Required Course Materials
Textbook: Digital Systems, Principles and Applications , 10th edition, by Tocci, Widmer, and Moss.
Software: Digital Works will be necessary for some homework assignments. It is freeware and can be downloaded here. However, it only runs under Microsoft Windows.
- Version 2.04 must be used in this class, and can be installed on a computer without having administrator permissions. This installer does have trouble running under 64-bit Windows, in which case you can just expand this zip file into your Program Files folder:
- A demo version of Version 3.04, the latest available, will work for 30 days, but saved schematics cannot be shared with other people. This version does not add much compared to version 2.04. A license can be purchased from MicroControllers Pro Corp.
Software: Computer interface to the Basic Stamp microcontroller will be necessary for laboratory assignments.
- The Basic Stamp Editor is available here for Windows. A non-supported Mac OS X version is available at http://www.parallax.com/tabid/441/Default.aspx
- Connection to microcontroller is most direct by simple serial cable, but most of our Boards of Education have USB connections. You may need to install a driver for the USB-to-serial translater.
- We have some external USB-to-serial cables (blue translucent) by the company Sabrent, for connecting serial BoEs to computers with only USB. These require a different driver.
- For Windows XP, this driver, which came with the cables, works. Install the driver before connecting the cable.
- For later Windows, it appears to be necessary to install the XP driver, and then install this driver (claims to work through Windows 7).
- This Mac OS X driver has not been worked with, but came off the Sabrent web site.
Recommended Course Materials
Three-ring binder for laboratory portion of course.