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Posted by on October 21, 2005, 2:55 pm
Ok, flamewar time I guess.
I am looking to explore new microcontrollers because the ones I have
under my belt are coming up short for what I need. I have a lot of
experience with the 16 series of PICs from Microchip, I have played
with basic Stamps (I, II, SX), some experience with Motorola's HC11,
HC12 and HC16 series. Currently I use Atmel's AVR (Atmega128) at work.
But in trying to branch out and find a better or at least alternate
choice I turn to the advice of those who already have experience with
something else.
My requirements are:
*External interrupts
*PWM outputs (everything I've used so far has done these with hardware
timers. seems nice)
*ADC inputs 8 bit resolution minimum, 10 or 12 bits nice.
*I2C or whatever that manufacturer likes to call it. Atmel calls it
TWI so they don't have to pay license fees to Philips or something.
*UART(s)
*hardware SPI
*JTAG nice but not required
*CAN support would be VERY nice but not absolutely required
*In circuit serially programmable
*Support for a secondary external crystal (32KHz for timekeeping)
*C friendly (and no, PICs do NOT fit this...) As a side note, GCC
compatible is a BIG plus. Paying out the nose for 3rd party compilers
is a killer.
*SMALL!!! I'd like to keep it smaller than an Atmega128 which is
64TQFP at 16x16mm.
*Low power (sleep modes are good). We're trying to stay below 10-20 mA
for full speed execution and <1mA for a sleep or low power mode.
My coworker would also like a cheap/free set of programming and debug
IDEs for it. I have experience with MPLab from Microchip and AVRStudio
from Atmel so anything that good or better would be fine. Just
something graphical to step through code, set breakpoints, simulate,
etc.
So anything not made of unobtanium that you guys would recommend?
Thanks!
-Will
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Posted by Paul E. Bennett on October 21, 2005, 3:35 pm
larkmore@aol.com wrote:
> Ok, flamewar time I guess.
>
> I am looking to explore new microcontrollers because the ones I have
> under my belt are coming up short for what I need. I have a lot of
> experience with the 16 series of PICs from Microchip, I have played
> with basic Stamps (I, II, SX), some experience with Motorola's HC11,
> HC12 and HC16 series. Currently I use Atmel's AVR (Atmega128) at work.
> But in trying to branch out and find a better or at least alternate
> choice I turn to the advice of those who already have experience with
> something else.
>
> My requirements are:
> *External interrupts
> *PWM outputs (everything I've used so far has done these with hardware
> timers. seems nice)
> *ADC inputs 8 bit resolution minimum, 10 or 12 bits nice.
> *I2C or whatever that manufacturer likes to call it. Atmel calls it
> TWI so they don't have to pay license fees to Philips or something.
> *UART(s)
> *hardware SPI
> *JTAG nice but not required
> *CAN support would be VERY nice but not absolutely required
> *In circuit serially programmable
> *Support for a secondary external crystal (32KHz for timekeeping)
> *C friendly (and no, PICs do NOT fit this...) As a side note, GCC
> compatible is a BIG plus. Paying out the nose for 3rd party compilers
> is a killer.
> *SMALL!!! I'd like to keep it smaller than an Atmega128 which is
> 64TQFP at 16x16mm.
> *Low power (sleep modes are good). We're trying to stay below 10-20 mA
> for full speed execution and <1mA for a sleep or low power mode.
>
> My coworker would also like a cheap/free set of programming and debug
> IDEs for it. I have experience with MPLab from Microchip and AVRStudio
> from Atmel so anything that good or better would be fine. Just
> something graphical to step through code, set breakpoints, simulate,
> etc.
>
> So anything not made of unobtanium that you guys would recommend?
> Thanks!
> -Will
I don't see what you have against unobtainium. It is a wonderful material.
It's just a shame it's so expensive. ;>
Have you looked at the MSP430 series from TI? Quite a bit of your
requirements list covered (although I think not all). 14 bit ADC's on some
processors in the family 12 bit on others.
--
********************************************************************
Forth based HIDECS Consultancy .....<http://www.amleth.demon.co.uk/>
Mob: +44 (0)7811-639972
Tel: +44 (0)1235-811095
Going Forth Safely ....EBA. http://www.electric-boat-association.org.uk/
********************************************************************
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Posted by Jim Granville on October 21, 2005, 4:28 pm
larkmore@aol.com wrote:
> Ok, flamewar time I guess.
>
> I am looking to explore new microcontrollers because the ones I have
> under my belt are coming up short for what I need. I have a lot of
> experience with the 16 series of PICs from Microchip, I have played
> with basic Stamps (I, II, SX), some experience with Motorola's HC11,
> HC12 and HC16 series. Currently I use Atmel's AVR (Atmega128) at work.
> But in trying to branch out and find a better or at least alternate
> choice I turn to the advice of those who already have experience with
> something else.
>
> My requirements are:
> *External interrupts
> *PWM outputs (everything I've used so far has done these with hardware
> timers. seems nice)
> *ADC inputs 8 bit resolution minimum, 10 or 12 bits nice.
> *I2C or whatever that manufacturer likes to call it. Atmel calls it
> TWI so they don't have to pay license fees to Philips or something.
> *UART(s)
> *hardware SPI
> *JTAG nice but not required
> *CAN support would be VERY nice but not absolutely required
> *In circuit serially programmable
> *Support for a secondary external crystal (32KHz for timekeeping)
> *C friendly (and no, PICs do NOT fit this...) As a side note, GCC
> compatible is a BIG plus. Paying out the nose for 3rd party compilers
> is a killer.
> *SMALL!!! I'd like to keep it smaller than an Atmega128 which is
> 64TQFP at 16x16mm.
> *Low power (sleep modes are good). We're trying to stay below 10-20 mA
> for full speed execution and <1mA for a sleep or low power mode.
>
> My coworker would also like a cheap/free set of programming and debug
> IDEs for it. I have experience with MPLab from Microchip and AVRStudio
> from Atmel so anything that good or better would be fine. Just
> something graphical to step through code, set breakpoints, simulate,
> etc.
>
> So anything not made of unobtanium that you guys would recommend?
> Thanks!
> -Will
Since you already have a reasonable range of 8 bit uC's, there would
seem little point adding another one. just to get a learnng curve....
I'd look at the ARM families, Philips presently have the
cheapest/smallest start at $1.50, and Atmel have ones with Ethernet.
Pretty much everyone makes some ARMxx variant, including Freescale and
TI.
-jg
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Posted by Rich Grise, Plainclothes Hippi on October 21, 2005, 6:47 pm
On Sat, 22 Oct 2005 09:28:57 +1300, Jim Granville wrote:
> larkmore@aol.com wrote:
>> Ok, flamewar time I guess.
...
>> My coworker would also like a cheap/free set of programming and debug
>> IDEs for it. I have experience with MPLab from Microchip and AVRStudio
>> from Atmel so anything that good or better would be fine. Just
>> something graphical to step through code, set breakpoints, simulate,
>> etc.
>>
>> So anything not made of unobtanium that you guys would recommend?
>> Thanks!
>> -Will
> Since you already have a reasonable range of 8 bit uC's, there would
> seem little point adding another one. just to get a learnng curve....
>
> I'd look at the ARM families, Philips presently have the
> cheapest/smallest start at $1.50, and Atmel have ones with Ethernet.
> Pretty much everyone makes some ARMxx variant, including Freescale and
> TI.
>
Or, work on new approaches to task sharing. What ever happened to
The Connection Machine? I remember reading a thing in some mag, where
some guy said, (I paraphrase) "Well, the only problem we have now is
how to program the thing!" "Ah, but we have an endless supply of
programmer flesh - undergrads!"
But nothing ever seems to have come of it.
Thanks,
Rich
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Posted by blueeyedpop on October 21, 2005, 10:10 pm
Danny Hillis is having more fun building crazy 10000 year clocks, and big
ole robots, out of Glendale CA, at a place called Applied Minds.
> On Sat, 22 Oct 2005 09:28:57 +1300, Jim Granville wrote:
> > larkmore@aol.com wrote:
> >> Ok, flamewar time I guess.
> ...
> >> My coworker would also like a cheap/free set of programming and debug
> >> IDEs for it. I have experience with MPLab from Microchip and AVRStudio
> >> from Atmel so anything that good or better would be fine. Just
> >> something graphical to step through code, set breakpoints, simulate,
> >> etc.
> >> So anything not made of unobtanium that you guys would recommend?
> >> Thanks!
> >> -Will
> > Since you already have a reasonable range of 8 bit uC's, there would
> > seem little point adding another one. just to get a learnng curve....
> > I'd look at the ARM families, Philips presently have the
> > cheapest/smallest start at $1.50, and Atmel have ones with Ethernet.
> > Pretty much everyone makes some ARMxx variant, including Freescale and
> > TI.
> Or, work on new approaches to task sharing. What ever happened to
> The Connection Machine? I remember reading a thing in some mag, where
> some guy said, (I paraphrase) "Well, the only problem we have now is
> how to program the thing!" "Ah, but we have an endless supply of
> programmer flesh - undergrads!"
> But nothing ever seems to have come of it.
> Thanks,
> Rich
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>
> I am looking to explore new microcontrollers because the ones I have
> under my belt are coming up short for what I need. I have a lot of
> experience with the 16 series of PICs from Microchip, I have played
> with basic Stamps (I, II, SX), some experience with Motorola's HC11,
> HC12 and HC16 series. Currently I use Atmel's AVR (Atmega128) at work.
> But in trying to branch out and find a better or at least alternate
> choice I turn to the advice of those who already have experience with
> something else.
>
> My requirements are:
> *External interrupts
> *PWM outputs (everything I've used so far has done these with hardware
> timers. seems nice)
> *ADC inputs 8 bit resolution minimum, 10 or 12 bits nice.
> *I2C or whatever that manufacturer likes to call it. Atmel calls it
> TWI so they don't have to pay license fees to Philips or something.
> *UART(s)
> *hardware SPI
> *JTAG nice but not required
> *CAN support would be VERY nice but not absolutely required
> *In circuit serially programmable
> *Support for a secondary external crystal (32KHz for timekeeping)
> *C friendly (and no, PICs do NOT fit this...) As a side note, GCC
> compatible is a BIG plus. Paying out the nose for 3rd party compilers
> is a killer.
> *SMALL!!! I'd like to keep it smaller than an Atmega128 which is
> 64TQFP at 16x16mm.
> *Low power (sleep modes are good). We're trying to stay below 10-20 mA
> for full speed execution and <1mA for a sleep or low power mode.
>
> My coworker would also like a cheap/free set of programming and debug
> IDEs for it. I have experience with MPLab from Microchip and AVRStudio
> from Atmel so anything that good or better would be fine. Just
> something graphical to step through code, set breakpoints, simulate,
> etc.
>
> So anything not made of unobtanium that you guys would recommend?
> Thanks!
> -Will