More Digital Content......

[David Halliday (Volt Computer)]

> David Halliday wrote:
> 
> >Rather than going with a hardwired logic setup, why not take it one
> step
> >farther and go with a BASIC Stamp or PIC microprocessor.  I do not
> know
> >of pricing and availability in Europe but in the states, they are
> cheap
> >( $30 ) for a full system.  The system is about 1 by 3 centemeters,
> runs
> >from a 9-volt battery, uses serial input from a program running on
> your
> >computer and it has a number ( varies with the model ) of digital I/O
> >lines, analog (8-bit only) analog lines, on-board counter/timers,
> etc...
> 
> This one sounds sounds too sophistocated.  I'm a guy who gets the OR
> and
> AND gate symbols confused.  What you're proposing is probably a really
> great solution, only it went entirely over my head (making a cold
> digital
> sound when it finally landed on the floor behind me ;) Seriously,
> could
> you elaborate on this idea?
> 
> 
> There is actually less digital "stuff" with one of these than there
> would be making something out of discrete logic.  The units ( BASIC
> Stamps ) are self-contained small circuit boards with all of the "glue
> logic" needed to support the microprocessor and to provide fully
> buffered I/O and analog ( 8-bit and slow ) outputs and to accept the
> serial connection with your host computer.
> 
> The fact that they are programmable makes them ideal for building
> something, changing it, tweaking this and that parameter. If you were
> doing this with discrete logic chips, you would have to re-wire the
> unit everytime you wanted to make a change - here, it is just a few
> lines of code on your PC, hook up the serial cable, load the monitor
> software, send it to the Stamp and go!
> 
> I am not advocating using these to make sounds - they are good at
> millisecond logic and control but not much else - but for digital
> counting, control, I/O processing, these should be given a serious
> look!