Texas Advanced Optoelectronic Solutions Inc.
800 Jupiter Road, Suite 205
•
Plano, TX 75074
•
(972) 673-0759
www.taosinc.com
2
Getting Started
Connecting the Hardware
•
Connect the supplied serial cable to an available serial port of your PC.
•
Connect the other end of the serial cable to the Parallax Board of Education 9-pin D connector.
•
Unpack the TCS230AMLM and separate the Lens Module from the AppMod adapter board.
•
Connect the AppMod board to the X1 connector on the Parallax Board of Education. Match the pin
name text on both boards to ensure proper orientation of the AppMod board.
•
Attach four 1” standoffs (included) to the lens side of the Lens Module using the supplied screws.
•
Connect the ribbon cable from the Lens Module to the AppMod adapter header J5.
•
Connect the power adapter to the Board of Education and plug the other end into an AC outlet.
•
Please see the document enclosed in the TCS230AMLM box for detailed information about the color
sensor module.
Note: The TCS230AMLM color sensor module document contains some information
regarding use of the module independent of the TCS230EVM and may not be applicable when using the
module with the TCS230EVM and application software.
Calibrating the Sensor Module
•
Hold the Lens Module on a flat, white surface making sure the four standoffs are squarely contacting
the surface.
•
Press the RESET button on the Parallax Board of Education.
•
The white LEDs of the Sensor Module will turn on for approximately 3 seconds during white
calibration, then blink on and off continuously (about every 0.5 seconds).
Note: White calibration must be performed each time the TCS230EVM is powered up.
Running the TCS230EVM Software
•
Start the TCS230EVM application software (Start menu, Programs). The software will automatically
search the COM ports and should automatically detect the TCS230EVM.
•
Hold the Lens Module on a color sample, making sure the standoffs are squarely contacting the surface.
The color box on the left portion of the display shows whatever color the TCS230EVM "sees". The rainbow on
the right portion of the display shows where the color is located in Hue/Saturation/Luminance (HSL) color
space. The HSL color space more closely approximates how the human eye distinguishes color as compared to
the common Red/Green/Blue (RGB) color space. Please consult the TCS230EVM Help file available from the
Windows
Start menu or from the Help menu in the application for more information about the TCS230EVM
software.
Additional Resources
For information about the use of the Parallax BASIC Stamp Editor and BASIC Stamp, please consult the Stamp
Editor Help file or the BASIC Stamp Manual. The Help file is available from the Start menu. The Manual is
located on the installation CD-ROM at D:\Parallax\BASIC_Stamp_Manual_v2-0.pdf.
For a schematic diagram and other information about the Parallax Board of Education, please consult the manual
located on the installation CD-ROM at D:\Parallax\Board_of_Education_Manual.pdf.
Other Parallax BASIC Stamp documentation, applications information, and sample code for the TCS230 Color
Sensor can be found at
www.parallax.com
.
Please check our web site at
www.taosinc.com
periodically for the latest application notes and TCS230EVM
software.
