Micro controller for simple marine device

[Ford T]

Would like advice on a micro controller I am sourcing for a marine device. This chip will need to perform the following functions...
1). AcT as, or connect to a timer. 2) based on the preset timer trigger a release pin. 3) have a battery that will light a low wattage beacon. I would also like to know what a fair price would be for an order of 500-1000, & 1,00o-5,000 Thankyou for your assistance ...Ford T

 

[Misterbenn]

From your description of the application it sounds like you just want a timer... so a 555 chip would do this job easily.

If you want a micro controller then most Atmel or Microchip IC's will easily do this job but are probably overkill, unless you've given a really bad description of the application.

 

[jpanhalt]

The 10F series of microcontrollers from Microchip will work, as will almost any microcontroller (I can't think of one that won't). Overkill? I don't think so. It needs to both a timer and have a preset trigger based on the time. A 555 would probably be a more complicated way to do that. It is hard to compare prices, because so many options are available. At DigiKey for SMD components, the price for an LM555 is $1.03 and $0.39 for quantities of 1 and 3000, respectively. For a 10F200 MCU, the prices are $0.50 and $0.35 for both quantities, respectively.

Given such a vague description, I suspect this is not a Raytheon-size company's project, but is more likely wishful thinking by an individual. The list of suitable devices can be narrowed only with more information.

John

 

[Pommie]

Assuming that the device needs to keep accurate time and not reset if power fails, I'd use one of the newer chip such as the 12LF1822. Run with a 32.768 kHz crystal and battery backed it would keep good time. Quantities of 5000 are $0.49.

Edit, changed chip as previous couldn't have external crystal.

Mike.