Subject:
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Re: RCX --> miniBoard(was: lack of interest in basic stamp and basicx)
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.robotics
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Date:
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Tue, 23 Nov 1999 21:30:30 GMT
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Original-From:
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rmemory@zinc+NoMoreSpam+.com
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Viewed:
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665 times
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You all may think that I'm nuts, but I've kinda had a pipe dream for a while
about putting a basic 32 bit CPU in the RCX enclosure. Something like a
Motorola 68k or ColdFire. Lots and lots of tools out there for 32 bit micros!
Heck, if money were no issue, a person could even put a Java VM on it. But
I'm getting carried away...
My biggest problem has always been that I have only a basic knowledge of how
to build even simple circuits. Software is definitely my specialty. Building
a CPU board looks fun, but something that has a learning curve to it. Such a
small board would most likely have multiple layers, maybe even parts on both
sides of the board. A soldering iron doesn't help much there.
So an even bigger problem is once I get a successful design on a breadboard
with schematics and all, where can I go to find a company or person who can
actually build a pc board for fairly cheap?? I could be wrong, but building
a CPU board that will fit into the Lego enclosure looks like it could get
quite expensive. And that's if I could even find a place that would be
willing to build just 1 or 2 boards at any price. I like the RCX and all, but
I don't think my marriage can afford to fund such a major cost to simply be
able to build a powerful 32 bit Lego robot :-) Reality is such a pain to deal
with! :-)
The HC11 is a really neat idea as well. And most likely the most practical.
Stefano Franchi wrote:
> >
> > > My personal interest in replacing my RCX by a handyboard in a lego
> > > compatible enclosure is driven by the knowledge that I can easily
> > > program the HC11 in assembly language and download the code into
> > > the chip by well documented functions in the CPU. And straightforward
> > > 68 family assembly language is so simple compared with the arcane
> > > pbForth which is touted as the "assembler" for the RCX.
>
> Is anyone here thinking about going the opposite way, i.e replacing
> the RCX with a Mini Board? I am contemplating such a switch for
> essentially two reasons: cost and size. For the price of a Rcx you
> can buy two mini board kits, and they are about half the size. That'd
> make multi robot applications (well, games...) easier and cheaper.
> Has anyone done that already?
>
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