Getting started and Key vs. Blitz?

ROBSCIX

Hello, I recently discovered these great little chips and would like to get into using them in a few designs of mine.· Mainly hobby type designs.· I will be placing a order soon for my "getting strted" system.
I am having trouble deciding on the SX key or the Blitz.· Cost is a factor but if needed I will buy the Key.
Can you experts help me put together a "getting started" bundle using the SX proto boards?
What do I need and should I get?· thx for any help.
·

Sparks-R-Fun

I will give a very quick though insufficient reply. I highly recommend spending the extra money for the SX-Key in order to make use of the runtime debugger. While you can simulate your programs quite nicely using SX-Sim very often I find that stepping though a program, setting watch variables and changing memory contents on the SX hardware while it is physically connected to other hardware to be very valuable. The in-circuit hardware debugging feature has been extremely useful to me. I highly recommend it!

- Sparks

Bean

I recommend the SX-Key too. The SX-Key can also contains a frequency generator that allows you to run the program at various speeds without having to have a resonator or xtal at that particular frequency. Very handy.

Bean.

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www.iElectronicDesigns.com

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RDL2004

There is no quick and easy upgrade from the Blitz to the Key, so you might want to just spend the extra $20 from the beginning, even though you may never use the in circuit de-bugging.

I see that the SX-Key is about to get replaced with a USB version, so keep that in mind when deciding what to buy.

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- Rick

RDL2004

The SX proto board is a great deal and for about 15 dollars more you can make it into one of these.



Shipping can be a killer though, so try to get everything from one supplier like Mouser, and the only reasonably priced source I know of for the little breadboard is Parallax (ask for 1st Class Mail shipping, its cheapest).

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- Rick

ROBSCIX

OK, the key it is. I have a very large proto board I was gonna use that for my designs etc.

Can you buy those board pictured above already made or are they a collection of parts and put together by the user?
I as thinking of adding pin header to the protoboards before I read your email.

So guys what all is needed for a getteing started bundle?

1. SX key
2. Com cable
3. SX proto board
4 Power adapter
5. timing crystals.
6. ?

Am I missing anything important? -I will order a big bag of components to play with also this is just the basic Miciro kit for programming.

Post Edited (ROBSCIX) : 12/15/2007 11:20:47 PM GMT

RDL2004

That's a basic SX Proto board (from Parallax) with a Parallax mini breadboard and some soldered on sockets from Mouser. I'll see if I can find the invoice from Mouser with the part numbers for the sockets I used. The Parallax SX Tech board will provide you with about the same thing for $40. It might be easier to just go there.



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- Rick

ROBSCIX

Yes, I seen all those items on the board at Parallax. Part of the draw of the SX protoboards of course is their low price but adding these extras for connections has occured to me and would make things much easier. I am really into hobby robotics focusing on mobile applications....is the SX capable of using for this hobby? Either way I am going this route as a easy get started system..if I need somehitng with more muscle I can always move to something else but I think this should be fine for now. Do you think the SX will be alright for hobby mobile robotics?

Post Edited (ROBSCIX) : 12/15/2007 11:49:05 PM GMT

Sparks-R-Fun

I want to add a recommendation for the Parallax LCD Terminal APPMOD. It is a small LCD (2 lines of 8 characters) with four push buttons. If you are new to micro-controllers and have never used an LCD in a project before, the LCD Terminal APPMOD serves as a decent learning tool for this and costs around $15.

I have to also recommend the Professional Development Board in general. I believe its price places it outside the original poster's consideration. However, for those who can afford one it is a highly convenient learning tool! The convenience of having most everything you might commonly want to connect already properly installed and wired on the board is what makes it such a valuable tool.

Hobby Robots
I think the SX is excellent for hobby robotics! Do be sure to get some extra SX28 dip chips. They are less than $4 each and you are sure to want a few for projects not yet in your mind. Also, get some resonators. I recommend at least one each of 4, 20 and 50Mhz. Two each would probably be better but I know total cost is a concern.

I also recommend that you get at least one SX48 proto-board. They are $10 and an excellent value. Personally I think an SX48 proto-board would make a great controller for a hobby robot.

Finally, I have to recommend Guther Daubach's book. It is a useful learning tool and a very handy resource.

To sum up my recommendations... try to get the $100 starter kit. In my opinion that is an excellent combination for beginning to learn the SX. Add the LCD APPMOD and the SX48 proto-boards later when you grow into a need for them. Be sure to order a power supply if you do not already have a suitable one. (Projects without power are not much fun!)

I help this is helpful.

- Sparks

ROBSCIX

I have just decided to go with the SX48 Proto boards. This chip seems to have alot of power to use. Actually that Is a great deal on a small LCD.. I don't think I am up to that point yet. I also wanted to ask, -I was looking through the various books with example circuits and decided to put together a component list to order aswell.
What would you think would make a good group of parts to start with? -These are for doing the various experiments in the SX/B book and just some good parts to have around in general for prototyping. I wouldn't want to get a idea for something and then NOT have the parts to at least get the idea going. Thx for the help so far, this is a great forum!
such as

16 RED LED's
16 470 ohm Resistors
4 10K ohm POT's
2 IC -ADC's
etc?

Sparks-R-Fun

I think you will be ready very soon to make use of an LCD… So give it another thought.

If you are purchasing items, grab some 0.1uF and 0.01uF capacitors (and maybe some very big ones), some common resistors (grab bag?), some straight or right angle pin headers and maybe some push buttons. You might also find I2C EEPROMS and a few MAX232 serial drivers useful.

Tip: I have also found a piezo speaker to be useful especially as a non-visual debugging tool. For one particular project with several distinct operating states it was extremely beneficial for me to be able to hear by the tone emitted what state the device was in and how often it was changing states. I could have my hands and eyes engaged elsewhere and still discern if the device had switched states properly. All good robots should have a means of making noise!

Finally, if you have never controlled a hobby servo before, pick one up and discover how easy to control and useful these little motor marvels can be.

- Sparks

RDL2004

One of the niftiest things that I just found out about recently is LEDs with built in resistors. No more having to add current limit resistors. Makes breadboarding circuits quicker and less of a hassle. They're a little expensive in small quantities (about 50 cents each) but the added convenience is well worth it to me. They come in red, yellow and green and for both 12 volts and 5 volts.

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- Rick

RDL2004

Those soldered on sockets are are FCI .100" Dubox connectors. They're on page 1245 of the current Mouser catalog at the top of the page (figure . I used the 2x4 and 2x8 versions.

The Mouser part numbers are 649-68683-304LF and 649-68683-308LF (they also have basically the same thing from 3M).

You could probably just use the 1x16 connectors that Parallax sells, you'd have to cut them to get 4 positions but two 1x16 would work about as well as two 2x8.

If you make one of these be careful that you have enough clearance for the breadboard to fit when you solder on the sockets. Mine isn't even stuck down, but its a tight enough fit that it doesn't fall off even if turned upside down.

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- Rick