micro controller for begginer

[adhi]

hai.. can anyone please tell which micro controller will be easy to write code and burn for a begginer??

 

[ericgibbs]

hai.. can anyone please tell which micro controller will be easy to write code and burn for a begginer??

hi,
Look at Nigel's tutorial link, its near my signature on this post.

 

[Psytrox]

Doesnt seem like the link is working ericgibbs.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

Doesnt seem like the link is working ericgibbs.

Works fine here.

 

[Psytrox]

Hmm,
well winpicprog.com works for me, but not .co.uk

 

[atif123]

useing keil soft ware

 

[Jon Wilder]

The PIC 16F84 was once considered a great PIC to start with. However, this PIC has become obsolete. The newer, bigger & badder 16F628A has superceded the 16F84 and is a great PIC to start with. It is pin and code compatible with the 16F84. Assembly code written for the 16F84 is easily portable over to the 16F628A with the only modifications to it being the configuration word and a couple of lines of code to disable the on chip comparator.

The 16F628 also has many more features than the 16F84 with a dual comparator, variable voltage reference module, capture/compare/PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) module, A/D converter, and USART all on chip. Think of it as a super 16F84.

I've only been coding for PICs since September and I started with both the 16F84 and the 16F628 and aside from the config word being different and the need to disable the on chip comparator with the 16F628, the codes for the two are pretty much identical.

 

[misterT]

At the university I work for, we usually recommend the Teensy USB Development Board. It is great for students who need to do basic rc-servo control, sensor reading etc. With teensy you don't need any additional programmers and all the development software is free. Teensy takes its power from USB (or external) and shows up as a virtual serial port to the pc. Teensy has an Atmel ATmega controller with usb bootloader on it. In general, I think that for beginner Atmels AVR microcontrollers are easier than PICs. The AVR architecture is modern and easy to understand.

 

[blueroomelectronics]

My 2c
I've been working with PICs since the 16C54 and that was almost 30 years ago.
For a beginner I'd recommend either the MPLAB simulator (free) or an 18F series PIC and a PICkit2 (or my Junebug kit shameless plug). If Atmel is your thing then you can't go wrong with an Arduino.
I'd avoid the somewhat limited (preprogrammed interpreters) but popular PICAxe or BASIC Stamp.

 

[be80be]

I'm with Bill Pickit2 or Junebug, MpLab and a nice shiny Pic 18f1220 or 1320 and a bigger
18f4520 or 2520

 

[AGCB]

I realize that the 16F84(A) is old, but there are just so many great tutorials for complete beginners online like I have not found for any other chip. These take you chapter by chapter through all of the basics. Then you can expand to other features of the more advanced chips. If you learn to do as much as possible in the software first then the hardware of other chips will be simple. I for one, do not only want to be told "DO IT LIKE THIS" but I want to know why so I can do it myself the next time. The book 'EASY MICROCONTROL'N' by David Benson is an excellent recource for newby's. Go ahead, bash me if you want!

 

[be80be]

They all do the same thing just some do it better. Read pins, write pins, time pins, And if you can write the code the sky the limit.

 

[Jon Wilder]

That was exactly why I mentioned the 16F628! With the exception of the configuration word and the fact that you have to put in the instructions to disable the on chip comparator, the code for the 628 is identical to the code for an F84, and the pinout is identical as well.

For the config word I usually use -

		__config	0x3D22

This code allows for -

External Master Clear
Power Up Timer Enabled
Watchdog Timer Disabled
Code and Data Code Protection Disabled
Low Voltage Programming Disabled
Brown Out Detection Disabled
High Speed Oscillator (I run a 16MHz crystal)

If you want to run something slower like a 4MHz crystal, your config word would be -

		__config	0x3D21

Then when you set up your ports as input and output, you add in these instructions to disable the on chip comparator -

		movlw       0x07
                movwf       CMCON

Other than that, the rest of the code remains the same between the 16F84 and the 16F628.

As you gain knowledge in PIC programming you'll find that the entire 16F series of PICs uses an identical instruction set. However, knowing how to set the configuration word among a few other things requires knowing the chip itself and what hardware is on chip so that you know how to configure those features for your particular application.

 

[be80be]

Four years ago I wrote my first asm code. With just the data sheet and MPlab 8.10. I started with a 16f690. Then grabbed a
16f628a It was easy to use. The 16f84a came next code would not run I had the wrong kind of crystal.T hen headed for

them8 pin pic 12f508, 12f675, and 12f683. Tried some more bigger 16f chips 28 pin 16f876 and the 40 pin 16f877.

But if I started to day and did it all over it would be a 18f1220, 18f2520, and 18f4520 and swordfish basic all the way.

after just a little asm and data sheet digging. The 18f chips are way easier to use.

 

[OlPhart]

Another opinion...

Been writing assembler since ~1979 on a Z80. Tried Intel, PIC & Rabbit but didn't like the structures they each imposed. Stayed Zilog until a colleague needed help and was using Freescale (Motorola in 1999). Been with Freescale ever since, even when Zilog released Z8 Encore; first with the 908 series, now the 9S08 series (better).

Look at one of the demo boards, from Mouser or Digi-Key, to get familiar (e.g. QE08 or LL16). They're inexpensive and come with a great development environment. CodeWarrior has a learning curve, but once over the hump you have a Lot of options. You can stay with 8 bit (9S08 series), or go 16 (9S12), dsp (56F) or ColdFire for Real horsepower.

Good Hunting with whichever way you choose; we need new developers to replace us geezers as we die off. <<<)))

P.S. I've got a couple of older Z8 Encore & Rabbit starter kits to go Cheap!