Dashboard...

[AntmanIV]

I was going to make an led pannel to display dashboard info without needing to lug a laptop everywhere. I have seen people with switch pannels next to the joysticks and had an idea to make a dashboard type thing to put there that outputs everything to leds. Only problem is that I am not entirely sure of what chips I could get to decode dashboard info and route this to different leds. Last years controler or another stamp 2? Any input will be appreciated and IF we can get this going i'll make a nice tutorial with pics for everyone so you all can make one too!

[Random Dude]

Originally Posted by AntmanIV

I was going to make an led pannel to display dashboard info without needing to lug a laptop everywhere. I have seen people with switch pannels next to the joysticks and had an idea to make a dashboard type thing to put there that outputs everything to leds. Only problem is that I am not entirely sure of what chips I could get to decode dashboard info and route this to different leds. Last years controler or another stamp 2? Any input will be appreciated and IF we can get this going i'll make a nice tutorial with pics for everyone so you all can make one too!

I wouldn't want to use an older controller due to lack of digital outputs.

A BASIC Stamp, along with a serial LCD would be a pretty simple solution. This year's EDU controller might suffice, or you could just purchase your own micro from Microchip, (18xxx series, since we have the compiler...).

[AntmanIV]

Hmm... money money. yea reason I asked about the BS2 is that radioshack has them. I'll look into using the edu controler from this year, but how do I go drom dashboard out to edu in?

[ahecht]

Another option is to pick up an old PalmIII or PalmV, which will cost you about $20. There was palm dashboard software for the 2k1-2k3 control systems, so it is definatly possible to use the serial port of the palm to capture dashboard data.

[AntmanIV]

I think I still have my old palm III around somewhere just need a new screen. The question I am facing now is where should I input the dashboard stuff on the edubot. The radio port?

[FotoPlasma]

If you're going to use the 2004 EduBot, you should use a MAX232 in conjunction with the TTL Serial Port. The Dashboard Port outputs a standard RS232 serial signal, which has different logic levels from the EduBot's TTL Serial Port (TTL stands for Transistor-Transistor Logic). The MAX232 shifts the levels of the signals in order to turn the RS232 signals into TTL signals. After the signal has been shifted, you will be able to read data into the EduRC using the one of the two onboard serial ports (the other is used for programming).

Please feel free to ask more questions.

[AntmanIV]

Cool beans. but where could I obtain one of these Max dealies?

[FotoPlasma]

Texas Instruments ships free samples of pretty much any IC you want. In addition to that, they ship free samples via UPS Red. Overnight. Check out TI's website, and search for either MAX232 or MAX233s (the 233s are easier to work with because they don't require external capacitors in order to function). If you can't find them, I'll poke around for links.

[KevinB]

Couldn't you just hook through the Program port of the EDU-RC to avoid the need for a MAX-232?

[FotoPlasma]

Originally Posted by KevinB

Couldn't you just hook through the Program port of the EDU-RC to avoid the need for a MAX-232?

AFAIK, the programming port interfaces to the Master uP, which in turn programs the User uP. This is what I gather: We don't have access to the programmable uP through the programming port. The programming port is connected to the Master uP, which recieves the compiled program from your computer, and performs all of the necessary functions to transfer the program to the User uP. If this is true, then we don't have access to the other onboard serial port through the programming port. I could be wrong, though. I will check on this.

[Dave Flowerday]

Originally Posted by FotoPlasma

This is what I gather: We don't have access to the programmable uP through the programming port.

You can access the program port from the user processor. That's where all your printfs go already anyway. You can also read from it if you like (I've done this). This is how my setup to use the old OIs with the new EDU by using the old EDU as a passthrough works.

[FotoPlasma]

Originally Posted by Dave Flowerday

You can access the program port from the user processor. That's where all your printfs go already anyway. You can also read from it if you like (I've done this). This is how my setup to use the old OIs with the new EDU by using the old EDU as a passthrough works.

Ah. Sorry. My mistake.