Inspirational - Thanks

Thanks Dave,

Your videos and articles inspired me to animate my Middle Plains layout using PicAxe processors, LEDs, stepping motors and servos.

I added welding arcs, chase lights, scrolling LCD marquees, moving billboards, flickering candles, a flying saucer and many other advertising signs to my city.

It really makes the layout come alive.

Curious

Dave,

I read your article and it made me wonder how you decided on the picaxe, vice other popular microprocessors?

Like the Arduino or TI's Launchpad, both of which I know have a group of model railroaders dedicated to their use in model railroading.

Launchpads from TI are only $9.99, and Arduinos you can get as low as $4.00 for certain versions, from the china ebay dealers,or $9.95 from sparkfun.

Thank YOU!

That is good to hear, Bruce - I have been doing the web page and workshops & clinics for over 10 years and it is nice to hear that there are folks out there that have also discovered the joy that this kind of building can bring.

Thanks!

dave

PIC or PICAXE or Ardunio?

Jim - I started out with the BASIC Stamp family of microcontrollers in the 1990's and soon grew tired of the cost of a bad experiment, specifically a blown $30 or $50 chip!

When I came across the PICAXE over a decade ago I was impressed by its capabilities (equal or beyond the Stamp) and the cost (simple chips are under $5.00)

When I began to run out of programming space I started using PIC processors, the big brother of the PICAXE.

I spelled out the difference on my web page here:  http://www.trainelectronics.com/Articles/PICAXEvsPIC/index.htm

As to the Arduino, I do use them and really like the libraries and programs that you can find on the Internet and the inexpensive Chinese boards.  On the other hand, I feel that "C" is tough for beginners - BASIC is far easier to understand and debug.  Some of my Arduino projects are here:  http://www.trainelectronics.com/Arduino/index.htm

I'll be doing a workshop on the PICAXE at the NMRA Convention next month - if you are there stop by and say HI!

dave

Using a Mac with the PICAXE

Good day - A question came up about using a Mac computer with the PICAXE.  I know very little about Macs so I borrowed one from a buddy and got it working with the PICAXE.  I put my notes on my web page here:

http://www.trainelectronics.com/Articles/PICAXE_Mac/index.htm

The good news is that it is not much different than working with a PC - the software is simpler and has fewer features but it gets the job done.

Please let me know if you have any success or questions!

dave