In SX Microcontrollers, SX/B Compiler and SX-Key Tool, dkemppai wrote:

[quote="Ken Gracey (Parallax)"]
Hello Kevin,

This is an SX-specific project book, though one could say it has plenty of general relevance towards programming other 8-bit microcontrollers in BASIC or ASM. Parallax prides itself in training material, as you know. Therefore, I would suggest that because the book focuses on the SX it is not "screwed up". 

If the SX is being pushed to the side, we would not continue to invest in tool upgrades, new books, and stress-testing characterizations. If we're giving our customers the feeling that the SX and BS2 are being pushed to the side due to the arrival of the Propeller then we have a serious problem. Our revenue is highly dependent on three unique product lines (Stamp, SX, and Prop), not to mention our loyalty towards our customers demands equal development of these three lines. 

I'd love to hear more from you on the subject to understand exactly what you believe in this regard. 

Ken Gracey
Parallax, Inc.[/quote]How about a C compiler that's 1 year behind schedule? I've been patiently waiting for that one to show up. Meanwhile my customers have decided to run with a Microchip product, because C is avaliable relatively inexpensivley. I lost out on a programming bid because I didn't know microchip C and my competition did. It didn't matter that the SX is faster chip that would have enable more features, the C product my customer was insisting on wasn't there. It Seems to me that C product isn't avaliable because the propeller chewed up all of parallax's resources (Again, just my observation). On top of that our prototype boards were based on the SX52, which up and vanished. If lack of C didn't kill it, that dissapearing SX52 did. I've yet to see a 52 or > pin package that is a little easier to hand solder.  
 

Also, where's the USB version of the SX-Key. I heard rumors of that one coming. There should be a  PC powered USB SX-Key, with support for debug at target voltages below 5 volts. If you guys really wanted to do that, you could.

 

Now, I also haven't had time to follow the SX-B stuff. And still do all of my stuff in asm. What I see is that the Propeller is the big guy on the block, and the SX has taken the back seat. I'm still waiting for that C compiler, and development seems really slow on SX-B. When I say slow, I mean every time I turn around, there is a compiler upgrade. With my schedule, I don't feel that SX B will be stable enough to base my projects on.

 

In my mind right now, the only reason to choose the SX is because it's in the basic stamps, and that will keep the line alive. In my products I need a source of chips for at least a decade. 

 

Ok, enough venting for tonight! I've got a linear control loop with stability issues that needs some attention. 

 

-Dan

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