Electronic Name Badges.

Colin McGregor colinmc151-bJEeYj9oJeDQT0dZR+AlfA at public.gmane.org
Mon Feb 19 05:04:10 UTC 2007


--- Kevin Cozens <kevin-4dS5u2o1hCn3fQ9qLvQP4Q at public.gmane.org> wrote:
> Colin McGregor wrote:
> > - If so, is there a more cost effective LOW end 
> >   controller option than the BASIC stamp?
> > 
> > The specs./prices on the stamp can be seen here:
> > 
> >  
> http://www.parallax.com/detail.asp?product_id=27100
> > 
> > There are a number of nice things going for the
> stamp,
> > namely:
> > 
> > - fairly low cost
> > - programmable in a high level language, BASIC
> > - 8 I/O lines
> > - On board 9v battery clips/voltage regulator
> > - Low power consumption
> > - Software development tools available for Linux 
> 
> I have used several different microcontrollers over
> the years and was 
> considering a BASIC Stamp as a way to start getting
> some hands-on time with 
> PIC's. That was until some people on the
> ##microcontrollers IRC channel turned 
> me on to the Atmel AVR devices. I won't get in to
> why I prefer AVR's over 
> PIC's as the reasons won't mean much to a lot of
> people on this list.
> 
> A BASIC Stamp costs about $30US and is just a
> controller. A display circuit 
> still needs to be obtained, wired up, and a program
> written.

Well, I've written the code for the Basic Stamp, and
as for the displays you're talking about $10 at the
likes of Active Surplus for a 2 line x 16 character
display... Still, I had not heard of this Atmel AVR
Butterfly controller before (not surprising as the
last time I really looked at this area was about 10
years ago, and at THAT time the BASIC stamp was the
best (well only) thing going in ultra-low end
controllers). This Atmel Butterfly has some VERY 
interesting possibilities...

> There are AVR equivalents to the PIC-based Stamps
> but the need to add a 
> display would still exist. Fortunately, there is a
> better (and cheaper) 
> alternative.
> 
> Namely, the AVR Butterfly 
>
(http://www.atmel.com/dyn/products/tools_card.asp?tool_id=3146).
> The Butterfly 
> costs around $20US. On the Atmel site describing the
> Butterfly is the sentence 
> "AVR Butterfly can also be used as a nametag." IIRC,
> it is one of the built-in 
> demo programs of the device. The message can be
> edited using the on-board 
> joystick and button.
> 
> Another site with information on the butterfly has
> the following information:
> 
> It is simply amazing what the Butterfly has built
> in:
> 
>      * 100 segment LCD display
>      * 4 Mbit (that’s 512,000 bytes!) dataflash
> memory
>      * Real Time Clock 32.768 kHz oscillator
>      * 4-way joystick, with center push button
>      * Temperature sensor
>      * ADC voltage reading, 0-5V
>      * Piezo speaker for sound generation
>      * Header connector pads for access to
> peripherals
>      * RS-232 level converter for PC communications
>      * Bootloader for PC based programming without
> special hardware
>      * Pre-programmed demos with source code
>      * Built-in safety pin for hanging from you
> shirt (GEEK POWER!)
>      * Kitchen sink.
> 
> Ok, they were kidding about the kitchen sink but it
> almost seems like it when 
> read over the list of features you get with this
> device for the money. Older 
> versions also included a CdS based light-sensor. For
> those who are interested, 
> a light sensor can still be added.
> 
> The Butterfly also makes for an interesting device
> if you are into electronics 
> and micro-controllers and want to learn about the
> AVR chips. If you decide to 
> go with the Butterfly approach, I'll take a couple.

Well, if all I wanted was ONE electronic name badge
for myself at the show, I would just re-work the case
set-up for my current BASIC Stamp (the biggest problem
with my current name badge).

Were I doing this from scratch I would have a look at
taking the Butterfly (or one of the cheaper display
free Atmel controllers) and connecting it up to an LCD
screen similar to what I currently use with the BASIC
stamp... I am not impressed with the display on the
Butterfly, it isn't as good as the display I was using
about 10 years ago... I am also concerned about
programming the Butterfly, nice thing about the Stamp
being I could type lines like:

  Master: read i, char
          let i = i + 1
          high RS
          if char > 30 then LCDer
          if char = 1 then clear
          i = 0
          goto clear

  LCDer:  gosub wr_LCD
          goto Master

Ok, so UGLY code that I have not touched in 10 years.
Goto commands put in to save bytes (needed when you
only have 256 of them...). Still, QUICK and easy to
understand just what is going on/how (even 10 years
later). 

So, the positives on the Butterfly over the Stamp seem
to be (after a quick reading on specs.):

- MUCH more memory.
- Programmable via RS-232 port (just need custom
  cable).
- 16+ I/O pins
- Cheaper
- Limited sound built in.

On the downside:

- Larger
- No info. on programming language (machine language?)

Still, interesting stuff this Butterfly...


Colin McGregor
VE3ZAA

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