[sdiy] microcontroller selection! (fwd)

[Neil Johnson]

Bret,

> You must love those Amtels!  You recommended them for my other project as
> well! :-)

I've used various microcontrollers over the years, and I've really come to
like them.  PICs are ok, but its such a wacky architecture it is difficult
to write good compilers for them (they'e got better in recent years, but
still).  AVRs were designed to be easy to write compilers for them, which
appeals to me :-)  There is a port of the GCC compiler that targets the
AVRs, which opens up lots of free, industrial-strength development tools.

The 8051 is a venerable old design, and I've got a C compiler for them
too.  But the prices tend to be a little higher, and they are geared more
towards traditional command-and-control applications (industrial
controllers, etc).

The BASIC Stamp is a good little module.  Used them myself to control, for
example, video cameras for experiments.  Very easy to knock together a
prototype system.  But I wouldn't use them for a production product as
they are quite expensive.

These may be your best option, as they are smaller than the OOPics, and as
you say there are plenty of resources out there.

> I suppose that's my fault for making such a fine and polished
> "prototype". :-(

Yeah, stop it!  Prototypes are supposed to look like someone sneezed in a
parts bin, not a finished item :-)

Cheers,
Neil

--
Neil Johnson :: Computer Laboratory :: University of Cambridge ::
http://www.njohnson.co.uk          http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~nej22
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