Rating:
(15 reviews)
Author: Visit Amazon's Ron Hackett Page
ISBN : 0071703268
New from $15.50
Format: PDF
Download PICAXE Microcontroller Projects for the Evil Genius Free Download from with Mediafire Link Download Link
About the Author
Ron Hackett has more than 30 years' experience in the fields of education and psychology. He has taught mathematics, psychology, and computer science courses at high school and college levels, and in-service courses for teachers in the use of microcomputers in the classroom setting. Ron has published 20 PICAXE-related articles for Nuts & Volts and SERVO magazines. He also designed the "Brain-Alpha" PC board used in the popular SERVO TankBot robot. His website is www.JRHackett.net.
Books with free ebook downloads available PICAXE Microcontroller Projects for the Evil Genius Free Download
- Series: Evil Genius
- Paperback: 288 pages
- Publisher: McGraw-Hill/TAB Electronics; 1 edition (August 12, 2010)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0071703268
- ISBN-13: 978-0071703260
- Product Dimensions: 10.6 x 8.4 x 0.6 inches
- Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
PICAXE Microcontroller Projects for the Evil Genius Free Download
I'll be honest here. I was purchasing a completely unrelated book, and I needed to spend a few more bucks to get free shipping at Amazon. Having just ordered a PICAXE development board and a few PICAXE chips to play with, I did a quick search and found this book. I have already bought and studied "Programming and Customizing the PICAXE Microcontroller" book by David Lincoln (also highly recommend) so I didn't think I needed another PICAXE book. But I bought it anyway.
And I'm glad I did.
Mr. Hackett did a fine job on this book. It is well written, very illustrative (although the publisher could have lightened a number of the illustrations, many were very dark and you had to squint), and follows a very nice outline.
What impresses me the most, besides the thoroughness of the programming information, is the design suggestions that he made. I have, since I was 10 years old (I still have that first breadboard 25 years later), been a breadboarder. I have built and modified many circuits on breadboards. It is a valuable skill, one that can only come from experience... but it can also get tedious. That's why I really like the development boards that are available. I have been using a PICAXE development board (google AXE091) for a few days and really enjoy it, and highly recommend it. It's also why I REALLY like the Arduino with the associated shields for it. But what impresses me with this book is Mr. Hackett's stripboard techniques. First you breadboard a peripheral (LED display, switch, etc) and then, since it is something you will likely use again and again, you can save time in the future by making a stripboard version that plugs into your breadboard. Very nice. But even that can get tedious after a while... so guess what?
What a useful book!. While I started with the Basic Stamp, I stumbled across Picaxe in its early years and found it superior in many ways. First it is cheap and the programming support forum was terrific. Most of all, it can handle many small and useful tasks such as light and water detection, sound and motor handling, really many things.
But to take advantage of what it can do, you need a book like Ron's. It helps you on so many levels. One of my favorite discoveries was the use of stripboards - this allows the user to create small linkages in a variety of ways. The boards are easy to cut, the long running copper lines are ideal for connecting common connections like power and ground, and they are flexible - unlike preconfigured PC boards you find at radio shack. Actually, they are very common in Europe and they sell them by the boat load.
So aside from being guided in how to physically make the circuits, Ron does a great job in educating the person about programming issues and circuit design. And best of all, he speaks to the lay person. I love the progression of tasks and projects. Each of them more advanced, each of them building on the previous knowledge. It truly could be used by any community college, vocational or high school as a laboratory work book. While the photographs are poorly defined, Ron has made them available on his web site for easy download - together with all of the programming code. This is great for those who mistype or who want to get the "correct" code version.
Lastly, it is a great resource if you need to remember how to hook-up lcds, leds with a display chip, a keyboard or interfacing with things like a tv remote. Each chapter provides a high level overview, or background if you will. Not too much and not in a pedantic manner.