Just out of curiosity,which family of MCU do most of us use?

[Alex_rcpilot]

I'm into AVR and MCS-51,what about everybody else?

 

[kentken]

Personally I like the Microchip Pics. I really havent looked at anyothers.

Kent

 

[bmcculla]

I use 8051s (SiLabs makes great 8051s) and I'm just getting into Cypress PSoC. So far I'm really impressed with the PSoC - takes integration to a whole new level.

Brent

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

There was a poll earlier this year, the MicroChip PIC was by far the winner.

 

[checkmate]

This forum is really a largely PIC forum. Try polling at avrfreaks. But I do believe PICs are the most popular amongst hobbyists.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

This forum is really a largely PIC forum. Try polling at avrfreaks. But I do believe PICs are the most popular amongst hobbyists.

This forum is for ANY micro-controller, it's only PIC heavy because of their popularity - I imagine it's fairly representative of hobbyist micro-controller usage?.

 

[Alex_rcpilot]

Is it proved that the 8051 family is less stable than PICs?

Currently I still use 89S5x in most occasions.Just because I'm still a college senior,and I don't have to build excessively sophisticated systems.So far,I haven't found anything wrong with this family of MCUs.But I've heard that 8051s are more easily interfered than PICs and AVRs,etc.I haven't experimented that,is that true?

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

Re: Is it proved that the 8051 family is less stable than PI

Currently I still use 89S5x in most occasions.Just because I'm still a college senior,and I don't have to build excessively sophisticated systems.So far,I haven't found anything wrong with this family of MCUs.

I'm not familiar with that family, but mostly any micro will do the job - if you have experience with one particular micro, then that's probably the best one to use.

But I've heard that 8051s are more easily interfered than PICs and AVRs,etc.I haven't experimented that,is that true?

I don't really know what you mean by "interfered"?, if you mean "interfaced" a PIC will interface to pretty well anything very easily?. 8051's are supposedly the most popular commercial processor, mostly because they are made by many manufacturers.

 

[Alex_rcpilot]

[I don't really know what you mean by "interfered"

Sorry to be confusing .I said to be interfered just meant to experience eletro-magnetic interference(EMI).They said a 8051 MCU is more likely to be affected by a same EMI than a IC.Is that true?

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

[I don't really know what you mean by "interfered"

Sorry to be confusing .I said to be interfered just meant to experience eletro-magnetic interference(EMI).They said a 8051 MCU is more likely to be affected by a same EMI than a IC.Is that true?

I've no idea, but I suspect a PIC will be less susceptible than an 8051 as it's a simpler RISC processor - on the grounds that the more complicated a device is, the more susceptible it's likely to be!.

 

[Alex_rcpilot]

I've no idea, but I suspect a PIC will be less susceptible than an 8051 as it's a simpler RISC processor - on the grounds that the more complicated a device is, the more susceptible it's likely to be!.

Thanks for your explanation,Nigel. I may use AVRs more in my systems rather than 8051 MCUs.Actually I wouldn't mind using PICs.I'm not into it just because my programer doesn't support PICs,and that I haven't got enough time to DIY a programer for PIC16F84.I may buy an ICE system or the simpler ICD2 to meet my needs.There's really a large group of people into PIC in this forum.I think I may learn more in here if I work on the same type of MCUs as the majority do.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

There's really a large group of people into PIC in this forum.I think I may learn more in here if I work on the same type of MCUs as the majority do.

Yes, there's a vast amount of information and help available on PIC's simply due to their popularity - and the length of time they have been about - the Atmel AVR was an obvious try at jumping on the PIC bandwagon, even down to choosing a three letter name :lol:

As mentioned above, if you're going to use AVR's, AVRfreaks would be a good place to look. For the PIC, the PICList is a good place to go, a massive store of PIC knowledge and experience.

 

[bmcculla]

I doubt that there is any difference in EMI problems between PIC and 8051. Old 8051s need higher clock rates for the same instruction speed which would cause then to emit more EMI but newer 8051s are comparable to PIC.

I think problems caused by EMI interfearing with processor operation are more likely to be affected by transistor size and operating voltage and current than the processor archetecture. If you have enough EMI for it to interfere with processor operation you have serious problems .

If you're familiar with the 8051 there isn't any real reason to switch to a different architecture. If you need a faster processor there are plenty of options for fast 8051s (in fact the fastest available 8051s are faster than the fastest available PICs).

 

[The Real MicroMan]

I use microchip PIC controllers, bacause of the ease of operation, information out there, and it's real tolerant of user F' ups. such as putting 9v on the power pins. yicks that got hot, but still worked

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

I use microchip PIC controllers, bacause of the ease of operation, information out there, and it's real tolerant of user F' ups. such as putting 9v on the power pins. yicks that got hot, but still worked

I've got a PIC with a finger print burnt in the top of it :lol:

 

[Alex_rcpilot]

I've got a PIC with a finger print burnt in the top of it

:shock: wow that's not really good.I had similar experience,and I still keep the soldering iron with part of my finger skin on it. :lol:

 

[StupidDum]

I have used PIC, 8051 and Zilog.
Performance of PIC may not be the best, but its ease-to-use is sufficient to beat other microcontroller in general purpose application.

 

[yoyolin]

Re: Just out of curiosity,which family of MCU do most of us

I am in PICs

 

[kinjalgp]

I have been using 8051s since past 5 years but now I have started with PICs.

Man.. I am finding it difficult to learn those 35 instructions against 100+ of 8051 which are stuck in my mind. Any ways to get rid of it for the time being??? :roll: :wink:

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

I have been using 8051s since past 5 years but now I have started with PICs.

Man.. I am finding it difficult to learn those 35 instructions against 100+ of 8051 which are stuck in my mind. Any ways to get rid of it for the time being??? :roll: :wink:

I came to PIC's from a 6502 background, although I hadn't done any 6502 for many years. As you say, it's difficult to start with a new processor, even a RISC one like the PIC - all I can say is to keep at it, eventually it starts to make sense - but I would advice you to keep using the 8051 a bit as well, or that will start to look like nonsense after a few weeks of PIC assembler :lol:

It might be a good learning exercise to try and recreate some of your 8051 projects using a PIC instead?, I think you will be amazed how much you can do with only 35 instructions (many of which you rarely use!).