Steve: There are available timer/counters available that would do what you want to do with no programming. You can get one that has a "hold" capability that is activated by a switch that will "freeze" the display and resume when the switch is released, there are many companies that make relay board that can be used to easily achieve this. You can also get displays with built-in RS-232C protocol, although most laptops no longer have a serial port; I am sure that there are others that work with USB protocol. Another option would be to get an LCD wide screen TV that you can use as a second monitor and just used it to display your results in big numbers. You can get a 32" LCD screen for about $500 and if you display just big numbers, you can probably see it for very far away...you might look at it as a small jumbo-tron...
Javier, Javier Valencia 913-915-3137 -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Wills, Steve Sent: Monday, June 02, 2008 12:09 PM To: RBASE-L Mailing List Subject: [RBASE-L] - Beginner Microcontroller Programming - Not Really OT Once I Learn Enough To Interface W/RBase ... Anybody out there have any experience with microcontroller programming? This might be my "Rube Goldberg" brain at not-so-productive work, but I mentioned a while back that I am interested in building an LED display timer (a big-a$$, numeric stopwatch that even my near-sighted son can see from at least 100m out) for my kids' middle school cross country meets. Ultimately, I would like to interface it with Rbase or other compiled app' to a laptop or PDA-type device, in order to capture finish positions and times, and add a second display to hold the position and time of the most recent finisher. The ultimate benefit is that we could RAPIDLY compile meet/race results and maintain a record of performance data for all teams, kids, coaches, families, Et Al., which I would hope to make available via WWW (RWeb?). NOW, back to my Q, if anyone has experience with any microcontroller programming, I'd love to hear about it. It seems that the 2 languages of choice (at least for learning) are variations/versions of BASIC or C. I'm actually more comfortable w/C, but I don't think which language matters as much as the selection of microcontroller and the learning/educational products and support. I have found several chips/chip families, with apparently sufficient learning materials and 3rd party resources: - Microchip PIC - Parallax Stamp - Arduino - ATMEL - Etc. Any feedback would be appreciated as I'm trying to learn enough to know how to spend my money ... Thanks, Steve J. Stephen Wills Program Manager, Research Informatics Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research University of Tennessee Health Science Center 62 S. Dunlap, Suite 400 Memphis, TN 38163 Office: 901-448-2389 FAX : 901-448-7133
