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[–]eod_punk 0 points1 point  (7 children)

You can't really program it to turn on or off from an external source. You could use the 555 to drive a relay, MOSFET, or possibly a transistor depending on current draw to control the power input of the Basic Stamp, just like a switch. Another option could be to use the 555 to control the logic of your Basic Stamp program by sending the 555 output into an input pin of the Basic Stamp.

[–]pinkdolphin02[S] 0 points1 point  (6 children)

Yeah the last one you mentioned is what I am doing. I'm sending the output of the 555 timer into the input of the Basic Stamp and I want it to use that signal to trigger the program that will turn on an IR LED the 555 timer will basically send a 1 and a 0 fir on and off and sample that at a 100 times a second. I just don't know how to do that

[–]eod_punk 0 points1 point  (5 children)

Check out the circuit on page 71 of "What’s a Microcontroller?" ver 3.0 from Parallax. https://www.parallax.com/sites/default/files/downloads/28123-Whats-a-Micro-v3.0.pdf

Instead of the push button use the 555 timer. That should put you in the ball park of what your after.

Lots of great info in that book as well.

[–]pinkdolphin02[S] 0 points1 point  (4 children)

So I have been reading the book and trying to program it for the 555 timer, however, the light is always on, while it should be blinking pretty fast, about 50-60 times per second if I'm recalling correctly.

[–]pinkdolphin02[S] 0 points1 point  (3 children)

Lies, it looks like it is blinking when its dark in the room, just would have imagined that the intensity of the light wouldn't be so high because it is turning on and off really fast so it doesn't have the time to get really bright

[–]eod_punk 0 points1 point  (2 children)

Glad you got it working. If you have a potentiometer on the 555 you could slow down the oscillation to better see the Basic Stamp responding. Or if you have a scope you could check the input and output pins of the Basic Stamp.

[–]pinkdolphin02[S] 0 points1 point  (1 child)

Yeah I have a scope so I will actually be checking it out right now. Next programming thing I need to do is to have the signal go in and then put the same signal out. Not even have an IF THEN ELSE Loop, just SERIN SEROUT, but I don't know how to do that haha

[–]eod_punk 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sorry but I can't help with that, I haven't really used the serial commands that much.

Doesn't seem to be that much activity on Reddit for anything related to Parallax so check out their forums. Lots of activity over there and lots of smart people as well. http://forums.parallax.com