Which microcontroller should I get?

[Leros]

I've been programming in S12 assembly on the 9S12DP512. I like that it has a ton of digital I/O ports (over 50) and 8 ADC ports. I've written drivers for it in assembly and gotten to know my way around fairly well.

I'm wanting to modernize myself. I want to start programming in C and I want a device that DIYers are commonly using. I would like to have some nice standard libraries for common components such as character LCDs.

I saw the Arduino boards. Lots of tutorials, lots of libraries. Looks pretty good until I noticed the most powerful board they have has 14 I/O ports. No good.

Something with a development board would be nice.

Any suggestions?

 

[Stiganator]

I know Texas Instruments has a good sample program. They recently overnighted me 50 free chips. The MSP430 is a nice low power chip they have some higher performance 32 bit chips too.

There are some MSP430s with 80 GP I/O

 

[bobsmith1492]

Atmel has free compilers and I really like the ARM core parts - pretty powerful with full 32-bit I/O ports and lots of peripherals. Not sure about standard libraries; we came up with our own over multiple classes back in school and I've built from those.

There's a good dev board available, too, and you can program it over USB with free drivers and programming program (SAMBA!)
http://search.digikey.com/scri...l?name=AT91SAM7S-EK-ND

That said they are complicated parts; might look for something simpler to start like the AVR series.

 

[Modelworks]

Tried the microchip Pic family ?
There are hundreds of sites dedicated to it and more than enough C code compilers for it as well.
It and the AVR are probably the most common hobbyist chips.

I used a pic 18F series to control 6 fans with rpm readouts, 6 temperatures, 9 voltages, connected via ethernet with lcd display.

The PIC and AVR families are also available in dip/pdip format so its easy to use for breadboards.

They have a full development kit with C compiler for sale for $50 right now.
Hard to beat at that price.
It has 85 GP I/O + other goodies like 16 A/D, 5 PWM, SPI,UART,I2C

http://www.microchip.com/stell...S_GET_PAGE&nodeId=2591


Forgot to add they also got a design challenge going on :
http://www.mypic32.com/web/guest/home

 

[bobsmith1492]

Where do you get free microchip compilers? At work they pay (a lot) for the C18 compiler group. I know you can get a trial version but that's only 60 days or so. Or was the Hi-Tec compiler not trial... hmm

 

[PottedMeat]

After 60 days the compiler optimizations are turned off for MCC18. The code ends up being a little bit bigger - but not by much, I don't think there are any other restrictions. I've been using the USB PIC18s for a while - using the modified USBPICDEM firmware to flash over USB and the usb dll + C# Express for usb interfacing.

 

[Modelworks]

Originally posted by: bobsmith1492
Where do you get free microchip compilers? At work they pay (a lot) for the C18 compiler group. I know you can get a trial version but that's only 60 days or so. Or was the Hi-Tec compiler not trial... hmm

Hitech still charges for their compiler but microchip has their own version of the hitech compiler that comes with the development kit. Its the same one but is limited just to the chip series that is on the development kit.

For $50 they give the compiler, code, development board.
Very hard to refuse at that price.


I use CCS for pic programming.
http://www.ccsinfo.com/


Also the open source SDCC.
http://sdcc.sourceforge.net/

 

[Leros]

It looks like the PICs have some cool chips with things like onboard eternet or onboard usb, which I don't care about. They seem roughly the same otherwise. The AVRs seem cheaper and they seem to have more standardized tools.

 

[BrownTown]

I used the PIC family for my microcontroller stuff, I used the 16F line and programmed in assembly, but I think the 18F can be done in C. I would recommend them, but that said microconrollers are pretty much all the same so whoever you find it will probably work fine if you read the documentation first and see what fits your needs. I just think maybe the PICs are more towards hobbyists and small time users where some of the other companies focus more on big companies.

 

[Leros]

According to this, AVRs might be better for the hobbyist
http://www.ladyada.net/library/picvsavr.html

 

[Leros]

I've decided to go AVR, but I could use some assistance choosing what development setup to go with. I want to get some kind of prototyping setup.

I'm used to a development board having a bunch of pins on the side that I can just plug into a breadboard. this


I can get the STK500 for $89, but then what?

Or I saw the AVR Dragon for $50, plus Dragon Rider for about ~$40. Supposedly these combined are similar to the STK500.

Which of those, or something else, is best for what I want?

I really just want something simple. Like, something where I can stick the chip in, connect the I/O pins to a breadboard, and prototype the circuit and program the chip.

I'm not sure if the above devices are too much or just right.

 

[BrownTown]

Well it all depends what you want, i man you can plug a DIP chip directly into a breadboard, especially if you already have a stable power supply to run it. All of those things you showed look like really great deals, less than 100$ for a development kit is pretty darn good if you ask me.

 

[Leros]

Originally posted by: BrownTown
Well it all depends what you want, i man you can plug a DIP chip directly into a breadboard, especially if you already have a stable power supply to run it. All of those things you showed look like really great deals, less than 100$ for a development kit is pretty darn good if you ask me.

I would like to be able to keep the chip in the programmer while I am prototyping my circuit. I don't wanna be pulling the chip in and out of the breadboard.

 

[Modelworks]

Originally posted by: Leros


I would like to be able to keep the chip in the programmer while I am prototyping my circuit. I don't wanna be pulling the chip in and out of the breadboard.

You don't have to pull it off the breadboard to program it.
google avr bootloader.
I never remove chips from the breadboard when working on a new design.

That is why I generally don't recommend development kits, unless your just starting out, or its really cheap.
You can get much more for your money by just using a breadboard and buying the components you want to interface.
Its also much more flexible.

Example for the AVR:
ATMEGA64-16 $9
Crystal $.30
2 - capacitors $.30
LCD display $10

Total cost : under $20