Companies Selling Microcontroller Kits? 56
An anonymous reader asks: "I'm in college working on an electrical engineering degree, and I've had a few labs so far involving microcontroller setups. I'd now like to start doing some microcontroller projects of my own devising, so I'll need a programmer, the development software, and the MCUs themselves. The problem is that I don't have a wide experience with the different companies selling this sort of equipment. I know about the BASIC Stamps and the PIC offerings, but what other architectures are there? Both of the MCUs I've named have development tools, but they're for Windows. Are there any companies out there that supply their tools for BSD/Linux? What open source projects are there working on this (I've found gputiles). As always, free (as in beer) is good for us college students. :-)"
Linux friendly microcontrollers (Score:4, Informative)
Re:Linux friendly microcontrollers (Score:3, Informative)
If you're famaliar with C programming, then the AVRs are excellent, as gcc will cross-compile for these chips, and give excellent performance for the dollar, as most of the chips operate at 1 instruction per clock, speeds between 4 Mhz and 10Mhz. Getting a single-chip, 10 MIPS solution for $
Re:Linux friendly microcontrollers (Score:3, Informative)
Many of the software offerings are free (especially those from Amtel and the Open Source world) and most of the prototype boards are very reasonably priced. One of the more sophisticated boards is available for under $200.
Regards,
Ross
Re:Linux friendly microcontrollers (Score:2)
I suggest you start with a PIC, MPLAB (yeah, yeah, it's for windows -- so what?), and a JDM programmer with ICProg. It's a nice, easy-to-use solution. [homepage.dk]
The 8051 platform is also very nice, since it is very commonly encountered. For instance, the
Well, since you are looking for... (Score:3, Informative)
I think you would probably find something similar for Basic Stamp, but I think that I have provided enough suggestions that you might be able to figure out how to look for that as well...
Then again, I could be wrong. Things like that are known to happen.
-Rusty
How about an 80186 board (Score:3, Informative)
http://www.jkmicro.com/products/flashlite186.ht
Re:How about an 80186 board (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:How about an 80186 board (Score:2, Funny)
Minix (Score:2)
Re:Minix (Score:1)
good book for pics (Score:4, Interesting)
Programming and Customizing PICmicro Microcontrollers by Myke Predko
Available on Amazon [amazon.com]. The book icludes a PCB and parts list for building a PIC programmer. It includes a dos program (runs fine in wine) for transfering your programs to your pics.
This book is a lot of fun if your into this type of thing. I highly recommend it.
Re:good book for pics (Score:1)
Re:good book for pics (Score:2)
I second that, Predko's book is great for getting into PIC development starting from scratch. His website [myke.com] has some good info about the book, including a great chapter available for free on microprocessor/hardware interfacing (applies to a broader audience than just PICMicro developers). He even covers a few Linux development tools in the book.
Since it's mostly on-topic here, I'll use this chance to mention that I've got a listing of manufacturers who will provide you with free samples. Microchip will happi
Re:good book for pics (Score:2)
Save yourself the headache and buy something else.
Consider the AVR (Score:2, Informative)
For $135 you can get a complete development kit for the AVR complete with programmer, leds, and push buttons that will work with almost any chip in the AVR family. You can get a complete GCC toolchain for the AVR free here [avrfreaks.com] and lots of support at AvrFreaks.com [avrfreaks.com]. That's pretty much all you need
Re:Consider the AVR (Score:4, Informative)
The AVR is a really powerful architecture, and the GCC toolchain works pretty nicely, though there are some idiosyncracies (the main being that register naming is not consistent between all the parts, and occasionally flags are wrong.
Re:Consider the AVR (Score:2)
Re:Consider the AVR (Score:2)
But the route I went was to get the Atmel serial programmer. It's only $29, and works with the Atmel software. Search for "ATAVRISP" at digikey.
The AVR butterfly emulates the AVRISP through its bootloader, and has RS-232 level conversion-- so there's even less to fiddle with (though you do need to terminate the two serial signals and the ground in a DB9.)
Re:Consider the AVR (Score:2)
Re:Consider the AVR (Score:2)
Re:Consider the AVR (Score:3, Interesting)
You should really be going here: slacy's page about building avr-gcc and avr toolchains for Linux [slacy.com]
Thanks!
Re:Consider the AVR (Score:3, Interesting)
ATMega128 Microcontroller + 512 kByte RAM
Serial ports: RS232 + RS485
100 MBit Ethernet
most digital I/O and analog inputs of the Mega128 accessible on a row of jumpers.
The complete operating system (providing TCP/IP networking for example) that's running on that board is availably a
PIC's (Score:3, Informative)
For the pic16f and 18f series also check out the small device c compiler [sourceforge.net] (works with other MCU's too).
There is a related GNU pic site at www.gnupic.org [gnupic.org] it lists pretty much everything you might need.
You asked about development tools for platforms other than windows - but in true
winpicprog [winpicprog.co.uk] - i've found is quite good, i've yet to find anything in linux or bsd quite as complete...
-----------
As far as programming resources go since I'm actualy focusing on compiling c code for the pic using sdcc i've found that:
Nathan Hursts page on sdcc and the pic14 port (for pic 16 series) [monash.edu.au]
and
Martin Dubuc's pic16 port [freeshell.org]
have been invaluable resources.
PIC's rule! (Score:4, Insightful)
I cut my teeth on 8080's (conditional calls and returns? WOOHOO!) and 6502's (gotta love those flag behaviours) and the PIC families rock if you're into major algorithmic gymnastics.
Everything you could possibly want in a uP is there, and executed beautifully if you're a cycle counting maniac like I am.
Microchip's tools are basic, yes, but they *are* free, mostly, and perform as advertised.
Braving the win environment is just something you'll have to put up with if you want to stay on the bleeding edge of what they offer.
As other posters have mentioned, however, there exist GNU style tools that I suspect might fulfill your needs.
I must mention, however, that the real power of the PIC products can only be accessed fully by coding to the metal directly.
Know the chip that you're using intimately.
A logic analyzer might help also, since you're going to be twiddling ports in a rather brazen fashion.
Re:PIC's rule! (Score:2, Insightful)
Almost - the only PIC with USB has a UV erasable ROM, not the easiest thing for doing development with.
MSP430 (Score:4, Informative)
Re:MSP430 (Score:2, Informative)
You'll get a devkit (with JTAG programmer) from Olimex [olimex.com] for cheap (~20$).
And it works fine with MSPGCC [sourceforge.net].
This page [mikrocontroller.net] holds your hand during your first gdb session.
I've used this setup in several projects with no real problems.
Re:MSP430 (Score:2)
I expect to upload the source to my homepage in the next few days:
home.graffiti.net/pogue/downloads/davros/
(but don't bother looking just yet, unless you want x86 and/or tricore)
Re:MSP430 (Score:2)
8052 (Score:3, Informative)
If you are worried about programmers for linux look for microcontrolers that support in circuit programming (ICP) via serial bootloaders. The one that jumps to mind is dallas/maxim's 89c4xx series. Building a programmer for this device requires very little and works nice with minicom.
For more high end you can look at network based microcontrolers. Many of these have small RTOSs that allow remote programming and programs execution.
Zilog and Rabbit Semiconductor (Score:2)
Rabbit is a spinoff from Zilog, I believe. If you take a look at the sites, they each have some interesting Microcontroller solutions.
8051 with SDCC compiler (Score:2)
Rabbit (Score:1)
I used the Rabbit 2000 (an older version) of the rabbit, and i found that it was easier to implement rather than the AVR.
All I did was make a simple interface PCB between the uC and the Transceiver, which worked out great.
handyboard (Score:3, Interesting)
USB on this one: (Score:2)
http://www.mpeltd.demon.co.uk/usbstamp.htm [demon.co.uk]
Very tiny here:
http://www.mpeltd.demon.co.uk/tiniarm.htm [demon.co.uk]
You can program em both in FORTH if you want to (see forth [comp.lang.forth]) - forth is like a macro-macro-assembler where you derive your own language in it, one which is ideally suited to your problem.
Sam
Why not build your own board? (Score:1)
Many micro's can be had as samples from a lot of vendors, like microchip, maxim-ic, atmel, Texas instruments (the only ones i have dealt with).
The 8051 solution of maxim is quite good for digital experiments (lots of I/O's and very fast).
The
Maxim-IC TINI board (Score:3, Informative)
what I use (Score:2, Interesting)
Since you are an EE student, you might look into checking out a development board from your department. That should give you something to play with for free.
Failing that, I'd recomment getting a breadboard, a few sample Pics (free samples, w00t) or whatever microcontroller you want, instead of a development board. Depending on what kind of controller, you may need an external oscilator
piclist (Score:2, Informative)
This is a really nice resouce for microcontrollers. (Folks ask questions about electronics, non-pic controllers, etc.) Great place to start your search.
-MM
Pick the Tools, Then the OS (Score:2)
Particularly for small projects, where R&D costs are much higher than parts costs, I'd recommend picking the controller and support tools that are best, and then running whatever platform is needed to support these.
As to controllers to use: the Atmel AVR family is very fast and clean, with low power consumption. For connection with the outside world, the EZ80 Acclaim series has a bui
stay with pic (Score:2)
The student's way: (from one to another)
1. Use the free tools on freshmeat.org
2. Build your own pic programmer board (search google) instead of buying one.
Most kits cost well over a students hobby budget, but if you are hardcore into PIC programming, use Windows with Microchip's ICD2 (in-circuit debugger) and MPLAB IDE.
-n
Get on the PICList (Score:2, Informative)
Even if you're not going to go with PICs, there is still a lot of info and help available there. Even though it's called the PICList, it's divided up into several different categories including PIC, AVR, and Electrical Engineering.
Personally I don't like PICs, I use the Atmel *51 series normally. Specifically the AT89C2051. These are small, cheap, and have a lot of support. SDCC supports them very well, any any old Programmer you get on E-Bay supports
serendipity (Score:1)
I've got a friend who has an idea for a little gadget and was thinking about helping with the construction. He's less interested in learning uC magic than just getting the thing working so I bought an Xport 2.0 card which turns a regular Nintendo GameBoy into a little robotics development
MSP430 (Score:2)
Join their mailing list if you have trouble, it's quite active. There's also a very active Yahoo! group (ick) called MSP430.
I've always liked the Zilog Z8 (Score:2)
The development kit, which includes everything you need, can be had for under $40US [digikey.com]. Sweet.
Free? Yes, Free. (Score:1)
For example, Circuit Cellar ( http://www.circuitcellar.com/ ) is an excellent magazine for anyone wanting to do small projects with microprocessors; every issue has one or two complete project write-ups. It's worth every penny of it's subscription fee.
They also have two or three sponsored Design Contests a year. You submit an application when they announce the
Lots of options now... (Score:2)
Fast forward to toda
HC11/HC12, from Motorola (AKA Freescale) (Score:2)
HC12/HCS12 devices are extremely easy to debug and develop software for. There is a fantastic Java-based simulator here [www.almy.us]. If you don't have dev tools that natively understand Motorola's BDM
GNUPic (Score:2)
eZ80 Acclaim (Score:1)
I have to report that the IDE is Windows based, not Linux like the poster asked, but I still reckon the kit is well worth the price.
Hardware is a 50MHz eZ80 processor, which can switch between old-skool Z80 (16 bit addressing) or new-skool ADL (24 bit addressing). 1MB Flash, 1MB RAM. Ethernet port, yay!. Various serial ports. A few buttons for inputs. 5x7 LEDs for outputs. Expansion bus connectors.
Software IDE is Windows based as I alre
8 bit micro hacking under Linux (Score:1)
I'm always on the search for embedded development tools for Linux. Although once in a while I have to deal with a windows based tool (which I run under win4lin [netraverse.com]), most of the time I am happily coding, compiling/linking and debugging under Linux.
I actually cut my teeth in embedded programming with the Intel 8048/8052 (yes the original 12 clocks per instruction). Those were the days - little or no embedded peripherals (the 80