The main difference is (as you probably know) that the "Stamp" is a PIC which has been pre-programmed with a custom BASIC interpreter which executes from external eerom. Consequently - i The instructions are non PIC like and very largely hide the intricacies (and stupidities and ...) of the PIC from you. ii The speed per function is between somewhat slower and very much slower than what you could achieve from a raw PIC, due both to need to load instructions serially and to the need to "interpret" them. iii It is much much much (...) easier for a beginner to do simple things quickly with a Stamp. iv With a raw PIC there is no hard limit (within limits :-)) to what you can achieve if you are clever enough. With a Stamp you will find that fast real time or multiple simultaneous tasks are approximately impossible to achieve. This is not a failing of the Stamp - just an understood design limitation. With the Stamp you can only execute one instruction at once and some instructions may hang fatally if an expected external action/stimulus fails to occur. With a raw PIC you can do MUCH more but it can be very very much harder to do. Specifically, with interrupts you can "apparently" process simultaneous and real time tasks. The Stamp is a superb idea and very useful for tasks it is good for. A middle step is ME labs $US99 PICBASIC compiler which emulates the Stamp instruction set but allows you to program bare PICs with your code (cheaper long term). It also allows you to call machine code as required and to get inside its code if you MUST change a particular function. The Stamp will teach you some useful things about PIC hardware but not as much as eg ME labs compiler. When you finally change to C or assembler you will have another learning bump but the Stamp will have helped make it a little smaller. Raw assembler/machine code and/or a true compiler (eg one of the various C languages for the PIC) is much harder for a novice and slower to implement simple solutions and more likely to have bugs but ultimately it is where you must end up if you are serious. regards Russell Disclaimer: I have no financial or other interests in any of the above products. -----Original Message----- From: Noplock, Norman F. To: PICLIST@MITVMA.MIT.EDU Date: Tuesday, August 18, 1998 2:59 AM Subject: Stamp vs PIC >Util this moment I have remained poolside - too timid to make the plunge. >Well here goes! My first entry level request is for an explanation of the >difference(s) between a PIC (with associated electronics) and the Basic >Stamp. > >I'm intrigued by the PIC and potential applications although I have recently >ordered a Basic Stamp Bundle from Parallax. Will the Basic Stamp project >experience lead to a clear understanding of PIC technology? Or will my >project work with a Stamp cause confusion in regards to PIC? Thanks - Any >comments will be appreciated. > >---------------------------------- Norm Noplock >