(Topic changed)

Jinx,

On Mon, 10 Jan 2005 13:40:15 +1300, Jinx wrote:

>...<
> Silicon Chip is slowly replacing the F84 with the F628A, but
> it's disappointing to see that so many of their micro projects
> are now based on some damned thing called a PICAXE
>=20
> http://www.picaxe.co.uk/
>=20
> which I believe holds BASIC-like commands in EEPROM
> and AFAIK leaves the Flash unused

I don't know the details of how they do so, but as I understand it they a=
re a sort-of cheap answer to the=20
BASIC Stamp - a range of 8 to 40 pin PICs with BASIC built in.  And how m=
uch cheaper!  Their -28X model is=20
possibly an 18F252, and is less than a fiver including a ceramic resonato=
r.  Compare that with a BASIC Stamp=20
2SX which seems to have about the same capabilities, at about =A340...
=20
> I think most of us are quite distant to the F84 / PICAXE
> market but somebody must be making a quid out of it.=20

Indeed, but that's probably all they do make on selling one  :-)  Built-i=
n BASIC is, as you say, not really=20
the market we're in here, but for people who want an easy way into embedd=
ed programming, it's probably the=20
best mix of ease of use and cost.  I believe they are really aiming at sc=
hool projects - if I was going to=20
build a line-follower, I may well buy their stuff!  :-)

> I find now that the first thing I do (after rolling my eyes finding
> it's yet another PICAXE job) with any SC project that takes
> my fancy is to have a think about how long it would take me
> to write it in proper code and then not bother

I've never seen Silicon Chip magazine so I can't comment.  "Everyday Prac=
tical Electronics" (EPE) magazine=20
does the occasional PICaxe project, but many more PIC projects  (at least=
 one each month). =20

Cheers,


Howard Winter
St.Albans, England



--=20
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