thanks to Mike for the recomendation.·At least I can do something with the boebot parts. I can see theres endless posiblities with the propeller. Sky is the limit. I admit that I made a right decission.

Doing something·new·are really exited. But after looking at the·Boebot spin code I am a little bit confuse. I know I have to learn a lot and for sure i will sometime asking dumb question. (and I dont mind if u laugh out loud).

I hope Parallax will come out some documentation like WAM and Robotic with BoeBot for the propeller. It will really help for newbies like me.

Thanks again to all of you hope u can give me some link for any documentation that i can download to make me better·understanding the Propeller and Spin.

Mike Green

Look at some of the lesson packages for the Propeller Education Kit that you can get in the download section off the main Propeller webpage. Also go through the "sticky threads" at the top of this forum.

azmax100

Thanks Mike.

You are very helpfull. All the document will ·make me busy for sometime.

Any othe thing that I miss?

rjo_

Azmax,

Mike is the best... if you only listen to one person... that person should be Mike.

I've looked at the exact same tank... and I'd be more than interested in seeing anything that you do.

You have very good taste. The Prop is the ONE^.

My only suggestion is that you add video... with a transmitter... and then challenge the world to some real robo combat.

Rich

rjo_

Azmax,

Imagine... looking through a 3D view finder... and then using your 3D prop display for targeting purposes... and launching your missiles![noparse]:)[/noparse]
That ... to me ... is a robo contest worth entering.

Rich

azmax100

Hi rjo.

You are right. I always seen Mike's reply on the thread. He's a very helpfull person inthis forum and we are all lucky to have people like·him. Hopefully one day I can contribute to this forum as what Mike did.

Back to the Tank actually I bought 2 of it.(USD 60 each) First I bought it one for the purpouse of my Robotic Project but it has so many thing like real tank sound, can fire bb bullet and even real smoke came out from the rear. I feel that i can't afford to lose all the bell and whistle of the tank so idecide to buy another one.

I would like to make the tank can be control from the RF remote and add some sensor like Ping so I can control it· or make it autonomous but I dont have technical know how to connect the receiver board to the BS2(earlier plan).Anyhow I would like to do it if anybody can assist me. I also plan to put a wireless camera as what u imagine.

rjo how about doing this project together? 2 is better than 1 right?

I will let you all know the progress of this project. Once the project finish I will put on the completed project thread. Before that I still need some assist from u guys here.

Thanks.

rjo_

Sounds like a good idea to me... if we can get together and try to blow each other's tank up when they are done.

And... so long as we talk through the forum... so everybody can get a few laughs along the way.

Rich

rjo_

asmax

I'm currently reading the manual... starting at the end.

I posted a question on the Spin code for beginners...

I assume that you are reading the text in the right direction... any ideas?

Rich

rjo_

Oh... and one more thing...

We are going to need lot's of stuff... my prejuice is to use the Propeller for everything... so if we are going to need a transmitter... we turn our prop into a transmitter. If we need a receiver... we turn our prop into a reciever.

I only have one proto board ... so, before we start, I think I'd better load up on some more.

Are we going to use Parallax's servo controller or should I just order a 12 pack?

OK?

Rich

azmax100

Hi rjo.

I'm going to use a pair of HB25 to drive the tank motor. I already odered and will receive it in 2 or 3 days time.

I dont think you can drive the motor with servo controller cause that is to be use with servo motor. You can get the HB25 object at the object exchange download. I will start the project as soon I receive the HB25.

For the time being I'm· busy with the Propeller manual and Spin code example that I've download. I print out the manual. With 438 pages it takes few hours to print it. Just go trough the manual and found that a lot of thing that i dont understand. I'm just learning by myself. The spin code example really help me to understand few thing of the Spin. Need to do alot of exercise.

I've read·your ·thread in the Spin code for beginners but sorry I cant help you. I am also a beginer.

Anyway thanks for doing the project together. Really appreciate it.

CJ

If you have any questions/suggestions for the HB-25 object, just PM me

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rjo_

Azmax

The servos are for the targeting system and possibly for the flame thrower. I will supply the cameras. We are going to end up seeing the targets in 3D and ranging off of that... with the current Prop, we will guestimate a solution... with the next prop, we will compute it!

By the way... this is how Nascar started... everybody is going to want to do this.

Many thanks to CJ... for being at the ready.

Rich

rjo_

Azmax,

By the way... you are dealing with the best people in the world... but you have to pay attention!
yungoldbitcollector is on our side... watch his posts.

Rich

rjo_

Azmax,

You are in charge... do we go with the servo controller...now on special... and my x-wife has committed to it... or do you prefer the 4.7K resistors?
I can probably talk my x into two... so, this is a design issue, not a monetary issue.

your call.

Rich

azmax100

rjo

I have 8 extra pin on my demo board.
2 for HB25
1 for ping
1 for ping and camera·servo
1 for I2C ( will let you know for what purpouse)
2 for IR RxTx.

With this I left 1 output maightbe i can use for the targeting system. I dont mind to get the servo controller but it wiil take about 6 weeks to reach.

Glad to hear that many people are backing us up.

Thanks CJ and others.

CJ

two HB25s can use the same pin, so you really have two available

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rjo_

Azmax,

I don't think you want to be experimenting with your demo board[noparse]:)[/noparse] You might want to save that one for your grand children.

I was a little shy about the protoboard... because I couldn't figure out exactly what was required of me to get it running... turns out, nothing. The thing runs right out of the box[noparse]:)[/noparse]
And if we blow it up... it only costs us around 2,300 yen.

Rich

rjo_

CJ...

I'm building a Patton tank... it on goes forward[noparse]:)[/noparse]

Rich

lnielsen

Keep an eye on the HYDRA forum information as well. They have gamepad controller objects for the propeller. I bought a logitech wireless PS/2 controller and will be interfacing the small fob to my protoboard for wireless control of my robots.

azmax100

Hi Rich.

We have to settle some issue first.

You are right. I dont think I want to blow my demo board.So we decide to use the proto board. I will order the 5 pack.

For the time being I will use the demo board.

I suggest we have to plan what we are going to do.We have to decide what are the robot features and·what parts and component to use. So we will have same component to start with. Then on programming.

Are you planning to use the Video out. I was thinking to draw face for the bot as it can show the emotion as it go around.·What do you think? ( I just dont want to waste the propeller capabilities). I will use the PS2 TFT Lcd. try it with some of the graphics demo and it works great.

If u have any other plan·just let me know.

Azmi.


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