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How to detect deadbolt?

April 18, 2016, 8:02 am
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I want to make a way to remotely find out if the deadbolt was locked or not. On a pocket door, a deadbolt comes out of the door edge and has some flaps that go up and down inside a receiver box to secure the door. I want to be able to check if it was locked or not. Adding a magnet to the leading edge of the deadbolt for hall sensing would not look great and it might get knocked off.

https://www.parallax.com/product/555-27401

I thought about putting this inside the receiver box that sits in the jamb, so that if the deadbolt is pushed in, the sensor would detected it, however the problem is that the deadbolt with either be about .25" away if locked and 1.25" away if not locked. I am not sure how this sensor would work at such a small range of distance. I don't want to put a spring loaded switch if possible.

Any suggestions?

I tested a 38k modulated LED on one side of the box, and a 38k detector on the other side, and when the deadbolt is inserted it blocks the light. It adds some bulk on either side of the receiver box, and also over time may die and will be difficult to get access to it. Also, I am thinking the light may reflect and get around the deadbolt.

In the drawing, #20 is the receiver box that is a very thin metal, easily drilled.
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Propeller 1-2-3 FPGA Board (#60054) available to Forum Members $375

July 8, 2015, 10:15 am
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Hello there, 
We've got 30 Propeller 1-2-3 FPGA Boards (#60054) in stock, built around the Cyclone V A-7. As Chip has announced that we will be making a new version of this board with the Cyclone V A-9, we'd like to do a quick sale of the #60054 boards to Propeller developers (you). We are not offering these for general sale like our common products because we would like to uphold a certain standard with documentation, schematics, code and support for products sold on the web site. Instead, all the resources available for these boards will be posted on this page and PayPal will be the payment choice. The resources we will share include a schematic, a Propeller loader from Chip, and the production files. We're providing Altium production files because the board is open source, but also because some customers have designed products using the Propeller 2 binary image and we want them to have freedom to proceed with any PCB design and production plans should Parallax have further Propeller 2 ASIC delays.   
In summary, the support for this product is right here on the forums. PayPal ebaysales@parallax.com $375 and we'll ship you a board (shipping is included). I will be updating this post with the relevant links around this effort (or, I'll get a helper to do that because I'm upside down time-wise).
This is what you can do with the Propeller 1-2-3 FPGA Board with the Cyclone A-7:[*]Run the Propeller 1 in full, even up to 48 cogs (forum members will know something about this);[*]Run the first Propeller 2 binary image released a year ago;[*]Run future versions of Propeller 2 (with limitations; we're not sure exactly how many yet).[/list]Resources (to be updated): Thanks, 
Ken Gracey

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Weird Data Results. Need help understanding

April 18, 2016, 12:31 pm
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So I have been measuring the time delay from a 555 timer with different frequencies running this code:

' {$STAMP BS2}
' {$PBASIC 2.5}
x VAR Bit

DIR14 = 1
DO
x = IN3
OUT14 = x
LOOP


I have been expecting a Normal Bell Curve for a histogram analysis and instead I am getting more bi-model like. Im not sure how to interpret the data. Is there are background process that the Boebot is doing the is affecting the results?

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Next large robot

November 14, 2011, 6:18 am
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I've started the design work on my next creation which will be a bit different than the last few I've built. This robot will be a Hexapod based on a circular body. Each leg will have 3 drive motors and will use a design similar to the old Odex I (look it up if the name isn't familiar!). All moving parts will be on bearings or bushings, there will be 24 per leg. Linear actuators drive two axis and the third uses a large gear motor.

I built a wooden version of one leg to validate the design,clearances and interferences. The CAD drawings were finished last night so the next step is cutting out the aluminum stock. Then it all goes into a CNC mill to make the parts!

I'm using Parallax parts as much as possible but some things like the linear actuators were ordered elsewhere. The HB-25 motor controllersl are used to drive the 12 volt motors and 6 custom propellor boards will be used to control the legs. These controllers will be networked together with a master prop board running the show. The goal is to get the mechanical parts for a single leg together before the end of the year and have the basic individual leg programming completed before spring. I expect the final weight of the robot to be around 125 pounds and it will stand up to a maximum of around 4.5 ft.

The rest of the legs will follow shortly after that (nice thing about a CNC is that design changes are easy to incorporate and reproduce!). I plan on using Rodney Brooks's behavioral programming ideas for this robot. So I have a lot of studying to do. My big goal is for it to be able to climb stairs with a minimum of input from myself. If I can do that, then it will be a success for me!

This is actually my second Hexapod using this basic design but with access to better machining (CNC) capabilities and more modern electronics I expect to have more success this time around (the original was built in the 80's and had very limited capabilities)

I'll add photos as I go along if anyone is interested.

Bob
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SimpleIDE and Propware -- I'm missing something.

April 12, 2016, 10:37 am
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I am running Win10. I am trying to use PropWare with SimpleIDE. I have downloaded the latest version of both. I got as far as attempting to run the cogc example. I set up the project the same way as I did for the getting started project. Didn't work. It failed because the '_load_start_blinky_cog' was missing. I know SIMPLEIDE will create this from a COGC file. So....

I included the blinky.cogcpp file in the project and received the message that the file format was wrong. I deleted it from the project file, changed he extension to .cogc and added it to the project. Failed again, this time because it couldn't fine the pin.h include file.

So...what am I missing.
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How to use XMM memory models for SD Card + small SPI SRAM layout?

April 14, 2016, 8:27 am
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Hello!

I'm new to Propeller chip, but have a lot of background in other microcontrollers. I've searched through a lot of propeller and propgcc documentation, but I still can't answer a few simple questions:
1) What is a "cache"? I know that word, and know it well, but I have a strange impression, that this particular word serving multiple definitions in propeller context, like "bootstrap temporary storage" or "RAM-like device to hold all the Data (not Code, though)" or "cache" (as we know it). I'm not right, I know, but I want to read something explains the different situation or use-cases of this "cache".
2) Can I use SD card space to hold the Data? I've done it many times before with AVR chips, and this solutions are working great (but slow, of course).
3) I can use SD card to hold the Code (XMMC), I know, but can I use it as RAM as well (I thought that is xmm-single is for, besides its main purpose to serve RAM)?
4) Can I use cache with "SD card RAM" solution? It's very attractive solution, I've used it for one of my projects on AVR, and its working surprisingly fast!
5) What propeller-load options can be (and should be) used for:
a) XMM-SINGLE with some SRAM chip
b) XMM-SINGLE with some Flash memory (is it possible?)
c) XMM-SPLIT with SD card as Code storage and some SPI SRAM as Data storage
and the last question,
6) Where can I find documentation on cache drivers?

I know this questions are obvious to answer for you, who are using propeller for years, but for me it's a total darkness. I totally confused by bits and parts of information here and there, googling for three days and two nights...
Please, if someone can, help me to understand these memory models and layouts!
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P2 OTP vs ROM ?

April 18, 2016, 10:28 pm
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I noted previously that OTP is being used for the Security Fuses.

OTP uses OnSemi standard cells, just like the RAM.

ROM requires an additional mask. Does OTP save on this mask level? If so, is OTP cheaper?

I realise that OTP takes more space than ROM. Currently there is available die space.

Wouldn't OTP be better than ROM ? Or else a mix?

Could a tiny boot program be done via Verilog without requiring ROM ?

It is more conventional to use OTP and this would make the P2 better in the long run. Booting just needs to take into account the section of OTP for security.
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Suspected drone hits plane during Heathrow landing

April 18, 2016, 2:14 pm
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https://au.finance.yahoo.com/news/suspected-drone-hits-plane-during-133942759.html

The plane, an Airbus A320 with 132 passengers and five crew on board, was on its final descent into Heathrow when it was struck.
"A pilot on an inbound flight into Heathrow Airport from Geneva reported to police that he believed a drone had struck the aircraft," a spokeswoman for London's Metropolitan Police said.
"The flight landed at Heathrow Terminal Five safely. It transpired that an object, believed to be a drone, had struck the front of the aircraft".
A BA spokesman said the plane had been examined after landing and was cleared to operate its next flight.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-04-18/u-k-probe-of-british-airways-plane-drone-strike-finds-no-debris

A U.K. police investigation into the alleged crash of a drone into a British Airways Airbus A320 aircraft has so far elicited no evidence of a strike and no suspects.
The initial probe found no damage to the airplane and a wide area search for suspects and debris has been unsuccessful, London’s Metropolitan Police said Monday. The pilot reported that the front of the aircraft was hit as it was descending over Richmond Park in southwest London at an altitude of about 1,700 feet (518 meters), shortly before landing normally at Heathrow Airport on a flight Sunday from Geneva.
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counter question

March 8, 2016, 2:22 am
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can someone explain to me why my code will not work without this counter line? im not understanding this for some reason. heres the code,
DO
counter=counter +1
IF counter>10 THEN
GOSUB pingout
ENDIF
IF (distance >30) THEN
GOSUB fwd
ELSE
GOSUB slowdown
ENDIF
LOOP

i didnt put in the subroutines but this is the main program. it will not work without the counter and im trying to figure out why. Thanks
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Maker Faire UK (Sat/Sun 23/24 April)

April 15, 2016, 5:28 am
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Hi All

Maker Faire UK is next week (Sat/Sun 23/24 April). It's being hosted in Newcastle. More details here:

www.makerfaireuk.com

There's usually lots of cool making stuff going on and a great opportunity to chat with the makers from other hack/fab labs.


If any one does get there I'll be on the Maker Space.


cheers
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Intel D2000 micro-controller with Quark core, any better?

April 14, 2016, 4:00 am
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Hi all,

Someone suggested that there are better micros than the Propeller (I doubt that, in some regards). Then I saw that Intel is producing a cheapo micro-controller, only about $4 a piece, retail price. The thing is it is a single core that runs at 32MHz (at best). I guess that, unlike any real processor, floating point operations are emulated.

Do, is there any advantage to the D2000 when compared to the P8X32A? I'm not looking to start a war, nor I'm looking for P1 alternatives, as I'm already satisfied, bud did anyone had any experience with this dirt cheap micro?

Kind regards, Samuel Lourenço
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Very unpleasant experience flying my ELEV-8 the other day.

April 18, 2016, 3:05 pm
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I've been flying my gimbal equipped ELEV-8 pretty regularly this past week. Most flights I have the camera recording. I've been out of practice so need to work on my precision flying skills, such as nose-in flight, and just generally flying smoothly. We have almost five acres, about half of it wooded - not a bad place to fly, but it's certainly more demanding than an open park.

Well, two days ago I take off from my porch, fly up the hill over my parents house and back. Then I walk up the driveway following the quad to the end of our property and turn left to fly down a "tunnel" of trees. I spend the rest of the eight or nine minute flight over in the woods. Then I fly back and land on the porch.

Upon landing I hear my neighbor, who is standing at the line of trees that separate our properties (they are on the right as you go up the hill), she yells at me telling me not to fly over their property. She reminds me that I have five acres and that what I did was an invasion of privacy. I responded that I did not intend to fly over their property and apologized if I did so.

Later I reviewed the video and it is very clear that I was not over their property at all. I even caught her comments on the video. I'm thinking of posting it on YouTube. :-)

Some history about our neighbors follows;

When we bought this property I met the neighbor and told him we were buying it so that we could put a house on it for my parents. Later I spoke with him, to verify where the property line was and told him what we were planning. It wasn't until I was digging the foundation that I learned that my neighbors absolutely HATE that we put a house near the property line. There are two dense rows of evergreens on that property line. He grumbled at me that we had five acres and could have put the house somewhere else. Which isn't true at all, our property is entirely on a slope. The one place he pointed out that we could have put it would have cost us many thousands extra and while further away from the property line, would have been more visible to my neighbors.

Then we had to name the private drive. My neighbor complained that they were not yuppies who move every five years, they've been there for decades and now they have to change their address. I tried to tell him that it was not our fault, that the county passed a law saying that any private drive that served five or more homes OR four or more parcels needed to have an address. They of course focus on the five homes part and have decided that it is our fault - even though we were required to have a street name because the drive serves four parcels. The need to assign an address to the new home accelerated that process.

The whole situation is bizarre. They obviously feel that they've been wronged. I've been friendly with every interaction, they've treated me civilly, but with resentment. When she called out to me I thought that maybe we were going to have a pleasant conversation about something, maybe even ask if I could take some pictures. Instead she wanted to accuse me of invading her privacy. It's very disappointing. Even more disappointing is that my neighbor and I have many common interests and could be a big help to each other. A couple weeks ago I went over to offer some geogrid that I picked up at a ridiculously low price, I was going to give him a roll or two. They would cost over $1,500 each if you were to buy them. But they would not answer. Last week he bulldozed a 2,000 sq ft parking area, the geogrid would have been perfect for that.

I am sure that sooner or later they will be convinced that I have overflown their property again, and I probably will - but not intentionally (it would be very bad if I had a malfunction and crash landed on their side). I'd go and talk about it with them but I believe that they have the attitude of wanting to be upset. My plan now is to continue to be nice, try not to fly over their property and apologize profusely if they "catch" me doing it. If they call the sheriff, I'll have video evidence. Not that flying over their property is against any law, but I do agree that it is bad manners - especially if they have requested (demanded) that I don't.

I even thought about buying them a 5.8 ghz receiver so that they could switch it on whenever I was flying and see what the quad is seeing. They'd probably refuse it thinking that accepting it would be like giving me permission to fly. Maybe not, I'm gonna consider that one some more...

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Does anyone recall how the internal stack works?

April 18, 2016, 11:48 pm
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The internal stack for call/ret/push/pop is 8 deep as I recall.

What happens when the stack is exceeded? I mean, what gets lost, the first or last entry?

I have in mind a hubexec routine that will use the internal stack. But it needs to work with any other user code, and just be called using the internal stack, which is 1 level.
When my hubexec code begins to execute, I propose to pop the stack 8 levels, storing each level. Then I can use the stack for my code. When my code is complete, just before returning to the user code, I will push all 8 saved levels back onto the stack and return via the stack.

I am expecting this to just work. Anyone think otherwise???
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OLED SSD1305

April 19, 2016, 9:04 am
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"Droids" for delivery

April 19, 2016, 10:28 am
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ILI9341

April 9, 2016, 4:51 pm
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The new flight controller on the older ELEV-8 model?

April 19, 2016, 5:07 pm
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Quick question - purchased the older ELEV-8 model (v2 I assume?) last year, and been wanting to upgrade the flight controller to one that has a gyroscope, accelerometers, etc. I looked into it last year but never got around to it. I come to the site today and see there's a new controller that has all the bells and whistles I'd love.

My question: Is it compatible with the older ELEV-8 model? Can I just swap out the flight controller, or are there other issues (is all the other hardware compatible, etc)? Would love to fly this weekend, and would order it right now, but want to be sure that I won't need to replace tons of other hardware/rewire everything, etc.

Just SO hard to fly this thing without the assistance of a quality flight controller.

Thanks!
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To VAR or to DAT ?

November 22, 2009, 11:09 am
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Hi all,

I have read the VAR and DAT block designator section in manual ver 1.1.
The VAR block designator gives a clear description of the object and cog scope on declared variables.
Im a bit confused on when to declare/use a variable(s) in the DAT or VAR block.
Are there differences in scope between the VAR and DAT block ?

Sorry if this has been asked before.
TIA,
Nico Schoemaker.
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P2 FPGA for De0-Nano, BeMicroCV, BeMicroCVA9

April 19, 2016, 10:47 pm
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Chip,
As soon as the dust settles, any chance of a BeMicro CV or CVA9 image?

IIRC you needed some pinout maps to the FPGA. Below is a pic of the connectors and their FPGA pins. Attached is an Excel spreadsheet with the pinouts in case this helps.
Could someone please check in case of errors.

fpga_pinouts.jpg
fpga_pinouts2.jpg
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Row-bot

April 19, 2016, 9:20 pm
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This semester my students are designing model boats. As team projects they have been tasked with designing an RC paddlewheel catamaran. They have to design and loft the pontoons, make sure the volume displacement is adequate, align the center of gravity with the center of buoyancy, cut the hull, deck, fin, and paddlewheel pieces out on the laser cutter and assemble everything. At the end of the semester, they will race them in the local marina. Here's a video of the prototype I made as a feasibility study:

[video]


It uses a pair of Parallax continuous-rotation servos, and RC receiver, some gearing, and an aluminum shaft to drive the paddlewheels. Here's a photo of the innards of the sealed electronics box:

row-bot_gears.jpg

After doing this, I thought it might be fun to replace the paddlewheels with oars. Here's a video of the "Row-bot" in action:

[video]


The oars operate via a homemade ball-joint drive, illustrated here:

row-bot_ball_joint.JPG

I told the kids they could do a Row-bot in lieu of the paddlewheel variety, if they wanted to. It might be fun to pit paddlewheels against oars in the race. We'll see what they choose ...

-Phil
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