"awakephd" <
a_wake@...> writes:
> I was not familiar with the R8C and related microcontrollers -- I've
> just been working on getting up to speed with the PIC family. What
> do you see as the advantages/disadvantages of the M16/M32/R8C
> vs. the PICs?
A couple of (to me) advantages:
1. Most run on anywhere from 2.7v to 5v (i.e. each chip allows that
range so you can plug them into pretty much any circuit). Some run
as low as 1.8v. Larger chips support dual power; one half on +5
and the other on +3.3.
2. Programmable with a simple serial cable (i.e. easy linux support)
3. Internal architecture is readily understandable; very similar to
the x86
4. large peripheral set, which is mostly standard from the tiniest R8c
up through the largest r32c (and probably the new RX too)
5. The smallest chips are pretty inexpensive (few dollars) for 16-bit
20MHz performance. The largest chips are around $30. There are no
8-bit chips.
6. The largest chips have a fully functional external address/data bus.
7. They seem to be very robust against EMI and ESD interference.
> I also was not familiar with the VSK modules. They appear to be not
> extremely cheap, but certainly extremely convenient! Is there
> something similar I should be aware of that offers higher currents
> and/or multiple voltages?
I don't know - I found one that worked and stopped looking ;-)
Another company to keep in mind though is acon - www.aconinc.com They
offer a wide range of dc-dc converters, although they're not cheap
either.