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'Standard' Connector - any ideas? — Parallax Forums

'Standard' Connector - any ideas?

johnnyairplanejohnnyairplane Posts: 25
edited 2007-08-27 12:37 in Propeller 1
I have used (and really appreciate) the 'standard' 3 wire interface for servo's, LCD's, HB-25's....other 'doo-dads'

I'm thinking (ouch!) that a 'standard' connector - like a 5 wire interface would be a great idea for other chips or modules
like the DS1620.....

If parallax adopted a 'standard connector' for everything, hardware connections could be almost plug 'n play....
it would make prototyping a lot easier..... and changes could be made a lot easier.... making time to prototype a lot shorter...

Right now we have objects (plug 'n' play)
Demo's - that show us 'dummies' how the object works...
with ping sensors, you can just plug 'em in...change the port in the program and BAMMO!

Perhaps a very small board with the 3 pin 'thingy' on it, a very small prototyping area.....for 'other chips'
then, maybe a small board with the '5'? pin 'thingy' on it, and adapters to the mesmic sensor, the DS1620 and others....

Just an idear!

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

John

Comments

  • Mark BramwellMark Bramwell Posts: 56
    edited 2007-08-25 20:05
    I think you are asking for something like what these guys did for the PIC microcontroller:

    www.mikroe.com/en/tools/

    Scroll down to the bottom of the long page. All of their CPU boards will take any of their add-on boards.
  • johnnyairplanejohnnyairplane Posts: 25
    edited 2007-08-25 20:13
    Mark,

    Wow! - yeah, that's exactly what I'd love to have with the parallax products, perhaps not as 'rigid' of a connector (sure like the R/C 3 pin connector)....

    But yes, you're right on track! - maybe an idea for those parallax guys? (hint hint, nudge nudge)...?

    Thanks, I've never seen this site before - that's really impressive!

    John
  • Oldbitcollector (Jeff)Oldbitcollector (Jeff) Posts: 8,091
    edited 2007-08-25 21:46
    It's already starting to happen for the Propeller...
    check out www.ucontroller.com

    Oldbitcollector

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    The comments and code above are proof that a million monkeys with a million propeller chips *could* write Shakespeare!
  • parts-man73parts-man73 Posts: 830
    edited 2007-08-25 22:12
    That's what I've tried to do with my SpinStudio project. I encompass 8 I/O lines with VSS, +5vdc, +3.3vdc. I also included SDA and SCL for I2C devices. Since the Propeller has 32 IO lines, this make 4 perfect ports.

    OldBitCollector also has figured out a way to put one of these sockets onto a ProtoBoard, See his "Propeller Protoboard Designs for the beginner" pages 15-16 for details on how this is done, I have this document hosted on my website "uController.com" . He only did Socket B on his Protoboard, but there is no reason you couldn't replicate more.

    The benefit of a design such as this is twofold.
    • Anytime there is a new "fad", a new plug in module can be created, and simply be plugged into an existing demoboard. Take for instance interfacing an SD card. A few months ago, it became popular to start experimenting with using an SD card with the Propeller, but you either had to use a breakout board from Sparkfun, or one of the other "do it yourself" methods proposed on this forum. Now it seems that all the recent development boards offered by third parties include an SD Socket. Would anyone have guessed that a year ago??? The most current "fad" seems to be Ethernet. Some of the newest development boards also include this feature, but what will the next fad be? And when is the circuit board real estate going to run out trying to include all these features on one dev board?
    • The other benefit is upon the arrival of Prop 2, every current development board will instantly become obsolete. SpinStudio owners will just have to get a new Mainboard, all of the Peripheral Modules can be reused. With the possibility of more IO lines on future Propellers, that means more sockets on the Mainboard

    A diagram of this connector is included "Propeller Protoboard Designs for the beginner" as well. This information will also be included in the documentation for SpinStudio, and will allow users to create thier own module designs.



    (....I see OldBitCollector has posted a much shorter, but much appreciated, link to uController.com while I was typing this......)

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    Brian

    uController.com - home of SpinStudio
  • johnnyairplanejohnnyairplane Posts: 25
    edited 2007-08-26 03:11
    Parts-man,
    the spinstudio looks like quite the system, I think I'll stick with the 5 pin sip idea (like 3 pins, but 2 more!),
    thus keeping things 'simple', most of us aren't looking for everything on one dev board! - just a system where
    an idea/concept can be rapidly prototyped, just like exchangeable objects (propellor plus!)....

    I still like the 1 wire designs - hobbyboards really does a nice job there! hobbyboards.com

    It could be said that I am a minimalist, 3 ports plus VDD and VSS - plenty, serial comm is great!

    I 'grew up' on the 6502 and the Z80, All these years, I've been waiting for a simple board with a multiply instruction!
    now it's serial EEPROM, DS1620's, ping sensors, servo motors, XBee Xcvr's, I've given up thinking a 'port' is 8 bits,
    that's a little bit too much 1980's thinking..... for now I can do far more with 1 pin than I could do 25 years ago with a byte.

    Nice looking boards you've made though....

    John
  • Mark BramwellMark Bramwell Posts: 56
    edited 2007-08-27 02:09
    I am new to the propeller. I just ordered 2 protoboards to start playing.

    I keep seeing references to the prop2. Is it confirmed that a new version is coming or are you guys simply assuming a new one will arrive because everything eventually moves away from a 1.0 release.
  • parts-man73parts-man73 Posts: 830
    edited 2007-08-27 12:34
    Mark Bramwell said...
    I keep seeing references to the prop2. Is it confirmed that a new version is coming or are you guys simply assuming a new one will arrive because everything eventually moves away from a 1.0 release.

    Grab a pot of coffee and read through this thread - http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php?p=617536

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    Brian

    uController.com - home of SpinStudio
  • MightorMightor Posts: 338
    edited 2007-08-27 12:37
    parts-man73 said...
    Mark Bramwell said...
    I keep seeing references to the prop2. Is it confirmed that a new version is coming or are you guys simply assuming a new one will arrive because everything eventually moves away from a 1.0 release.

    Grab a pot of coffee and read through this thread - http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php?p=617536
    Coffee alone won't help. You'll need at least a couple of sandwiches, too. It's a looooooong thread (553 posts).

    Gr,
    Mightor

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    | To know recursion, you must first know recursion.
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