How does the SX compare to the BS2?
electromanj
Posts: 270
Hello. I have some basic questions about the sx chip. I have used the basic stamp 2. What are the basic differences and similarities between the bs2 and the SX? Is the sx programming similar? The projects I make usually include a serial LCD, and if px is high then do this, if px is low do that. Also I am just starting with RFID. Can you use this with the sx chip?
Thanks in advance for your help!
Thanks in advance for your help!
Comments
IMHO. [noparse]:)[/noparse]
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Shawn Lowe
When all else fails.....procrastinate!
Thanks for the help, I had seen the sx forums before but never paid attention. Took a closer look at the parallax store today and I am really curious!
yes and no. It depends on what you want to do. The SX is more 'low-level' in some ways, but with SX/B programming it's relatively easy to do. But as Shawn says, there is a learning curve. If you give it enough time, study the code samples, get a simple SX board, read the N&V articles, ask here, and just go for it, you'll be able to do a lot of things with it that are beyond the stamps.
> but the SX is a little more advanced as far as the programming?
Again, yes and no. SX/B is pretty easy to use because the good guys here who wrote it did such a good job.· And it will help you learn SX assembler if you want to do that - but you don't necessarily have to code in asm.
> Is it a stand alone product or better as a slave for the stamp?
Like the Propeller, it's an amazing little chip. It can be stand alone, or work in concert with other MCs.· For example, you could use the SX as a controller for some kind of communications protocol, doing the dirty work of the sending and receiving of bits while the Stamp is the Brain, sending simple commands in a more human understandable format.
> My current projects are not that big and it would be nice to use $4 mp versus a $30 mp, I usually shuttle my stamps from project to project.
> It would be nice to build it and leave it there!
Yes, it does get a little expensive to burn up a board with chips for each project - and it's a pain to have to take it all apart for the next thing, if you don't make it perminant. Here's what I like to do.· When I'm learning a new device, I get a demo board, or an "evaluation" board (if I can afford it) - AND I get a protoboard or two. That way, I can breadboard some tests and ideas, then make it semi-perminant on the proto board. Then my demo board is freed up for the next experiments. If it's really important, I'll make a real circuit board and stuff the chips on there for good.
Electromanj, the people on this forum, like the rest of the Parallax forums, are very good and helpful people.
Ask and you will receive!
cheers,
And welcome to the SX side of the Parallax Planet [noparse]:)[/noparse])
- Howard in Florida
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"This device contains recyclable materials, which can be re-decomposed
and re-integrated into brand new marvels... We strongly encourage you
to contact the provided information and recycle yourself always. "
Shawn and CounterRotatingProps, Thanks for the replys!
As far as the learning curve, that is great because I was looking to move on to a new MC to learn more. (Evan though I haven't scratched the surface with the bs2). Sometimes a new experiance helps me better understand a familiar environment; can't see the forrest for all the darn trees!
> Again, yes and no. SX/B is pretty easy to use because the good guys here who wrote it did such a good job.· And it will help you learn SX assembler if you want to do that - but you don't necessarily have to code in asm.
I could not agree with you more! I am not at all aprehensive about learning a new format because of the EXCELLANT professionals at Parallax coupled with the EXCELLANT professionals that frequent these forums. I am a Parallax fan through and through.
>Like the Propeller, it's an amazing little chip. It can be stand alone, or work in concert with other MCs.· For example, you could use the SX as a controller for some kind of communications protocol, doing the dirty work of the sending and receiving of bits while the Stamp is the Brain, sending simple commands in a more human understandable format.
Are you able to use inputs and outputs like you do with the bs2? Are the HIGH pinx and the LOW pinx similair?
>Yes, it does get a little expensive to burn up a board with chips for each project - and it's a pain to have to take it all apart for the next thing, if you don't make it perminant. Here's what I like to do.· When I'm learning a new device, I get a demo board, or an "evaluation" board (if I can afford it) - AND I get a protoboard or two. That way, I can breadboard some tests and ideas, then make it semi-perminant on the proto board. Then my demo board is freed up for the next experiments. If it's really important, I'll make a real circuit board and stuff the chips on there for good.
I was planning to get the starter kit for the SX chip. I built myself a very nice protoboard for the bs2 with spring terminals for pin connections which helps out alot in the design. I am hoping the SX will replace the BS2 in my most basic designs so I can populate my home with my mad scientists thoughts!··
>Electromanj, the people on this forum, like the rest of the Parallax forums, are very good and helpful people.
I second, third, and quaduple that motion!
Also, at the top of the forum is a sticky for downloading v. 2.0 of SX/B compiler
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Shawn Lowe
When all else fails.....procrastinate!
> Are you able to use inputs and outputs like you do with the bs2? Are the HIGH pinx and the LOW pinx similair?
Yes, but the you have to invert it - this is well documented. Shawn's suggestion is good. There's also a great piece of software called the SXSIM, it's a sticky thread too, but here it is anyway:
http://forums.parallax.com/forums/default.aspx?f=7&m=53539
If nothing else, run this thing just to see what is possible with well-written software --- it's a great learning tool and helps with debugging. And you don't even need an SX to try it.
When you put together your starter kit, make sure it has, or you get, either the SX-key or the SX-blitz. You need one of these to get the program into the SX. The SX-Key costs more because it has more features and supports debugging. The SX-blitz doesn't do debugging, but costs less - it's more for loading SX's in a production-like way. I'd just get the SX-Key and be done with it.
You certainly can replace all of your stamp stuff with SXes, but you will have to translate all the code, and some of the logic. SX/B is Basic-like (Maybe that's what the "B" stands for??) so the transition won't be too bad.
RE - house lighting: there are some sample programs for doing stage-light control and X-10 control. In particular, you might want to study the N&V articles on the subjects available from the Parallax main site. The author does a very good job at showing a workable schematic and code. He's also a helpful and regular contributor here on the forum. When we *really* get stuck, he'll jump in and help.
> I can populate my home with my mad scientists thoughts
My personal opinion is that the SX was made by Mad Scientists Just FOR Mad Scientists...
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"This device contains recyclable materials, which can be re-decomposed
and re-integrated into brand new marvels... We strongly encourage you
to contact the provided information and recycle yourself always. "
The two big *strengths* of the Stamp that you won't have on the SX are built-in EEPROM (i.e. read/write/store data in non-volatile memory) and the "compactness" the Stamp's interpreted language. In a sense, every command on the Stamp is really a kind of ready-to-go subroutine but without the subroutine taking up program space. On the SX, this is not the case. In other words, I would argue you can fit a lot more program into a Stamp.
On the other side, the SX can do a lot the Stamp can't -- like true "background" interrupts so you can, for example, constantly send out servo pulses, or PWM, measure inputs, etc "in the background". Also you can do "real-time" counting -- so if you need to have an event occur every 10 seconds, or 2ms, or whatever, it's not hard. The Stamp will never do that. And of course, the SX has more I/O pins available (20 on the SX28 dip) than the 16 I/O pins on the Stamp. Additionally, with various brown-out settings, the SX can be operated with a broader range of voltage supplies. Lastly, the SX is *blazingly* fast.
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When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro. -- HST
1uffakind.com/robots/povBitMapBuilder.php
1uffakind.com/robots/resistorLadder.php
http://www.parallax.com/Store/Microcontrollers/BASICStampOEM/tabid/135/ProductID/12/List/1/Default.aspx?SortField=ProductName,ProductName
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He who dies with the most toys wins!
So much help.
I am getting one theme here, and that is to download some resources to get familiar. Great advice as I learn more by trial and error, (mostly from error).
What I think would help the most at this point is looking at some sample projects. I would like to look at some hardware schematics coulped with some software·program·to cross reference. It best for me to look at the schematic and look at the code to understand what the code is doing. Is anyone aware of some nuts and volts articles that have a project description from start to finish?
I am sure there are some included with the literature that comes with the sx starter kit, but I would like to look at some sample projects before I dive into this to be sure I am heading down the right alley.
Thanks to all!
Post Edited (electromanj) : 6/18/2009 11:23:41 PM GMT
That is one way to go.
I guess I'm looking for a way to keep the cost down for minor one off projects, and more importantly mass produced projects.( I have these ideas....)
www.parallax.com/Resources/NutsVoltsColumns/tabid/272/Default.aspx
Also the SX/B help file has a number of projects with schematics, code, etc.
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When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro. -- HST
1uffakind.com/robots/povBitMapBuilder.php
1uffakind.com/robots/resistorLadder.php