Best "product bundle" from melabs.com?

[uiucee2003]

Hello,

I'm not really new to programming or electronics, but because of time constraints I would like to know if any of the product bundles offered by microElectronics Labs are a good way to get started programming PICs:

http://www.melabs.com/products/bundles.htm

One of my areas of interest is servo motor control. Which product bundle should I choose, if any?

[mugwamp]

I'm a relative newcomer myself, and in my experience, you should start small and work up from there. It doesn't look like any of the bundles are set up especially for servo motor control. I'd start with the book "Programming PIC Microcontrollers With PICBASIC" by Chuck Hellebuyck (By the way, it's $20 less at Amazon.com) and of course a copy of PBP. I started with PicBasic but quickly found I really needed the Pro version. Get a breadboard and a selection of parts from a place like Jameco and start working your way through the examples in the book. I got an X-1 when I was familiar with the basics and it was helpful but you might be better off moving into designing your own circuits. No matter what you do, you're going to run into problems. But I was always able to search through the forums at this site and find the answer. Good luck and I hope this helps.

[Darrel Taylor]

Hi uiucee2003,

There's no special hardware required to operate a servo with a PIC. All you need is a ground, +5V supply and an output from the PIC.

The LAB-X2 has 1 connector configured as a Servo "Port", which makes it easy to just plug one into the board. The LAB-X1 has 2 "ports". But it's easy enough to add a connector to any other Developement Boards too.

So you might think more about what else you'll need for your project. LCD, Matrix Keypad, USB, etc.

Personally, I went with the LAB-X2 to start, mostly due to the price, but also for the header on the edge. This allows you to build your projects on separate boards that just plug in to the main developement board. Which means that you can reuse it over and over, where as, the others tend to become dedicated to a single project once you solder parts in the on-board prototype areas.
<br>

[uiucee2003]

Thank you for the responses. I'll probably get the Lab X-2.

BTW, what are the computer monitor display requirements for PICBASIC Pro. I searched the forum, but I could not find an anwer. I have an old computer that only has VGA (16 colors) capability.

Regards

[Darrel Taylor]

I don't think there really is a Monitor requirement.

But if the computers that old, there will probably be some memory issues at the least.

I've heard of a few people still running PBP on Windows 98, but if it's Win2.0, I don't think so.

I guess it depends on how "Old", Old really is.
<br>

[keithdoxey]

I have an old computer that only has VGA (16 colors) capability.

16 colours is EGA or the lowest common denominator for VGA. VGA by default was 256 colours at 640 x 480 resolution.

What operating system are you running ?

My first ever PC was a 486 DX4/100 bought in 1995 with the new fangled "Windows 95" and that was runnung SVGA @ 800 x 600 x 24 bit colour (16M colours)

If you are running Windows 98/2000/XP then unless your graphics card has seriously low memory and you are running at a high resolution you should be able to get more than 16 colours.

If only 16 colours are shown in the dropdown then you most likely do not have the correct driver for the card and it is defaulting to a safe resolution.

If you have the option for more colours but the resolution drops then you dont have enough video memory.

[Acetronics2]

Heuuuuu Keith,

Just for joke ... note I sometimes work with my "old" HP 86 and all its surrounding !!! ( thanks to God, not for PbP !!!)

Your DX4/100 is a "young and powerful " machine.

At work I also have an AppleII computer ( The spark spectrometer heart ... ) and an interfaced 25Mhz PC: can't pass by !!!

Those machines are quite often seen ...

Alain

[uiucee2003]

What operating system are you running ?

Windows 98

If only 16 colours are shown in the dropdown then you most likely do not have the correct driver for the card and it is defaulting to a safe resolution.

Only 16 colors are shown so that's probably what's going on.

Thanks!

[keithdoxey]

Heuuuuu Keith,

Just for joke ... note I sometimes work with my "old" HP 86 and all its surrounding !!! ( thanks to God, not for PbP !!!)

Your DX4/100 is a "young and powerful " machine.

My DX4/100 is loooong gone. Having said that, I am not at the cutting edge of PC hardware, my fastest machine is a 2.53GHz Celeron.

The 486 was my first PC (as in IBM compatable), not my first computer. I started with the Acorn BBC Model B Microcomputer and still have 3 of them stored away

http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=29