PICAXE books?

[Buzzer]

Hi again,

I recently won a couple of prizes which were a £20 & £30 book token

Just wondering if there are any decent books on amazon etc. for PICAXE. There seem to be a couple of extremely basic ones, not any that can provide a challenge
Else, any interesting book about good projects to do with electronics/engineering

Thanks

B

 

[eclectic]

Possibly
http://www.techsupplies.co.uk/epages/Store.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/Store.TechSupplies/Categories/Books/Microcontrollers

e

 

[nick12ab]

PICAXE projects for the evil genius is very basic, can't comment on the other one but the review also suggests it's basic.

Perhaps look at 30 Arduino projects for the evil genius and just pretend that the BASIC code isn't written for you and you have to write it yourself from 'pseudo-code'.

 

[erco]

I have Programming & Customizing the PICAXE Microcontroller, which touts itself as newly updated with the M2 series. Unfortunately, the M2 information is not integrated into the book, but included in a small appendix. Not that many examples and not as helpful as I had hoped. The BASIC command descriptions at PicAxe.com are more useful for M2 users.

 

[SD70M]

I've got PICAXE Microcontroller Projects for the Evil Genius and used it when I was new to PICAXE. Learned a lot from there, then topped up what I needed from this forum.

Angie

 

[westaust55]

I concur with SD70M/Angie.
Ron Hackett’s book PICAXE Microcontroller Projects for the Evil Genius is good to provide step by step guides for those new to electronics in general and in particular PICAXE microcontroller to construct power supplies and a number of projects leading up to a 20X2 based keypad and LCD module for a HMI (Human-Machine Interface), or in Ron's own words a Multifunction Peripheral Device, so the user can enter data/values and see results/values.

Ron's website also provides some addenda, colour images corresponding to the B&W photos in the book and copies of each program listing for ease of programming.
The book is IMHO not intended as a means of learning the PICAXE BASIC programming language - that is the role of the Rev Ed manuals - but more towards getting the newcomer experienced with constuction of some useful projects.

 

[Thomas Henry]

Hello Buzzer,

I sure wish I could help you! Here's what I mean. I've written a very complete book on the PICAXE 18M2, with 55 projects covering audio, displays, motor control, sensors, etc. There are some 60 color photos, 60 nicely rendered schematics, full code and friendly write-ups for each project. About a dozen of the projects have no commercial equivalent and use common parts in unusual ways. It runs 225 full-size pages.

But...every publisher I've approached has said PICAXE books don't sell well, and they won't even deign to look at the manuscript. I have had over 130 articles and eight books published but am getting no where with this one.

Given that, it probably be hard to find a good selection of PICAXE books to choose from.

In the meanwhile, have you considered a subscription to Nuts & Volts Magazine? Besides Ron Hackett's admirable PICAXE column, the magazine publishes other full PICAXE projects from time to time (including a MIDI instrument design of mine back in October). I guess your Amazon coupons won't help there, but it is a good option anyway.

Thomas Henry

 

[Kecked]

Tom ever think of selling to us via ebook. I'll bite. email me details and what you want for it. I'm starving for something new.

removed e

Maybe techsupplies would offer it?

@kecked
You can use the
"About Me" page to send an email.

 

[Jeff Haas]

Tom, you might also look into the print-on-demand services. There are two that a friend of mine is going to consider for a project...lulu.com, or Amazon's POD service.

I also found a good article about self-publishing, there may be some info in it you don't already know:
http://www.barbarabrabec.com/writing_publishing/Your-Self-Publishing-OptionsToday.htm

Good luck! I think you could at least post periodic notices on this forum and sell an ebook version, possibly through Kindle as well.

 

[whiteoaks7]

Hello Buzzer,

I sure wish I could help you! Here's what I mean. I've written a very complete book on the PICAXE 18M2, with 55 projects covering audio, displays, motor control, sensors, etc. There are some 60 color photos, 60 nicely rendered schematics, full code and friendly write-ups for each project. About a dozen of the projects have no commercial equivalent and use common parts in unusual ways. It runs 225 full-size pages.

But...every publisher I've approached has said PICAXE books don't sell well, and they won't even deign to look at the manuscript. I have had over 130 articles and eight books published but am getting no where with this one.

Given that, it probably be hard to find a good selection of PICAXE books to choose from.

In the meanwhile, have you considered a subscription to Nuts & Volts Magazine? Besides Ron Hackett's admirable PICAXE column, the magazine publishes other full PICAXE projects from time to time (including a MIDI instrument design of mine back in October). I guess your Amazon coupons won't help there, but it is a good option anyway.

Thomas Henry

Not quite the same I know but you can always publish for free on Kindle (and get royalties!).

 

[MFB]

Decades ago you could supply a rough text with hand-drawn schematics and the publisher would turn the material into a professional looking book. Contrast this with typical present day contracts that demand everything must be supplied 'camera ready' and any errors would be YOUR responsibility to correct. No advance paid and all the publisher has to do is load a pdf and push the button to produce books. I can now see few advantages in approaching traditional publishers. Even marketing can now be done via an authors web site and word-of-forum.

 

[Buzzer]

Hmmmm... seems my choice is limited *sigh*

PICAXE projects for the evil genius is very basic, can't comment on the
Perhaps look at 30 Arduino projects for the evil genius and just pretend that the BASIC code isn't written for you and you have to write it yourself from 'pseudo-code'.

I may have to do this.

Thanks for everyone's help - and good luck to Tom

 

[MFB]

I have both those PICAXE and Arduino Evil Genius books and I didn't even find the latter provided good coverage of the Arduino, let alone being a useful in anyway for PICAXE projects. As already mentioned, Nuts & Volts magazine is a good source of PICAXE applications information and when I purchased a subscription to the on-line version there was an option that allowed access to back issues. I don't think the subscription cost much more than one of the above books.