Microcontrollers (stamps) capable of?

M

marshmallow

Weaksauce
Joined
Oct 12, 2004
Messages
104
Ive been learning to program some basic programs using microcontrollers and a basic stamp (inputs and outputs that turn on a light, or turn off a motor). Just how powerful though are these things? What can be done with them besides basic "on/off" type of situations. There are a couple applications Id like to try them out with, but do not know if it is even capable. Anyone have any projects/builds where they have used them and how they used them?

Thanks!
 
pbasic microcontrollers can be used for automation anywhere from the factory to the house. it's really rather cool.

i personally haven't gotten into it cuz i just don't have the $$$, but i do know that the possibilities are huge.
 
basic stamps arent very powerful on their own. The basic stamp pbasic is only capable of positive integer math. Supposedly there are 3rd party compilers and whatnot that can give them more power, but otherwise you have many limitations. If you need your microcontroller to do serious math or have other things, look into other uC's such as AVR's or PIC's. AVR's, while not as easy to get started as the stamp, are very powerful and very cheap.

http://www.whatsisname.com/archives/2004/12/index.html The robot i built for a class thats in those vid's uses a Basic Stamp two. Doing something as simple as you see there was quite a task for the basic stamp. I would have rather used an AVR but the basic stamp was a requirement for the robot.

starhawk said:
pbasic microcontrollers can be used for automation anywhere from the factory to the house. it's really rather cool.

i personally haven't gotten into it cuz i just don't have the $$$, but i do know that the possibilities are huge.
Click to expand...

marshmallow said:
Ive been learning to program some basic programs using microcontrollers and a basic stamp (inputs and outputs that turn on a light, or turn off a motor). Just how powerful though are these things? What can be done with them besides basic "on/off" type of situations. There are a couple applications Id like to try them out with, but do not know if it is even capable. Anyone have any projects/builds where they have used them and how they used them?

Thanks!
Click to expand...
 
Maybe you can list what you want to do so that we can tell you what kind of microcontroller would be most suitable for your application.
 
xonik said:
Maybe you can list what you want to do so that we can tell you what kind of microcontroller would be most suitable for your application.
Click to expand...
Id rather not get lauphed at :-p

Are there any other types of programable "stamps", but can use a small powerful microcontroller?

-edit-
typo
 
hmm very well then.

However, it seems you need a small lesson in terminology. uC's are programmable chips. The basic stamp is one line of them, from a single company Parallax. There are many other uC's, such as PIC's from www.microchip.com and AVR's from www.atmel.com .Many of these are very powerful uC's. One of the AVR's, a megaAVR169, can run at up to 8mhz i believe, has 32 IO ports, 8 of which are A/D, and a whole shitload of other things, and only costs 10-15 bucks. The only major downside to that one is it doesnt come in dip form as far as i know. As far as using a microprocessor, such as a 486, in short, is not possible.

oh yeah, uC = microcontroller
marshmallow said:
Id rather not get lauphed at :-p

Are there any other types of programable "stamps", but can use a small powerful microproccessor?
Click to expand...
 
Another microcontroller along the lines of a Stamp are the Oopic series and the Handyboard.
 
Whatsisname said:
hmm very well then.

However, it seems you need a small lesson in terminology. uC's are programmable chips. The basic stamp is one line of them, from a single company Parallax. There are many other uC's, such as PIC's from www.microchip.com and AVR's from www.atmel.com .Many of these are very powerful uC's. One of the AVR's, a megaAVR169, can run at up to 8mhz i believe, has 32 IO ports, 8 of which are A/D, and a whole shitload of other things, and only costs 10-15 bucks. The only major downside to that one is it doesnt come in dip form as far as i know. As far as using a microprocessor, such as a 486, in short, is not possible.

oh yeah, uC = microcontroller
Click to expand...

Thank you for the heads up. (Sometimes I hit one key too many timmmmmmmmmes.)

Is it possible to use a stamp to print to a screen? Like this one:LCD. Just a matter of determining the way the LCD reads in data?
 
yes, you could have the stamp output to an LCD screen.

marshmallow said:
Thank you for the heads up. (Sometimes I hit one key too many timmmmmmmmmes.)

Is it possible to use a stamp to print to a screen? Like this one:LCD. Just a matter of determining the way the LCD reads in data?
Click to expand...
 
Of course, Me and some buddies programed a Paintabll marker, chip, for debounce, and startup screen, If i have the file saved some where, ill look for it, so i can show you.
 
'# Configure and set variables
symbol dwell=b10 '# call b10 dwell which is easier to
'remember
Symbol drop=b11 '# call b22 drop which is easier to
'remember
Let B2=0 '# clear b2 so BUTTON can use it for the
'trigger
Let B3=0 '# clear b3 so BUTTON can use it for the
'mode button
Let dwell=30 '# set the dwell delay to 30 ms
Let drop=30 '# set the drop delay to 30 ms
'# The dwell delay is how long the solenoid must be
'held open for a full and
'# complete firing cycle. The drop delay is the minimum
'amount of time the
'# breech must be held open between shots to give time
'for a new ball to fall
'# into the breech.
'######


'# Flash the power LED to show that the board is working
'properly
'# when the power is turned on, and then leave it on
Low 0 '# Make sure that the power LED is off
Pause 100 '# Wait for 100 milliseconds – 1/10
'of a second
Toggle 0 '# Turn the power LED from off to on
Pause 100 '# Wait again
Toggle 0 '# Turn the power LED back off
Pause 100 '# Wait again
Toggle 0 '# Turn the power LED back on
'######

'##### Safe mode – Gosafe comes before safe mode so we
'don’t waste processor
'# time constantly setting the safe LED when
'we’re running the BUTTON command
'# waiting for the paintgun to get switched
'into semi mode. This isn’t so important
'# now as when we’re also taking the time to
'send data to an LCD each time we go
'# into safe mode.

Gosafe: '# Label the gosafe procedure
Low 1 '# Turn I/O pin 1 low to turn off the safe/semi
'LED
Safe: '# Label the safe procedure
Button 7,1,255,1,b3,0,skip1
'# If the mode button is not pressed go to Skip1
Goto Gosemi '# If the button was pressed we goto Gosemi
Skip1: '# If the button wasn’t pressed we end up here
Goto Safe '# and then go back to safe and keep
'# waiting for the button to be pressed
'#######

'####### Semi-auto mode, here we have to watch the
'trigger for button presses
'# and act on them, as well as watch the
'# mode button and go back to safe mode
'# if it is pressed. Notice a new command here –
'# gosub. Goto will go to a new
'# place in the program and just continue on.
'# Gosub will go to a subroutine and
'# when that subroutine is done (subroutines
'# are ended with a return command)
'# the program will come back and continue on, right
'# after where the gosub command
'# was in the list.

Gosemi: '# That’s the label for this procedure
High 1 '# Turn I/O pin 1 high to light the
'# LED and show we
'# are live in semi-auto mode
Semi: '# Now were in the semi auto procedure
Button 6,1,255,1,b2,0,skip2
'# If the trigger was not pressed skip ahead to skip2
Gosub fire
'# If the trigger was pressed execute to the
'#firing subroutine
Skip2: '# whether we did or didn’t shoot we end up here
Button 7,1,255,1,b3,0,skip1
'# If the mode button is not pressed go to Skip3
Goto Gosafe '# If mode was pressed we go back to safe
Skip3: '# Here we are at skip3
Goto Semi: '# If we didn’t change modes
'#look for the next trigger press
'##########


'###### The firing sub-routine – this is where
'# we trip our firing solenoid/LED
Fire: '# That’s the name of the subroutine
Low 0 '# We’ll blink off the power LED
'# while firing to show that
'# we’re trying to fire even if
'# there’s some malfuction
High 2 '# Give the MOSFET power to open
'#the solenoid valve
Pause dwell
'# Now we’ll wait for the number of milliseconds we
'# specified when we set the dwell value earlier
Low 2 '# Now we’ll drop I/O Pin 2 and close the valve
Pause drop '# Now we’ll pause before the next
'#shot to allow time for
'# a ball to feed
High 1 '# And now turn the power light back on
Return '# We’re done shooting so we return
'#to the line in the
'# program just below the gosub command that sent
'# us here
'######

'###### Firing design
Fire:
Low 0 '# We’ll blink off the power LED
'#while firing to show that
'# we’re trying to fire even if there’s some
'# malfuction
High 2 '# open the valve to trip the sear
Pause dwell '# Wait before releasing the sear
Low 2 '# Now we’ll drop I/O Pin 2 let off of the sear
High 3 '# Open the bolt of the paintgun
Pause drop '# No we’ll pause before the
'# next shot to allow time for
'# a ball to feed – we could even put a subroutine
'# here to check the status of an
'# anti-chop eye instead
Low 3 '# Close the bolt
High 1 '# And now turn the power light back on
Return '# We’re done shooting so we
'# return to the line in the
'# program just below the gosub command that sent
'# us here
'######
 
Irish, thats pretty damn cool. You know, I know some die-hard tippman fans looking for some kind of new board to reach 20+ bps on their A5's.

So, would I be way over my head in figuring out how to display text, using the stamp, to a small screen like that?
 
all depends on what your abilities are.

marshmallow said:
So, would I be way over my head in figuring out how to display text, using the stamp, to a small screen like that?
Click to expand...
 
Well, I have access to a basic stamp, and the software that came with the stamp. I already know C++ and Java very well, and the software for programming the stamp is in *basic?* so I think if I knew what was neccessary/if the stamp was capable of outputting to a LCD, then I would go for it.
 
then why don't you start working and find out. Unless you post what you're planning we cannot tell you jack about any uC's fitness for your purpose.

marshmallow said:
Well, I have access to a basic stamp, and the software that came with the stamp. I already know C++ and Java very well, and the software for programming the stamp is in *basic?* so I think if I knew what was neccessary/if the stamp was capable of outputting to a LCD, then I would go for it.
Click to expand...
 
Serial interface is teh key! It only needs only a single data line to communicate. Serial LCD displays are pretty expensive compared to parallel, But there is a converter that sells for around $20. The SLI-OEM needs 5 volts of power, so you could draw right from pin 5 on the Stamp to power it. I rather not strangle the Stamp’s voltage regulator, and instead mount a fixed output 5v regulator on the SLI-OEM, and feed that with the +9v straight from the battery, or from a 18v source , like a battery paCk. The SLI-OEM comes w/ instructions, and it will take a while to figure out what the proper dip switch settings are for the display. The SLI-OEM is gunna have to be soldered onto the back of the LCD display which is a quick 2 or 3 minute job.
 
marshmallow said:
Well, I have access to a basic stamp, and the software that came with the stamp. I already know C++ and Java very well, and the software for programming the stamp is in *basic?* so I think if I knew what was neccessary/if the stamp was capable of outputting to a LCD, then I would go for it.
Click to expand...

Just go ahead and start experimenting. That's always the best way IMHO. You really have to go out of your way to hurt anything.
 
Why do that when you could use a pic or an AVR that can do all the work the backpack does, while not costing a dime extra because you're already using it for everything else in a project?

Irishllama said:
Serial interface is teh key! It only needs only a single data line to communicate. Serial LCD displays are pretty expensive compared to parallel, But there is a converter that sells for around $20. The SLI-OEM needs 5 volts of power, so you could draw right from pin 5 on the Stamp to power it. I rather not strangle the Stamp’s voltage regulator, and instead mount a fixed output 5v regulator on the SLI-OEM, and feed that with the +9v straight from the battery, or from a 18v source , like a battery paCk. The SLI-OEM comes w/ instructions, and it will take a while to figure out what the proper dip switch settings are for the display. The SLI-OEM is gunna have to be soldered onto the back of the LCD display which is a quick 2 or 3 minute job.
Click to expand...
 
Whatsisname said:
then why don't you start working and find out. Unless you post what you're planning we cannot tell you jack about any uC's fitness for your purpose.
Click to expand...

I want to display text/info to a small lcd screen using a stamp? Am I pushing your buttons or something?

Anyways, you guys have been alot of help! I need to see if I can talk my professor into letting my barrow a stamp from lab, because right now I can only work on projects twice a week. I also need to find a relatively inexpensive screen to play with, and my (broken) ti 89 is looking like it needs to be taken apart.
 
there is a 1000:1 chance the basic stamp will be unable to drive the 89's screen.

marshmallow said:
I want to display text/info to a small lcd screen using a stamp? Am I pushing your buttons or something?

Anyways, you guys have been alot of help! I need to see if I can talk my professor into letting my barrow a stamp from lab, because right now I can only work on projects twice a week. I also need to find a relatively inexpensive screen to play with, and my (broken) ti 89 is looking like it needs to be taken apart.
Click to expand...
 
http://www.garmin.com/mobile/products.html#automotive

all of those products use Atmel microcontrollers... very powerfull little suckers. Also, the programmer for them can be built from passive components (a few resistors, caps, etc..), and the software for it is free. They also can be programmed in assembly or C...

the actual chips themselves arn't to much either (a good one will be 3-5$ maybe)...

the really big ones used in the above mentioned products are of course, quite a bit more... but you get the idea... suckers are powerfull as hell ;)

also, microchip (they make PICS... which uses an instruction set that has like 36 commands, so if you know assembly... would be great), and atmel.com give free samples.
 
marshmallow said:
Well, I have access to a basic stamp, and the software that came with the stamp. I already know C++ and Java very well, and the software for programming the stamp is in *basic?* so I think if I knew what was neccessary/if the stamp was capable of outputting to a LCD, then I would go for it.
Click to expand...

c++ and java are quite similar... but anything that's basic-related is totally different from them... apples and oranges, really.
 
oh yeah... and i am very interested in hearing what you are gonna do with this.

pm me if you aren't comfortable telling us straight-out for whatever reason.
 
Ok, finally got a serial LCD and got some text to display to the screen (easier then i thought). The problem I am having though is the text is all jarbled up/ wrong text to screen.
(from what I can remember:)
LCD is in 9600 boadmode, so that is how I have the serout command going:
serout 1,16(thousand something),["Hello World"]

Except it gives me all weird characters. Am I not setting the serial LCD up right? I already *couph* burned up *couph*, an LCD sticking the +5 volts to the vss, not the vdd (oops).
 
in my limited experience with them, LCD's are hard as hell to initialize correctly... timing issues galore...
 
Ok, one thing everyone seems to leave out when talking about the difference between stamps and pic/avr...is ease of use. PBASIC is probablly the simplest programming language, next to LOGO. Unless you want to learn assembly, you have to purchase a C compiler for the PIC, which can cost LOTS of money. Sure you can get free versions, but they all suck. I can't speak for the AVR, but I've used both stamps and pics. The basic stamp could be programmed by a monkey.

Don't get me wrong, the stamp still has its cons. As previously stated, they can't handle negative math (which was a MAJOR problem with my sonar design project). If I'm not mistaken floating point math is severly limited as well. They can only handle like 32 variables also.

Look, if you already have a basic stamp, use it until you can't use it no more. Its great for I/O and can control a multitude of sensors and transducers...the math capabilities is lacking. No matter how you cut it, the alternatives are much, much more complicated to get started with.
 
thats both its upside and downside. It can be programmed by a monkey, but the Basic Stamp only has a monkey's capabilities.

joecool234 said:
The basic stamp could be programmed by a monkey.
Click to expand...
 
joecool234 said:
Ok, one thing everyone seems to leave out when talking about the difference between stamps and pic/avr...is ease of use. PBASIC is probablly the simplest programming language, next to LOGO. Unless you want to learn assembly, you have to purchase a C compiler for the PIC, which can cost LOTS of money. Sure you can get free versions, but they all suck. I can't speak for the AVR, but I've used both stamps and pics. The basic stamp could be programmed by a monkey.

Don't get me wrong, the stamp still has its cons. As previously stated, they can't handle negative math (which was a MAJOR problem with my sonar design project). If I'm not mistaken floating point math is severly limited as well. They can only handle like 32 variables also.

Look, if you already have a basic stamp, use it until you can't use it no more. Its great for I/O and can control a multitude of sensors and transducers...the math capabilities is lacking. No matter how you cut it, the alternatives are much, much more complicated to get started with.
Click to expand...
Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm - avr gcc does NOT suck. Actually it works perfectly. Can't talk about the PIC side of things - but AVR GCC rocks.
 
That's why I said I have no experience with AVRs...is the avr gcc free? Right now my company is using the PIC for tcp/ip interfacing and our compiler cost $850. Not to mention we had to hire someone to actually code for it. Add to that the cost of the development board, $300, and you have one big pain in the ass.

Oh, and by the way, anyone that says the stamp has "a monkey's capabilities" is just aggravated about the mathematical shortcomings. No matter how you slice it, the stamp is great for 200KHz I/O. If you're looking for a simple I/O solution, look no further than www.parallax.com .

P.S. Don't forget to check their edu pricing, if you qualify (I think all u need is an edu email address).
 
Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Reread his post. He only made a claim about the C compilers for PICs.

NleahciM said:
Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm - avr gcc does NOT suck. Actually it works perfectly. Can't talk about the PIC side of things - but AVR GCC rocks.
Click to expand...
 
This is what my college has, so Im using it. Stanps, pbasic, serial LCDs, AND a few pics (but no software to program it with). So, is there something wrong with my LCD if the text comes out all jarbled? I swear I have the settings on the lcd correct, so what instructions am I not implementing right out of the stamp?
 
Whatsisname said:
Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Reread his post. He only made a claim about the C compilers for PICs.
Click to expand...
"Sure you can get free versions, but they all suck."

Rereading his post I can't tell if he was talking about both PICs and AVRs, or only PICs. He wasn't clear. Doesn't matter though.
 
joecool234 said:
That's why I said I have no experience with AVRs...is the avr gcc free? Right now my company is using the PIC for tcp/ip interfacing and our compiler cost $850. Not to mention we had to hire someone to actually code for it. Add to that the cost of the development board, $300, and you have one big pain in the ass.

Oh, and by the way, anyone that says the stamp has "a monkey's capabilities" is just aggravated about the mathematical shortcomings. No matter how you slice it, the stamp is great for 200KHz I/O. If you're looking for a simple I/O solution, look no further than www.parallax.com .

P.S. Don't forget to check their edu pricing, if you qualify (I think all u need is an edu email address).
Click to expand...
Yup - it's free like beer. Works awesomely. Check out win avr if you're a windows user - just install it and go - it's already configured and everything.

My problem with stamps is not that they are wimpy (which they are, compared to AVRs and PICs), but that they are overly expensive, and yet for some reason popular. Their marketing department deserves mad props. They are no easier to use than an AVR or PIC with a half decent development board. Hell - I never even bought a development board and I was AOK.
 
You obviously have never used a stamp before. In no way, shape, or form is a PIC easier to use. It took 3 engineers with degrees from JHU 2 weeks to get our PIC programmed. Intelligence has nothing to with it...the environment for the PIC is incredibly foreign, especially if one isn't proficient in C. The PIC requires C libraries, linking, etc etc...all before you can even put code on a chip. With the stamp, you simply type up a pbasic file, then click a single button - BAM, code is on the chip and the chip is running.

It is not correct to say PIC/AVR is a simpler route. It may just be your preferred route.

Marshmallow: what serial board and lcd are you using? Have you found examples on google for interfacing YOUR lcd to the basic stamp? From what I understand, you should just be able to use the SEROUT command to send text to the LCD, that's it. If the text is garbled, you are more than likely not initializing it correctly.
 
Whatsisname said:
hmm very well then.

However, it seems you need a small lesson in terminology. uC's are programmable chips. The basic stamp is one line of them, from a single company Parallax. There are many other uC's, such as PIC's from www.microchip.com and AVR's from www.atmel.com .Many of these are very powerful uC's. One of the AVR's, a megaAVR169, can run at up to 8mhz i believe, has 32 IO ports, 8 of which are A/D, and a whole shitload of other things, and only costs 10-15 bucks. The only major downside to that one is it doesnt come in dip form as far as i know. As far as using a microprocessor, such as a 486, in short, is not possible.

oh yeah, uC = microcontroller
Click to expand...

I know this is kida off topic but using a microprocessor is infact very possible, I have built systems that were based arround a 8088 a basic system only requires a few IC's and realy arn't that bad to setup. But it's one of those things that require alot of knowlege to accomplish so maybe not realy practicle for hobby work.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top