[time-nuts] favorite microcontroller module?

[Robert Vassar]

I'll second this.  I'm kind of fond of the MCS-51 family for 8 bit  
applications.  They're really nothing special, old school stuff, but  
they have something like 40% of the embedded market, and once you  
learn their quirks, it just kind of sticks.  Multi-source, and lots  
of variants.  There's a free embeddable BASIC interpreter on the net,  
SDCC C compiler, and almost 30 years worth of tools & code for it  
kicking around the net.


The SiLabs mixed analog family is really amazing.  They depart for  
several '51 family norms, but overall seem worth the trouble.  I like  
the Atmel derivatives.  More info & resources over at www.8052.com


I regard PIC chips as something to be avoided.  Horrible little  
architecture that should have died back in the 70's.  It gained a  
foothold with hobbyists due to the ease with which they can be  
programmed.  The modern '51's are just as easy, and in some cases  
easier.  Some of them ship with bootloader that can be activated on  
reset, and programmed using the onboard serial port.  Last I checked,  
even the AVR's are missing out on that, though they're relatively  
easy to program as well, and have an arch better suited to C.


de KC6OOM/5


On Feb 15, 2008, at 10:12 PM, Didier Juges wrote:

> My favorite uC familly is made by Silabs.
>
> They have a line of 8051 variants with excellent performance (up to  
> 100
> MIPS) and the SDCC compiler is free.
>
> I have documented the main reasons for liking it there:
>
> http://www.eds-fl.com/cgi-bin/wiki/wiki.cgi?SiLabs
>
> (nomal ko4bb.com web site is down tonight, don't know why)
>
> Didier KO4BB
>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: time-nuts-bounces at febo.com
>> [mailto:time-nuts-bounces at febo.com] On Behalf Of SAIDJACK at aol.com
>> Sent: Friday, February 15, 2008 10:05 PM
>> To: time-nuts at febo.com
>> Subject: Re: [time-nuts] favorite microcontroller module?
>>
>> Hello Bob,
>>
>>> Has (?)/Had some extremely obscure bugs, don't recall the  exact
>>> details right now, but I decided I didn't need the  hassles in some
>>> lifesupport equipment I was designing.
>>> Was the  original Philips ARMs.
>>
>> NXP took care of most of the issues long time  ago. Remaining
>> bugs are well documented, better than parts from other
>> companies without documented bug list.
>>
>> Get the /01 versions of the chips. Available for around $2 in
>> volume. Easily available on Digikey, and dev boards are
>> $30.95 on Sparkfun.  Free GNU tools available, including
>> several free OS's. Love the fact that  executables run on
>> different parts, one can choose based on memory  requirements.
>>
>> Another one is NEC, they make a host of Microcontrollers that
>> are  extremely popular in Detroit. Lot's of support,
>> high-reliability with wide temp  ranges etc. They have units
>> with direct LCD drive, motor control circuitry,  etc.
>>
>> bye,
>> Said
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> **************The year's hottest artists on the red carpet at
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