Time for new uP

[Chris MacDonald]

I have also been looking into the AT90 series AVRs.  I had a good
experience with the PIC16F84 in the Mini Modular, but the Atmel chips
seem to have a better performance-and-features-to-price ratio.

One attractive feature of the AT90 for me is that it has an instruction
to read data from program memory into a register, something the PIC
instruction set can't do.

The only reservation I have about them came up when I actually tried to
get the starter kit and some chips.  I was unable to find the either
STK200 or the AT90S4433 during several weeks of checking at every
distributor listed by Atmel.  Finally Pioneer-Standard got some of both
in.  Digikey is currently saying about the AT90S4433, "Due to extended
lead-time we are unable to backorder, no delivery date available." 

So I guess I'm wondering if anyone else has had trouble getting Atmel
parts or did I just pick a bad time to start looking?

-Chris MacDonald


Tim Ressel wrote:
> 
> Well boys and girls, I believe its time to face the music and let a new uP into
> my circle. I have choosen Atmel AVRs for three very good reasons:
> 
> 1.  Folks on the list gave Atmel the "thumbs up"
> 2.  DigiKey has the STK200 starter kit for $49
> 3.  The voices in my head told me to do it.
> 
> My old workhorse, the Motorola 68HC11, will still be around of course. We're old
> friends, if you know what I mean.
> 
> Tim Ressel--Compliance Engineer
> Hewlett-Packard
> Verifone Division
> 3755 Atherton Rd.
> Rocklin, Cal
> 916-630-2541
> timothy_ressel at hp.com