Society of Robots - Robot Forum

Electronics => Electronics => Topic started by: Togo5 on April 14, 2007, 03:29:47 PM

Title: Experiment/Programmer Kits
Post by: Togo5 on April 14, 2007, 03:29:47 PM
What is everyones opinion on these 'experiment/programmer kits' tht are available, iv read reviews on the net but theyre very mixed, they seem easy to use and i can leard from them as my knowledge isnt brilliant

whats your opinion???


Thanks :)
Title: Re: Experiment/Programmer Kits
Post by: nanob0t on April 14, 2007, 05:02:15 PM
They're wonderful.  I've learned everything I know from microchip.  Here's what I used.

http://www.microchip.com/stellent/idcplg?IdcService=SS_GET_PAGE&nodeId=1406&dDocName=en023837

They will get you up to programming and electronics.  It allows you not only to explore the programming language, but it comes with a wide variety of parts letting you learn how to use them.  It also has plenty of leftover I/O pins to allow you to put the board in a robot.  Although I don't recommend it.  You can also program PICs within the board for use on another project.

I had a pretty good grasp of programming and electronics previous to purchasing one, but as soon as I did...  it solidified and I better learned, because you no longer have to build a robot to learn.  You can get a light sensor to turn on an LED when it gets dark, or if the temperature gets below 0 Celcius, it will run a stepper motor, whatever.  They're great.  Just a bit on the pricy side.
Title: Re: Experiment/Programmer Kits
Post by: Togo5 on April 15, 2007, 03:38:26 AM
thanks thats great

why wouldnt you recommend programming the PICs on the board to use on a robot??
Title: Re: Experiment/Programmer Kits
Post by: Togo5 on April 16, 2007, 09:47:51 AM
nanob0t.......

do you think the one below is good value for money ???????

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?TabID=1&ModuleNo=42857&doy=16m4 (http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?TabID=1&ModuleNo=42857&doy=16m4)
Title: Re: Experiment/Programmer Kits
Post by: ed1380 on April 16, 2007, 10:43:17 AM
They're great, but if your on a really tight budget, then building it yourself would be better
Title: Re: Experiment/Programmer Kits
Post by: nanob0t on April 16, 2007, 11:05:17 AM
nanob0t.......

do you think the one below is good value for money ???????

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?TabID=1&ModuleNo=42857&doy=16m4 (http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?TabID=1&ModuleNo=42857&doy=16m4)

The board looks good.  The only problem you may face with it, is you have to have parts to connect to the board in order to learn.  The great thing about mine is you have all of the parts there.  This one is nice though, because it doesn't need an external power source.  I despise that about mine.  I also got it from Batelle for free, because I'm constructing a robot for them.

It also can program in a variety of programming languages, which is nice if you already have one learned better than the other.  You'll have to get parts to hook into it though, which means this board can also be developed right into a robot, as mine cannot.

It has a variety of PWMs, LEDs, Switches, and such.  It should be a great to get learning.