Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 12
 A MUST HAVE! February 1, 2010
Chaz
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
This book is a must have! It's not very often you can find a book with this many different authors and have so much useful information in one book.
It provides very handy information on things such as interfacing different sensors, program code examples, a vision guided robot, and many other resources.
Don't pass this one up!
Everything you need to know from the basics to advanced projects. February 1, 2010
Roy Eltham (San Diego, CA USA)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
This book covers everything you need to know to start building projects with and programming the Propeller microcontroller. From blinking an LED to wireless networking with XBee modules and more. It has examples of working with just about any sensor you can think of, such as GPS, ultrasonic, digital gyros, compass modules, and more. Each chapter has parts lists, schematics, and code. There's lots of good diagrams and photos to help you understand how to hook things together or work with the various devices you connect to the Propeller. They also include lots of "try this" boxes with alternate things for you to try with the project.
There is a chapter on how to debug your code and most of the chapters also contain helpful tips for testing and debugging the hardware as they describe the project. Also, all of the source code for each chapter is available online (the URLs are in each chapter). Some of the projects also have URLs to websites for the project or videos.
Most of what you need for these projects is available from the Parallax site, and if not then the text tells you where you can get the parts needed for the given project.
I am very happy with this book, and will be referring to it for several projects in the future. I highly recommend that you get this book if you are planning to work with the Propeller microcontroller.
Programming and Customizing the Multicore Propeller Microcontroller February 1, 2010
R. Kesler
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
As a beginner to electronics with limited hobby level experience in programming computers, I am very impressed with "Programming and Customizing the Multicore Propeller Microcontroller." The book begins with a description of the multicore Propeller and an introduction to the Spin language used to program it. Debugging tools and practices are discussed followed by an overview of sensor basics with examples. Eight interesting projects fill the remainder of the book, with topics ranging from a balancing robot to an HVAC green house model. My favorite project is the chapter on wirelessly networking Propeller chips. In this chapter we are taken through the steps required to wirelessly network a robot with a compass and a PING))) ultrasonic sensor, an accelerometer/inclinometer, and a display. The communication is provided via XBee 802.15.4 modem/transceivers. The final result is a robot that can follow a heading, turn based on wireless input from an accelerometer board (steering wheel), and wirelessly transmit useful information back to the tv display, such as bearing, distance to objects, bar indicators for drives, and signal strength.
Anyone from beginner to advanced skill levels will find this book educational, interesting, and engaging.
Well worth the wait February 1, 2010
Robert Pflaum (Cedar Lake, IN USA)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
As an electrical engineer with 30+ years of experience designing with various microprocessors, microcontrollers, ASICs, FPGAs and CPLDs, I found the book to be a refreshing joy to read compared to most of the similar books available. This book has something for everyone regardless of skill level and is not just the common "re-hash" of the documentation commonly found in many books on the subject.
The book begins with a well-written discussion of the Multicore Propeller and the languages used to program it and escalates throughout, building layer upon layer of knowledge, showing how to have fun and learn using concrete example projects. Upon completion the reader will be well poised to continue
exploring this exciting world with the Multicore Propeller.
This is the one I have been waiting for February 2, 2010
R. Eike (Annapolis, MD USA)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I have a number of books on programming the Propeller, but this one takes it off the breadboard and into the real world. The breadboard is not neglected though, blinking LEDs are covered as are a multitude of sensors. In addition to all of that there is a chapter on debugging and another on building a two wheeled balancing robot. Most of the chapter authors will be known to those who frequent the Parallax web site and forums. These are the real experts folks.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 12
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