New tricks for old 08s?

[WHITEKNUCKLES]

When 2 channel radios first became affordable I put a missing pulse detector in a servo lead to toggle a relay for an electric motor in a glider giving an extra channel.
With the arrival of the Picaxe 08 it could now toggle between servo positions or speed controller powers but the arrival of cheap 2.4GHz rendered it obsolete.

A friend recently returned one asking "what can you do with this then?" He went home with a "New lamp for old." in the shape of a servo exerciser to 'soak test' new servos and test crash-recovered servos. A switch provides 1.5ms to centre servos during installation. 128 bytes out of 128.

Has anyone else got a project where they were pleased to manage within the constraints of the 08?

Dave

 

[Marcwolf]

I've used the 08M in a few projects where it performed very well.

A replacement circuit for our automatic gate after the original one died.

Magic crystal staff with the 08M reading hall effect switches to light up and flash a crystal in a staff.

Animatronic tail with flex sensors to set up gait speed

An a few others.
Hope this helps
Dave

 

[hippy]

I think it's the case, and equally with all superseded PICAXE parts, that they still do all they ever did, so if there's a project that suits them then might as well use them.

I know what you mean though; later PICAXE can do more, open the door to more complicated projects and the older chips don't suit such projects so you can wonder what you'll ever do with them, so they can feel a bit redundant.

Nearly all my older PICAXE have disappeared into projects over the years and they are still handy for testing 'dodgy circuits' on. If they do blow up then I can buy a new chip, better and just as cheaply.

 

[Marcwolf]

I agree Hippy.
Often we have to work with the tools we are given. Parallel tasking is wonderful, you can constantly check on the status of control lines whilst another program handle the main loop. But if you don't have that option then there are other ways to program.
It's more of the skill of the developer in getting around these issues.
32bit calculations is a perfect example and a few posts here have demonstarated that it can be done.. whithout needing to add on a mathh's co-processor.

A favorite quote of mine is

It's like a dog walking on it's hind legs. It's not that it is done well but it is Amazing that it is done at all.

Take care. I'm off to rummage throught my box of old chips. I'm sure I have a SC/MP in there somewhere, and a Signetic's 2650
Dave