DiyLightAnimation
Fun => The Porch => Topic started by: johnselph on December 06, 2014,
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Hey Y'all,
Who is a Basic Stamp guru on this board? I acquired a Sumo Bot kit, as well as a completed Sumo Bot, and understand that they are driven by Basic Stamp 2. What would I need to take the stamp from either the kit or bot, and program it for use with lighting? I am computer savvy, having programmed in earlier languages like COBOL, BASIC, and VB, and built and repaired systems for over 30 years.
Trying to get my feet wet without dropping a ton of $, so anything that I can use, that I already have, to experiment with will be a blessing.
Ideas, thought, and recommendations are welcomed.
Thanks,
John
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check out this website, http://www.efx-tek.com thye used to work for Parallax and now create there own stuff using Parallax chips. In the long run you will be better off getting kits for DLA.
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Caretaker,
Thanks. Not familiar with DLA. Can you give me the "Readers Digest" explanation. or recommend some basic reading info?
Thanks,
John
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As someone who actually did this, before knowing better
http://hackedgadgets.com/2008/12/19/parallax-bs2-controlled-christmas-lights/
and somehow even got on hackaday for it.
Let me advise against this and here is why.
Mainly, a Basic Stamp isn't fast enough to read the zero cross of the AC voltage.
You must read the zero cross so you can turn off the voltage at the right time in the AC cycle to achieve dimming.
To do dimming you must use a Triac.
Of course that assumes you want dimming, or you can just use cheap relays like I did.... I burned them out in a week.
The year after I used the Parallax SX and was actualy able to do dimming, and the boards work fairly well, and actually I am still running them today, 4 years later. But they are dependent on USB to serial, which is a drag. Would much rather have everything be pixelnet.
Long term, the solutions have already been done, and there is fairly standard equipment.
If you want to do it for fun and learning, then by all means go for it. Don't think it will save time or money though.
My site is www.pachristmas.com if you want to see more pictures of my journey.
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Caretaker,
Thanks. Not familiar with DLA. Can you give me the "Readers Digest" explanation. or recommend some basic reading info?
Thanks,
John
DLA is this forum - Do it yourself Light Animation