|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
Basic Stamp® 2p40 Main Processor |
|
|
| For good reasons, Basic Stamp®s are very popular processors for robotic and control applications. While most hobby robots use a Basic Stamp® 2, our Controller Board has the top of the line Basic Stamp® 2p40 processor chip. Read why below. |
|
The links below are on this page.
=> Great Support! => Fastest Stamp => More Room for Variable Storage => More Program Space => Lots of I/O for Expansion => Extra Instructions => Note |
|
<= Great Support! The main processor is an industry standard Basic Stamp® 2p40 processor chip from Parallax Inc. You program it from a PC using a Windows or DOS program. Books have been written on how to use Stamps to do almost anything you can think of. The included CD ROM from Parallax Inc. has their Website on it so you get several books, application notes and courses on the CD. Stamps have a few limitations when applied to robots so the Basic Stamp® 2p40 processor chip is built-in to overcome some of the limitations. <= Fastest Stamp The 2p40 is 3 times faster than the Basic Stamp® 2. <= More Room for Variable Storage The Basic Stamp® 2 has 26 bytes of variable registers. This can get tight in many programs. The 2p40 has 128 bytes of scratchpad RAM in addition to the 26 bytes of variable registers. Saving variables to scratchpad lets you re-use the 26 variables so you won't keep running out of variable space. <= More Program Space The 2p40 has 8 times the program space of the Basic Stamp® 2. This makes it easy to have multiple programs or personalities in your robot without having to reload programs. Switches included on the PC board allow quick switching between these programs or in setting operating modes. <= Lots of I/O for Expansion Besides the Stamp PC serial interface, the 2p40 has 32 I/O pins versus the Basic Stamp® 2's 16. Most of these pins are not used in the basic robot but are brought out to headers so you can connect them for your uses. There are three 20-pin headers for use with separate pin sockets or 20 pin IDC type cable connectors. 8 I/O pins are brought out to each connector along with unregulated power supply, +5 Volts regulated and ground. This allows connecting expansions that have multiple I/O needed or by using single sockets, you can use each pin independently. There is also 1 servo pinned output along with 3 more I/O pins connected to switches with LED indicators. <= Extra Instructions The 2p40 has additional instructions to make things easier and less expensive. Commands for interfacing with parallel LCDs, I2C devices and Dallas Semiconductor One Wire parts have been added along with a polled interrupt capability. For example, if you really think your project needs an LCD display, the new instructions will let you add one using a much less expensive parallel display rather than the usual serial display. <= Note: We do not use the full 40 pin packaged Basic Stamp® 2p40; instead we use the processor chip from Parallax Inc. and assemble it directly onto our PC board. You still get full compatibility with the Basic Stamp® 2p40 but at a much lower price. By the way, this is NOT something you want to do at home as it only comes in a package with 0.02" lead-to-lead spacing! "Normal" DIP IC pins are 5 times that far apart. |
Blue Bell Design Inc. Post Office Box 446 Gwynedd Valley, PA 19437-0446 USA 215-643-7012 email us harry@bluebelldesign.com on the web www.bluebelldesign.com Basic Stamp® is a registered trademark of Parallax, Inc.
|
