Terry, there are a couple of unstuffed 0805 pads on the bottom of the pcb that are not on the diagrams, and my guess is that those are for extra power bypass capacitors. Is that right?
I found a small travel box for the dongle. Not quite an altoids tin, but I'll post pix later.
Jim, in a pinch you can use a straight pcb header and tack solder its leads to the pads. With 15 connections, it's plenty strong.
Tracy,
Yes, those were a last minute addition, and yes they are optional. I'll have to add them to the schematic as options.
I can't wait to see the pic.
Bean.
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
“The United States is a nation of laws -· poorly written and randomly enforced.” - Frank Zappa
Here are pix of of the prop dongle in the small plastic box with hinged cover. The box is 2_3/16" x 1_11/16" x 7/8" outside dimensions. Sorry, I can't tell you where I got the box, but I'm pretty sure it came with sample chips in it. I have quite a few clear boxes of exactly the same dimensions that came with samples from Maxim. Tap plastics sells a box with exactly the same dimensions but with the hinge on the end instead of the side. I drilled and filed the hole in the end for the USB connector, cut off the end of the dongle to fit in the long dimension, and installed a low profile header for breakout boards. I also tacked on a reset button (detector switch) in the holes near Q1 and R5.
Yes, Powerbook G4 running the Prop IDE under Virtual PC. Terminal services provided by the Stamp IDE, or by goserial or zterm on the Mac side. The speed is not bad once VPC has booted up. It takes about 2 seconds to switch from Mac apps to the Prop tool and back, and about 4 seconds to switch to/from full screen mode.
.
I'll ditto Tracy's experience. I have an Intel MacBook now which is much better performance-wise, but I've run the Propeller Tool under both VirtualPC and GuestPC with adequate performance, not stellar by a lot, but adequate. I did do most of my bulk editing using a Mac editor, then dragged the text files into the PC window for compilation and downloading to the Propeller. Worked ok.
Nice box Tracy, I used to have some like that but I can't find them, looked at the price of a new one and the ESD versions cost a bomb, but they are such a good fit I'll keep looking. I also used to have loads of the maxim boxes but they all got given away.
Business card cases may be another option or blank cigar boxes. Or if I get my bigger CNC up and running a custom aluminium clam shell [noparse]:)[/noparse]
Has anyone found 15 position right angle header sockets 0.1" pitch like Graham is using in the States ?
I've look everywhere, but can't find anyone that has any in stock.
Since that seems to be a popular thing to do with these, I'd like to offer the connectors (if I can find them).
Bean.
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ Never argue with an idiot.· They'll drag you down to their level then beat you with experience.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - www.hittconsulting.com ·
With luck, I should have units by the end of this week. I'm going on vacation next week, but I'm going to try to have someone ship Prop Dongles for me.
Bean.
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ Never argue with an idiot.· They'll drag you down to their level then beat you with experience.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - www.hittconsulting.com ·
Here is a 15 pin right angle socket that I will be including with the prop dongle from now on (loose).
Digikey part # S4369-ND
If anyone who already got one, orders another one just ask and I'll put an extra connector in for ya.
Does anyone know why all of digikey's part numbers end in "-ND" ???
Bean.
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ Never argue with an idiot.· They'll drag you down to their level then beat you with experience.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - www.hittconsulting.com ·
I seem to remember that -ND stands for "not discountable", a holdover from a day when the Digikey catalog was only 1/2 inch thick and some items were "discountable", whatever that means. They are all -ND now so far as I can tell.
Are people most often cutting off the end and using that arrangement with the right angle headier? I ended up with a stacking header, instead of right angle, so I could fit rider boards above inside the little box.
I asked a DigiKey sales rep about the "-ND" once, and she verified your "no discount" assertion. One might wonder, since all their part numbers end in "-ND" now, why have it at all? My theory is that it's just a handy end-of-string sequence for searches on their website. If you enter a part number without the "-ND", you sometimes get more than one hit; with it, the result is specific to a single SKU.
Tracy,
Oh, yeah I see now you have a straight female header.
But you could install the angled one, then have right angle male headers mounted to the bottom of your add-on board.
Comments
Graham
I found a small travel box for the dongle. Not quite an altoids tin, but I'll post pix later.
Jim, in a pinch you can use a straight pcb header and tack solder its leads to the pads. With 15 connections, it's plenty strong.
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
Tracy Allen
www.emesystems.com
Yes, those were a last minute addition, and yes they are optional. I'll have to add them to the schematic as options.
I can't wait to see the pic.
Bean.
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
“The United States is a nation of laws -· poorly written and randomly enforced.” - Frank Zappa
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
www.hittconsulting.com
·
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
Tracy Allen
www.emesystems.com
Hmm, that Prop Dongle looks like it's plugged into a PowerBook G4 - am I right? What software are you using to program the Propeller?
.
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
Tracy Allen
www.emesystems.com
Business card cases may be another option or blank cigar boxes. Or if I get my bigger CNC up and running a custom aluminium clam shell [noparse]:)[/noparse]
Graham
I've look everywhere, but can't find anyone that has any in stock.
Since that seems to be a popular thing to do with these, I'd like to offer the connectors (if I can find them).
Bean.
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
Never argue with an idiot.· They'll drag you down to their level then beat you with experience.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
www.hittconsulting.com
·
www.oupiin.com
It is from the 2044 series under board to board connections.
Hope that helps
Graham
[noparse][[/noparse]edit corrected url]
Post Edited (Graham Stabler) : 7/6/2007 1:43:12 PM GMT
SSW-115-02-S-S-RA
Alternatively maybe the economy SSA series.
The one I used was an SLW115-010-S-S, a low profile socket header, mates with the Samtec TLW series, straight up, not right angle.
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
Tracy Allen
www.emesystems.com
Post Edited (Tracy Allen) : 7/6/2007 7:14:34 PM GMT
Thanks for the comments.
With luck, I should have units by the end of this week. I'm going on vacation next week, but I'm going to try to have someone ship Prop Dongles for me.
Bean.
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
Never argue with an idiot.· They'll drag you down to their level then beat you with experience.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
www.hittconsulting.com
·
Yes. Forum member can get them for $59.95 each.
I'll have an ad in Nuts & Volts next month priced at $69.95 + $5 S/H. I had to increase the price so that a distributor would have some margin.
So you'll save $15 if you order them before the magazine comes out. You'll just have to wait a week before you get them.
Bean.
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
Never argue with an idiot.· They'll drag you down to their level then beat you with experience.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
www.hittconsulting.com
·
Digikey part # S4369-ND
If anyone who already got one, orders another one just ask and I'll put an extra connector in for ya.
Does anyone know why all of digikey's part numbers end in "-ND" ???
Bean.
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
Never argue with an idiot.· They'll drag you down to their level then beat you with experience.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
www.hittconsulting.com
·
Are people most often cutting off the end and using that arrangement with the right angle headier? I ended up with a stacking header, instead of right angle, so I could fit rider boards above inside the little box.
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
Tracy Allen
www.emesystems.com
I asked a DigiKey sales rep about the "-ND" once, and she verified your "no discount" assertion. One might wonder, since all their part numbers end in "-ND" now, why have it at all? My theory is that it's just a handy end-of-string sequence for searches on their website. If you enter a part number without the "-ND", you sometimes get more than one hit; with it, the result is specific to a single SKU.
-Phil
When I saw your low profile header I wished I had both, it would need a bit of nifty soldering but its possible.
Graham
Oh, yeah I see now you have a straight female header.
But you could install the angled one, then have right angle male headers mounted to the bottom of your add-on board.
Bean.
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
Never argue with an idiot.· They'll drag you down to their level then beat you with experience.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
www.hittconsulting.com
·
http://www.hittconsulting.com/products/propdongle/·
If you have any questions about it just shoot an email to terry@hittconsulting.com
P.S. Any Parallax employee that wants one, just send me an email (no charge).
Bean.
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
Teacher: What is the difference between ignorance and apathy ?
Student: I don't know and I don't care
Teacher: Correct !
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
www.hittconsulting.com
Post Edited (Bean (Hitt Consulting)) : 8/4/2007 4:33:35 PM GMT