Is the 9S12 a good microcontroller for playing with?

[Leros]

I've been wanting to buy a microcontroller for a while to play around with. I'm taking a microcontroller course this semester which uses the Adapt9S12DP512. For one of our labs, we need a partner because we are going to network two controllers together and the university only gives us one each. My schedule around that lab makes it hard to work with somebody, so I'd like to get another controller and do it alone. But only if the controller is worthwhile to keep since it costs $100.

 

[Leros]

bump for the late night geeks

 

[AdaptiveBrainMatter]

It's a decent controller to play around with, although I think it's really expensive. If you've already got a programmer for it, then it might be worth while to get another uController. It really depends on what you want to use it for. If you have a project that requires a fast processor with a good amount of ram, then it fits the bill. But if you don't need all the bells and whistles that the adapt microcontroller provides then I would recommend taking a look at Atmel's AtMega line. They're simpler (less pins), slower(8mhz internal clk), smaller(can get them in DIP package), and lots cheaper (AtMega32 - $5 )

 

[JasonCoder]

Check out the highly technical forum, guys. Not a thread nazi, just sayin. You might get more interest there?

 

[BrownTown]

Wait, you want a micro controller to "play" with? Programming microcontrollers is like the least fun thing I can possible think of, definitely the least fun class I ever took in college except maybe electromagnetics. Trust me, they might seem cool now, but the novelty is gonna wear off real quick when you are awake all night trying to find some completely random bug in a huge assembly file. IF you are getting a micronctroller though and want to even think of having fun make sure to get a development kit and not just the controller itself, god knows you don't want to have to program the controller AND make tons of circuitry for all the I/O (and when I say "god", I mean me because thats what all i'm doing in my senior project and it gets old quick)

 

[Leros]

Originally posted by: AdaptiveBrainMatter
It's a decent controller to play around with, although I think it's really expensive. If you've already got a programmer for it, then it might be worth while to get another uController. It really depends on what you want to use it for. If you have a project that requires a fast processor with a good amount of ram, then it fits the bill. But if you don't need all the bells and whistles that the adapt microcontroller provides then I would recommend taking a look at Atmel's AtMega line. They're simpler (less pins), slower(8mhz internal clk), smaller(can get them in DIP package), and lots cheaper (AtMega32 - $5 )

I'm already using the cheaper DIP controllers such as the ATmega168, I'm just wanting to play around with something a bit more powerful. I have some projects in mind that are way out of league for the ATmega168's that I am used to.

 

[Leros]

Originally posted by: BrownTown
Wait, you want a micro controller to "play" with? Programming microcontrollers is like the least fun thing I can possible think of, definitely the least fun class I ever took in college except maybe electromagnetics. Trust me, they might seem cool now, but the novelty is gonna wear off real quick when you are awake all night trying to find some completely random bug in a huge assembly file. IF you are getting a micronctroller though and want to even think of having fun make sure to get a development kit and not just the controller itself, god knows you don't want to have to program the controller AND make tons of circuitry for all the I/O (and when I say "god", I mean me because thats what all i'm doing in my senior project and it gets old quick)

I've been playing around with smaller microcontrollers and I've been having a blast. Although, I've been doing simpler things such as driving arrays of LEDs, making them respond to switches and sensors.

The adapt has all sorts of application boards, but they are kind of expensive. I've been using protoshields with my current microcontrollers which let me easily connect my controller to a breadboard so I can play with it. I imagine I would do the same with a more powerful board.

 

[Leros]

Originally posted by: JasonCoder
Check out the highly technical forum, guys. Not a thread nazi, just sayin. You might get more interest there?

It didn't seem highly technical. I'm not asking about how to write a driver. I'm just asking if its a good product.

 

[Colt45]

well the MC9S12DP512 is $15 alone... So you're paying for someone to tape it to $7 of parts and throw on some software.

I never much cared for the motorola stuff, not sure why... If i need more power than the PICs and AVRs I use now, I suppose I'd go to an ARM µC. They're cheap, and well supported. Everyone makes them.

 

[AdaptiveBrainMatter]

I concur with Colt45, if you want more power go with the ARM processors.

When I was in school, I used the 68HC12, and it works just fine, but I hated how bulky it was. Unless you are going to do everything on a breadboard, it is going to take up alot of real estate. I think I sold mine at the end of the class. I personally like a smaller chip and then adding the components I need for whatever project I am working on.