Want to get into microcontrollers

[ranger]

I'm currently using the BASIC Stamp (basic stamp 2) from Parallax Inc. But one module is expensive and the entire setup is rather bulky. Dont get me wrong, nothing is wrong with it. In fact since this is my first use of microcontrollers, I found that the basic stamp is a very effective in demonstrating how a microcontroller can be used in place of circuits. This particular uC uses pbasic (parallax basic). But I'm more a depth with C/C++. Is there any uC that uses C/C++ and isn't as bulky and expensive as the basic stamp. The thing I hate about the stamp is that the module must always be inserted in the programming board (BOE) for the uC to function. I really want a uC where I can just remove the uC from the programming board and insert it into a IC socket and have it function how I programmed it. Is there any such one?

--thanks.

 

[chroot]

There are literally thousands of microcontrollers that are cheap, can be programmed in C/C++, and an be programmed by general-purpose flash programming tools. You might want to look into the Motorola 68HC11, which is pretty much the world's most common microcontroller.

- Warren

 

[ranger]

Just another quick question. The C/C++ language that these use, are they the standard format or do they have a special structure? I'm asking this cause I don't see how the object oriented programming I'm doing can work for uC.

 

[chroot]

Well, the C/C++ support has nothing to do with the actual hardware you're trying to use. All that matters is your compiler, which you'll be running on a PC. If your compiler is ANSI-compliant and supports your target instruction set, then you can write ANSI-compliant C/C++ code and it'll compile and run just fine.

- Warren

 

[berkeman]

In addition to the Motorola uCs, Microchip has the very popular PIC line of uCs:

http://www.microchip.com/

And then stepping up in horsepower, you cal look at the Atmel ARM processors:

http://www.atmel.com/products/product_selector.asp

 

[chroot]

By the way, I think some of the coolest microcontrollers around (from a usability standpoint) are the Cypress EZ-USB micros.

They're basically just Intel 8051 microcontroller cores, augmented with built-in flash and USB transceivers. The 8051 is very popular, and there are many, many tools which you can use with it. The benefit of the USB transceiver is probably obvious: you can plug it directly into your PC and program it via USB.

- Warren

 

[triden]

I would like to get an STK-500 and start playing with Atmel uC's. I have spent many hours programming an intel 8085 in hex and am ready to move on to something else. As far as I know the Atmels are very powerful..but what is the ARM architecture about? Berkeman mentioned it above...I was just planning on using an Atmega or something. Thanks for any help

 

[berkeman]

I would like to get an STK-500 and start playing with Atmel uC's. I have spent many hours programming an intel 8085 in hex and am ready to move on to something else. As far as I know the Atmels are very powerful..but what is the ARM architecture about? Berkeman mentioned it above...I was just planning on using an Atmega or something. Thanks for any help

I haven't used the ARM processors myself, but our software guys have been migrating designs to them. I think it has to do with the ease of use of some of the debugger features, coupled with a fair amount of power in a reasonably-priced part.

 

[professor28]

good job

good job on programming the HEX 8085 there.