newbie to microcontrollers..

[nye]

hi..im new to microcontrollers, and have jus learnt thro uni how to use assembly and C to program the motorola 68HC11...
i now want to 'vernture out' and program and make other stuff outside of my uni work..do i use the 68HC11, or do i get onto one of the PIC microcontrollers??will it be easy for me to use another microcontroller???also, i have vista on my laptop, and no serial/parallel ports..will that be a problem?

 

[mvs sarma]

It all depends on availability of chips and the respetive software support, and availability of programmer for uploading the derived HEX / BIN files into the micro-controllers.

As of now and wrt to indian context where I live, PICs are freely avaialable and Microchip's support from their website is good. So it si for you to choose. Nothing would be difficult, and you should be able to go thro' the PIC devies as easily.
All the best.

 

[nye]

ok..are PICs a lot different from microcontollers such as the 68HC11??or do they use the same principles??
thanks

 

[mvs sarma]

ok..are PICs a lot different from microcontollers such as the 68HC11??or do they use the same principles??
thanks

Hope you wont mid to have a read thro' the sticky at
https://www.electro-tech-online.com/threads/pic-newcomers-please-read-upd-0xd1.15035/

this gives reasonably good intro instead of discussing to re-invent the wheel. I feel , it is a good attempt, to inform new entrants to PIC having some exposure to other uCs.

Obviously no two chips are similar unless they use the same core.

 

[Salgat]

I can only tell you that I finished a microprocessors/microcontrollers class last fall at my college using the 68HC11 and picked up AVRs almost instantly. I like to think of the AVR as a 68HC11 with higher efficiency and way more accumulators, something you would probably find very nice to have for assembly programming.

 

[nye]

are AVR's similar to PIC??i checked an electronic store website(dick smith) and it didnt come up wit any products for the search AVR...are there any good websites for AVR newbies..and can u use the same hardware and software for AVR???AVR and PICs, and disadvantages/advantages of the 2?

http://www.dse.com.au/cgi-bin/dse.storefront/48185a84073546082741c0a87f9c0654/Product/View/K3603
http://www.dse.com.au/cgi-bin/dse.storefront/48185a84073546082741c0a87f9c0654/Product/View/K3610
http://www.dse.com.au/cgi-bin/dse.storefront/48185a84073546082741c0a87f9c0654/Product/View/Z9180
those are links for the PIC related products at dick smith..wonder whether they're goog enough..

 

[Pommie]

Jaycar stock a few PICs and AVRs. The AVRs are probably closer to 68xx than the PICs but if you are going to use C then it makes no difference. If you are intending to use assembler then the PICs have far more internet support, especially here. Just read a few posts here and you will soon see that the PIC users outnumber the AVR users about 50-1. There are of course other BBs that support AVRs.

Mike.

 

[nye]

hmmmm...k...looks like i got a lotta options to consider

 

[3v0]

Things that have not been mentioned.

PICs and AVRs are both good. Most people here use PICs and we answer PIC questions all the time. Fewer use AVRs, it takes longer to get AVR questions answered here and at times people are sent to avrfreeks for answers.

Either way you need a programer. For PICs I would get a PICkit2 or a clone kit called the Junebug from BlueroomElectronics.com. The PICkit2/Junebug can also be used as a simple but effective 3 channel logic analyzer.

For AVRs I think you will be lookng at a dragon programmer.

If you go with PICs I suggest you start with the 18F family. Microchip provides a free C compiler. The Junebug target is an 18F1320.

 

[nye]

from where can i get the PICkit2??and the chip in case its not available here??can buy both online???i know assembly and C so programmin language is no problem..sometimes i might use assembly even..and are datasheets freely available for PICs???infor like registers, programmers models, clock cycle infor and stuff???
and do the programmer boards hav stuff like LEDs, 7-seg displays, LCDs etc?

 

[3v0]

from where can i get the PICkit2??and the chip in case its not available here??can buy both online???i know assembly and C so programmin language is no problem..sometimes i might use assembly even..and are datasheets freely available for PICs???infor like registers, programmers models, clock cycle infor and stuff???
and do the programmer boards hav stuff like LEDs, 7-seg displays, LCDs etc?

The PICkit2 is a Microchip product and you can get it online microchipDirect. You can always buy chips from them too. Take a look at the Junebug.

 

[blueroomelectronics]

from where can i get the PICkit2??and the chip in case its not available here??can buy both online???i know assembly and C so programmin language is no problem..sometimes i might use assembly even..and are datasheets freely available for PICs???infor like registers, programmers models, clock cycle infor and stuff???
and do the programmer boards hav stuff like LEDs, 7-seg displays, LCDs etc?

The PICkit2 as with most programmers is not an experimenter board but can include an experimenter / demo board (the PICkit2 debug express)
**broken link removed**
Microchips PICkit 2 debug express includes 16F917 demo board
**broken link removed**
My (blueroomelectronics) Junebug kit (you assemble it yourself) includes an 18F1320 experimenter
**broken link removed**
EasyPIC 4 includes a 16F877A (you can plug in a variety of PICs) but it's programmer / debugger is not MPLAB compatible.

 

[nye]

assuming i get the junebug..is tht better than the microchip PICkit2???which chip do i buy???or can i buy any PIC???and can i use the junbug wit my laptop??it has no serial ports

 

[nye]

i had a look at blueroom..the junebug and dragonfly look interesting..is it worth buyin both those??and will i get all the cables and stuff when i buy them??and wht about the programmin software and related datasheets?

 

[nye]

goin thro the assembly insturctions for the 2 kits, it seems as if the assembly language is a bit different..is it the same principles and mnemonics for the PICs as it is for the 68HC11???

 

[mvs sarma]

i had a look at blueroom..the junebug and dragonfly look interesting..is it worth buyin both those??and will i get all the cables and stuff when i buy them??and wht about the programmin software and related datasheets?

I do have a JUNEBUG and working fine.
you also try to see the assembly instructions manual in pdf form, and study.. then you may place the order.

 

[blueroomelectronics]

assuming i get the junebug..is tht better than the microchip PICkit2???which chip do i buy???or can i buy any PIC???and can i use the junbug wit my laptop??it has no serial ports

"better" is a subjective term, the Microchip PICkit2 has 3.3V support plus the built in EEPROMs used for field programming.
The Junebug kit used a SE version (my name for Student Edition) where the internal EEPROMs and the adjustable 2.5V to 5V VDD generator and clamp logic have been removed. I designed the Junebug as a USB based portable PIC learning platform with an advanced 18F1320 (high end 8bit PIC) tutor built in (you can switch it off and use the ICD connector for your own PIC projects)
It's also designed as a kit with all through hole parts for easy assembly. It gets its power via the USB port your computer or laptop. It's also MPLAB compatible (PICkit2) and supports the PICkit2 software and tools.

 

[3v0]

You do not have to assembler the PICkit2.
You get to assemble the Junebug. It does not use SMD and is easy to repair or modify.

Both have their advantages. I use Junebugs in my classroom and they work very well.

 

[Salgat]

Jaycar stock a few PICs and AVRs. The AVRs are probably closer to 68xx than the PICs but if you are going to use C then it makes no difference. If you are intending to use assembler then the PICs have far more internet support, especially here. Just read a few posts here and you will soon see that the PIC users outnumber the AVR users about 50-1. There are of course other BBs that support AVRs.

Mike.

www.avrfreaks.net

An entire site devoted to AVRs. I get all my questions answered quite fast there since it is very active (more active than this forum).



http://salgat.googlepages.com/simulation.JPG

Here is a sample of the mnemonics used and the IDE Programmer/Simulator (all free). Heck, if you really want you can **broken link removed** AVR Studio right now and start programming and simulating a microcontroller all on your computer.

 

[blueroomelectronics]

https://www.avrfreaks.netHere is a sample of the mnemonics used and the IDE Programmer/Simulator (all free). Heck, if you really want you can **broken link removed** AVR Studio right now and start programming and simulating a microcontroller all on your computer.

Ditto for MPLAB, same thing. You can download it free from https://www.microchip.com