Parallax Propeller

Community General Discussions
,
1

Does any one use Parallax Propeller on here?? If so, what are the pros and cons?

2

Yeah, many people do

I mostly use the Prop. 

Advantages;

  • Very fast (200 MIPS).  Do wav playback, voice synth, even TV output on the chip.
  • simultaneous multitasking
  • Code already available for many tasks (on the Object Exchange)
  • Lot of I/O (32) that’s reconfigurable

Disadvantages;

  • More expensive (chip is $8)
  • Smaller community than Arduino or PICaxe (they’re mostly on the Parallax forums)
  • Unconventional design - I started with the Prop so it makes sense to me, but if you’re used to other ucontrollers, it’s a bit of a learning curve
  • Spin programming language is funky

I’m probably a biased source because I sell a Prop development platform (The Propeller Platform), but I hope it helps!

Nick

3

I am using the Propeller

I am building my robot and a remote controller from the Propeller. The advantages stated above plus

  • Great support from the company and Propeller forum group
  • Program it in any language you can think of (search the forums for the definitive list of languages)
  • Many expandable options for connection types or storage devices
  • Spin is powerful and like Basic on steroids
  • 8 Cogs (or processors) with 2 counter modules in each that can control things like servos and free up the Cog to work on other things.  So you can have a possible 3 tasks per Cog running concurrently
  • All you really need to know is how to call someone else’s object and get the result from it in order to integrate the Objects found on the Object Exchange
  • Assembly Code can execute faster than Spin

Disadvanges;

  • No built-in ADC (simulated ADC via software)
  • Learning curve can be steep unless you start with the Propeller Education Kit
  • Spin is powerful but it is built for multitasking and is Basic like and yet has many differences that can be confusing at first.
  • Confusion starts with Spin files can and sometimes do include Assembly code

My projects:

TOBI – The Tool Bot
https://www.robotshop.com/letsmakerobots/node/7025/
RoBo Remote - Programmable Remote Controller
https://www.robotshop.com/letsmakerobots/node/18692

4

I’m just a Newbee

I’m just a beginger and happen to win the http://www.gadgetgangster.com/find-a-project/56.html?projectnum=86 from Gadget Gangster. I’m thinking about selling it and getting another more beginer friendly one. I’m thinking about the PICAXE http://www.hvwtech.com/products_view.asp?ProductID=520.

Price can’t be too high (i’m on a limited budget). Does anyone have any other possible suggestions?? Please let me know if you do. Thank you in advance.

 

5

Better for beginners

I think the prop is fine for beginners, although the Propeller Designer Pack you have isn’t the best place to start - that’s really meant for people who want to publish something on the site, not a learning tool.  I sell the Propeller Platform SD, that’s much better.  So is the Parallax Demo Board and Education Kit. 

6

sorry, accidental double post

sorry, accidental double post

7

Propeller Robots

I may be biased as well, as I designed and sell an advanced Propeller based robot controller board… RoboProp

Read the “Upgrading the Boe-Bot” article in the September issue of Servo :slight_smile:

see http://Mikronauts.com/roboprop  for more details.