Difference between revisions of "Microcontrollers for Beginners"

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*It and its software is open source.
 
*It and its software is open source.
 
*There is a lot of library support for common tasks.
 
*There is a lot of library support for common tasks.
 +
*You do not even need a programmer, comes with a serial bootloader.
  
 
== Use Something Else ==
 
== Use Something Else ==

Revision as of 14:02, 27 September 2009

Assumptions

You:

  • Do not have a lot of money
  • Do not have a lot of electronics gear or experience.
  • Do not have a lot of programming experience.
  • Do want quick gratification.
  • Do not want to do really fancy stuff right off the bat.

Use the Arduino

Use the Arduino Because:

  • It is a development board
  • It is inexpensive.
  • There is a broad amount of activity on the web, and a lot aimed at non techincl users.
  • It and its software is open source.
  • There is a lot of library support for common tasks.
  • You do not even need a programmer, comes with a serial bootloader.

Use Something Else

If the assumptions do not apply to you, or you have some special requirements then:

At least use a development Board

You are ready to go at almost the cost of components, you can get a kit or prebuilt. Some of these are:


  • USB Bitwacker
  • PIC Kit 2 or cloen
  • Insert your favorite here.


Use a high level language

The best may be C this is written about the PIC but applies to other processers as well Use C for PIC Programming!

but almost any is better than assembler -- this is dispite what the hard core says.


Other

Google "Microcontrollers for Beginners" many of the references will not agree with the above. I have looked at a lot of them and am not convinced, maybe you will be.