Basic Stamp Programmer

[ShooterJM]

Originally posted by hitech


Anyone know where you can find information on purchasing these?

Umm try PICBasic. Talked to a guy at work who said there are some decent freeware ones though.

[hitech]

Thanks. I found lots of stuff using a search.

[314159]

you can get started programming pics for less than the cost of a basic stamp hehe.

i am on aim as "terminal err" if you need any advice about electronics.....

[ShooterJM]

Might do that! I'm pretty interested in your dreamcast VMU project too!

[hitech]

Originally posted by 314159
you can get started programming pics for less than the cost of a basic stamp

Where can I find something like that? How do you download your code into the PIC? Thanks in advance.

[ShooterJM]

Originally posted by hitech


Where can I find something like that? How do you download your code into the PIC? Thanks in advance.

I've seen pic programmers on ebay for like $50. They usually have a seriel, parallel or USB port to jack into your computer. Write the code on the computer and send it to the programmer. I've seen some with modems too.


EDIT: You can build em yourself too. I'm getting schematics from a buddy on how to build one.

[314159]

http://www.olimex.com/dev/images/pic-pg1-sch.gif

this is a real fancy one that does not require any external power to program the pic. the cost of the parts for the programmer is under $5. some of the parts on the schematic are not the easiest to get. i have some substitutions that are all avalible from my favorite supplier digikey.

i will be online after work from 5-10 central time on aim as "terminal err" (my box is usually up 24x7).

[hitech]

Thanks guys. BTW, I don't know if anyone else is interested, but here is a complete PIC serial "programmer" for under $7.00 with a link to free software (thanks to 314159):

http://www.olimex.com/kits/pg001.html

[314159]

they are on vacation for the month of august though =P

[billmi]

The Basic Stamp has advantages for fast, easy prototyping. In comparison to a PIC, you have to remember that a Basic Stamp is a complete computer, not just a single chip (the processor chip on a Stamp is a PIC). To utilize a PIC you will need to design and build a circuit board with the support circuitry needed to operate the PIC as well as the interface to your paintgun. Conversely with the Stamp, all of the support hardware is on the stamp already, and you can add interface components (a MOSFET to drive a solenoid, a tie down resistor for a trigger input, for example) right on the board.

Size comparison between the stamp and a PIC isn't realistic, because you'd need to compare the PIC's size to the processor on the stamp (the PIC still needs to have a board and support hardware to be useable). DIP mounted PICs (like the one to use with the programmer linked in this thread) are larger than the SMT PIC processor on the Basic Stamp. Most PIC based paintgun driver boards using DIP packaged PICs, like the one in the Matrix, are in fact larger than a Basic Stamp set up for dual solenoid control of a paintgun. Similarly, the BS-1D Basic Stamp uses a DIP PIC and is larger than the BS-1IC Basic Stamp that I covered in my article on WARPIG (DIP/SMT are just styles of chip shapes, the DIP chips are bigger with pins to go into a socket, and SMT have tiny pins that solder down to the circuit board).

The drawback to the Stamp is that it's not ideal for production, largely due to the cost (about $30 per stamp). But also you can make a more efficient circuit tailored to your application, rather than the stamp which is built to be multi-purpose. However, if you're doing something that's one-off, or concentrating on getting the hardware side of something working, the speed of set-up, ease of programming (PBASIC is quite a robust language, with a lot of built in functions for signal generation, communicating with an LCD, etc.) of the Stamp give it a lot of advantages.

Since the Basic Stamp has programming I/O circuitry on the stamp, it doesn't need a programmer, you just need to connect it to the parallel port on a PC (You just need a DB25 connector to plug into the PC, some wire, and the connector style of your choice to plug to the stamp, I've even used aligator clips, to clip the programmer to the stamp so as to not have a plug on the board).

The PBasic compiler software that you need for programming is a free download from Parallax (www.parallax.com). The Basic Stamp manuals are free downloads as well in PDF format. I opted to buy a starter kit with a prototyping board (the boards sell for $15 seperately), the manual, a stamp, and a cable for $90. The ease of a printed manual, and knowing I had a proper cable, and an easy proto-board to work with definitely saved me time in learning. When I decided I wanted to do an LCD board for my Rainmaker, I spent an afternoon researching microcontrollers (PIC, Basic Stamp, etc.) online (I'd never worked with them before), an afternoon programming the Stamp to flash LEDs on the prototype board, then to drive a serial LCD, and another afternoon putting it into my Rainmaker. I suspect if I hadn't gone with the kit, there would have been another afternoon tied into all that. Anyhow, the point to that is it's really quite easy to work with.

Good luck with your project, whichever processor you choose. If you go the Basic Stamp route, and have any questions, feel free to ask here, or in the Tech Misc forum on WARPIG.

See you on the field,
-Bill Mills

[ShooterJM]

Well that answers my question!

Thanks for the insight Bill! Was kind of curious about it. Actually, because I'm impatient I'm going with the basic stamp right now. Was delivered yesterday along with the programming cable. Just downloaded the software.

Quick update on my project: Grip frame is now milled out, solenoid is here and all the other electronic parts are as well.

Trying to currently bore a hole in a sear. Not an easy task Going with a cobalt bit this weekend.

[Gambit22]

The PIC16F84 requires only one external component: the crystal. And its size is significantly smaller than the Stamp. Sorry, but if you've the know how, PICs are much easier to work with than Stamps. Both size and cost wise.

[hitech]

Re: Well that answers my question!

Originally posted by ShooterJM
Quick update on my project: Grip frame is now milled out, solenoid is here and all the other electronic parts are as well.

Trying to currently bore a hole in a sear. Not an easy task Going with a cobalt bit this weekend.

Let me know how it goes. I have been planning on doing a similar project. I'm curious, what grip frame are you using? How much trouble was it to mount the hardware? How are you connecting the solenoid to the sear? BTW, if you need help with the programming, I can probably help. I've never used PBasic but I do write programs for a living and have used many other languages, so PBasic shouldn't be a problem. Thanks.

[billmi]

Re: Well that answers my question!

Originally posted by ShooterJM
Trying to currently bore a hole in a sear. Not an easy task Going with a cobalt bit this weekend.

Not an easy task at all. Most sears are steel at tool hardness or harder, making them quite difficult to drill or cut. You might consider making a new sear, and then hardening it once you are done.

See you on the field,
-Bill Mills

[ShooterJM]

Re: Re: Well that answers my question!

Originally posted by billmi


Not an easy task at all. Most sears are steel at tool hardness or harder, making them quite difficult to drill or cut. You might consider making a new sear, and then hardening it once you are done.

See you on the field,
-Bill Mills

Yeah. I wanted to avoid that if at all possible. Still pretty green when it comes to metal work. If these bits don't work I'll consider that. Called a machinest and it'd cost almost as much to EDM the sear then to have a few made.