Mindboards

Mightor, Launchpads look interesting. How would you rate them compared to a Picaxe, or are they not directly comparable?

No, they are quite a bit more advanced in terms of programming skills required to work with. For one thing, they're programmed in C, not BASIC. A lot of the functionality you take for granted in the PICAXE, like PWM, you'll have to program yourself or with the use of libraries, which are also available.

- Xander

OK,thanks.

Xander, you mean low power consumption? or low processing power?

BTW, I love your sig!

Matt, it's low power consumption. Really low power consumption. On the level of a couple hundred uAmps when active, half a uAmp when in standby, and 0.1 uAmps when off with RAM retention. That's wicked low. But, supposedly that's nothing compared to the new MSP430 chip they're releasing in june. Codename:Wolverine It's supposed to be pretty much the lowest power chip ever. Says standbye is in the nanoAmps range Now, that's low power.

Pretty soon TI will make controllers that actually generate power while they execute your code.

- Xander

mightor wrote:Pretty soon TI will make controllers that actually generate power while they execute your code.

- Xander

EDIT: in case you don't understand that smiley story:

design proposal for a NXT-compatible Super Cube Sub System:

- connected to NXT by RS485
- external power supply (1-4x 12V RC blocks 4500 mAh each)
- 12 NXT encoder motor outputs
- 6 heavy duty PWM DC motor outputs (5A each)
- 6 external i2c highspeed ports (chainable; adjustable: 400kbps highspeed for external encoders or 100kbps lowspeed for other i2c standard sensors, high current supply)
- 6 RC servo ports (chainable)
- 12 analog sensor inputs
- 12 NXT compatible "i2c" sensor inputs for single "i2c" Sensors with super-slow motion 9.6 kbps and built-in pullups
- 4GB SD card slot
- connectors placed at all sides and the face.

compared to the prices of 4 single NXTs, the prices of tetrix accessoires, and the prices of several already available 3rd party motor- and sensor muxers it may cost round 1000 US$ (or even 1000 EUR or - in case - 1,000,000,000 Future Greek Drachmes ^^)

doc-helmut wrote:design proposal for a NXT-compatible Super Cube Sub System:

- connected to NXT by RS485
- external power supply (1-4x 12V RC blocks 4500 mAh each)
- 12 NXT encoder motor outputs
- 6 heavy duty PWM DC motor outputs (5A each)
- 6 external i2c highspeed ports (chainable; adjustable: 400kbps highspeed for external encoders or 100kbps lowspeed for other i2c standard sensors, high current supply)
- 6 RC servo ports (chainable)
- 12 analog sensor inputs
- 12 NXT compatible "i2c" sensor inputs for single "i2c" Sensors with super-slow motion 9.6 kbps and built-in pullups
- 4GB SD card slot
- connectors placed at all sides and the face.

compared to the prices of 4 single NXTs, the prices of tetrix accessoires, and the prices of several already available 3rd party motor- and sensor muxers it may cost round 1000 US$ (or even 1000 EUR or - in case - 1,000,000,000 Future Greek Drachmes ^^)