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Forums: forums.parallax.com
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Office: (916) 624-8333
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Copyright © Parallax Inc. BASIC Stamp HomeWork Board 10-pack (#28158) v21 8/31/2011 Page 1 of 4
BASIC Stamp® HomeWork Board™ (Serial)
Single (#555-28158) or 10-p ack (#28158)
This economical development platform with a surface-mount BASIC Stamp 2 microcontroller module was
designed with beginners and student budgets in mind; the 10-pack perfect for outfitting a classroom. It is
compatible with
What’s a Microcontroller?
,
Robotics with the Boe-Bot
, and most other Stamps in Class
tutorials. See the Program Overview link at www.parallax.com/education for complete details.
Features
Built-in, surface-mount BASIC Stamp 2
microcontroller
BASIC Stamp I/O pins plus power
connections are brought adjacent to a
2" x 1 3/8" breadboard.
Built-in 220-ohm series resistors
between the I/O pins and breadboard
for a bit of protection in case of wiring
errors
On-board regulator delivers up to 500
mA* of current for BS2 and breadboard
circuits (see Rev B note, page 3)
LED connected to the BS2’s EEPROM
clock line shows when a program is
running
Reset button
9 V snap-style battery clip with strain-
relief holes to make it easy to strap the
battery in place for mobile applications
Grounded 0.125 in (3.18 mm) corner
mounting holes, at 3.7 x 2.75 in (9.5 x 7
cm) on centers
4 peel-and-stick rubber PCB feet
included
Application Ideas
BASIC Stamp-related homework
assignments
Dedicated science fair, contest, or
hobby projects
Affordable “nodes” in BASIC Stamp 2
network
Key Specifications
Power requirements: 9 V battery; BS2
requires 7 mA running, 50 µA in sleep
Communication: Serial (RS-232) via DB9
Operating temperature: 32 to 158 °F
(0 to 70 °C)
Dimensions: 3.05 x 4 in
(7.75 x 10.16 cm)
Additional Items Required
Serial cable (#800-00003) — OR —
USB to Serial Adapter with USB A to
Mini-B cable (#28031)
9 V battery
PC running Windows 2K/XP/Vista/7 for
the BASIC Stamp Editor software. USB
drivers for the optional USB Adapter are
included with the software installer
which is a free download from
www.parallax.com/basicstampsoftware
Copyright © Parallax Inc. BASIC Stamp HomeWork Board 10-pack (#28158) v2.1 8/31/2011 Page 2 of 4
BASIC Stamp HomeWork Board Features
1. 9V Battery Clip: You can use alkaline or rechargeable 9-volt batteries. Disconnect the battery to
turn off power to your board
2. Serial Programming Connector: This is a female DB9 socket for programming and for two-
way serial communication between the BASIC Stamp and your computer. You can connect
directly to a serial port on your computer, or use a USB to Serial Adapter to connect to a USB
port.
3. Voltage regulator: Supplies regulated 5 V (up to 500 milliamps*) to the BASIC Stamp and
sockets labeled Vdd for circuits you will build on the breadboard area. (*See Rev B note, page 3.)
4. Power header (X3): The sockets labeled (+5)Vdd connect to +5 VDC, (+)Vin connects directly
to the power supplied to the board by the battery clip (+9 VDC typical), and (-)Vss connects to 0
V (ground).
5. Breadboard: The breadboard has metal clips that run underneath the white plastic board in a
horizontal fashion. Each strip connects a 5-socket group, with two groups to each row, separated
by a center trench. Wires or legs of components plugged into the same 5-socket group will be
electrically connected. Components with many legs (such as pushbuttons or ICs), are placed in
the middle of the board so that half of the legs are on the left side and half are on the right side
of the trench. Note: Always disconnect power before building or modifying circuits!
6. I/O Pin Access Header (X4): The BASIC Stamp module's 16 I/O pins, labeled 0 to 15, are
connected to this header, so you can conveniently connect to your breadboard circuits. On this
board, there are 220-ohm resistors placed between the header and the BASIC Stamp I/O pins to
help prevent damage in case of a wiring mistake.
7. Reset Button: The reset button can be used to restart your BASIC Stamp without having to
cycle the power. This saves wear-and-tear on the battery clip for simple program restarts. Some
advanced programming techniques use the reset button and the BASIC Stamp EEPROM as a way
to toggle between different program functions.
Copyright © Parallax Inc. BASIC Stamp HomeWork Board 10-pack (#28158) v2.1 8/31/2011 Page 3 of 4
8. Running Indicator LED: This LED will light up when a BASIC Stamp program is running. It is
not a power indicator LED.
9. BASIC Stamp 2: The components of a BASIC Stamp 2 module are built directly onto the board.
It connects the BASIC Stamp to the programming connector, power, the running indicator LED,
reset button, and I/O pin header.
Rev B Note
The BASIC Stamp HomeWork Board Rev B’s voltage regulator supplies current to the embedded BASIC
Stamp, certain circuits built on the breadboard and connected to I/O pins, and any devices drawing
current from the Vdd sockets. The current budget for the HomeWork Board Rev B’s voltage regulator is
50 mA. Most devices featured in Stamps in Class texts only draw a few extra milliamps of current and will
work fine when powered by HomeWork Board Rev B’s Vdd Pins. However, there are a few exceptions,
including servos, pumps, and heating elements. These devices should not be connected to Vdd, or it
could damage the board’s voltage regulator. Instead, these higher current devices should be connected
to Vin. The voltage supplied to Vin should in turn be limited to a level that is compatible with the device
(servo, pump, heating element).
Resources and Downloads
BASIC Stamp Editor programming software (free), which contains the Getting Started tutorial,
BASIC Stamp Syntax and Reference Manual
, and
What’s a Microcontroller?
text:
www.parallax.com/basicstampsoftware
Information about the BASIC Stamp family of microcontroller modules, including a comparison
chart: www.parallax.com/basicstamp
Free, moderated discussion forums: http://forums.parallax.com
Free educational tutorials and mini-projects for BASIC Stamp 2 programming, and other
resources for students a n d Educators: www.parallax.com/education; education@parallax.com.
“How To-The Basics of Breadboarding” and other YouTube videos: www.parallax.com/go/videos
Free Technical Support: support@parallax.com, or call toll-free in the Continental US:
888-99-STAMP, all others call 916-624-8333.
Copyright © Parallax Inc. BASIC Stamp HomeWork Board 10-pack (#28158) v2.1 8/31/2011 Page 4 of 4
Quick-Start Guide
Step 1
Download and install the latest version
of the free BASIC Stamp Editor
software from:
www.parallax.com/basicstampsoftware
...accepting all defaults. Note: Do not
connect your hardware until you have
followed the directions in Step 2 below.
Note: USB Resets BASIC Stamp
Connecting a USB-based board to your PC may reset your BASIC Stamp. If you are using the USB to
Serial Adapter, resets are easy to avoid. After connecting your board to your PC the first time, always
disconnect and reconnect at the serial (9-pin) end of the USB to Serial Adapter. Leaving the Adapter
connected to your PC keeps the virtu al communications port open, preventing an unwanted reset.
Revision History : v2.1 added the USB Resets Basic Stamp section, above.
Step 2
Open the BASIC Stamp Editor Software,
and select BASIC Stamp Help from the
Help menu.
Step 3
Click on the Getting Started link in the
Help file, then follow the directions in
the tutorial for connecting your board
testing your programming connection.
