Micro-controller headstart

[munisgtm]

I'm really interested in micro-controllers , it would be great if any of you can give me suggestions for a buying related books which would teach me from very basics or provide some links/websites.

Thanks in advance

 

[PottedMeat]

Buy a demo board and have a few ideas that you want to implement. Like figure out how to flash a LED, then do the Knight Rider thing, then write text on an LCD, etc. Download manufacturer datasheets and read them. Should cost less than a college textbook on microcontrollers and the compiler should be free from the mcu manufacturer. I would start out by learning the instruction set and writing some assembler code. That would be good for knowing what the machine is doing, then moving on to C because it gets very tedious doing everything in asm.

The motorola 6812 class and lab I took in college was nearly completely worthless, the prof liked to lecture verbatim from his own book, by the time we bought the book there was a ~100+ page book of corrections. Sure you may not have the same experience but it's better when you have the hardware/software at hand and can work though it when you want.

Starter MCUs include: Atmel AVRs/Microchip PICs/Motorola 68XX/Zilog Z80s - starter boards are cheap ( less than $100 ).

Or just jump into ARMs ( manufactured by many different companies with different peripherals )

 

[PsYcHoCoW]

I don't have any book to suggest, but I can talk about how I learned...

First, I did some C on the computer to get used to programming.

After that, we went down to microcontrollers with assembly language. We compiled existing software of limited complexity (LED flasher, for example) and analyzed the code. This made us look in datasheets and learn the instruction set for the microcontroller we used. We could then modify the code, or write code from scratch. Around at this time, I started understanding what parts on the demo board were necessary and what parts weren't ; I could reproduce the circuit on a breadboard for my applications (power supply, oscillator, programming pins). We then looked at timers, interrupts, serial communication. Then we moved to C (which was already familiar) and went on to DSP.


I don't know what's the best way to start using microcontrollers ; you'll need for sure a way to program the ICs (you can build one for Atmel easily/cheaply if you're into electronics already, or you can buy one for Microchip for about 200$ if I recall correctly) and a platform to use your code on. This could be on a breadboard (if you're already into electronics) or on a demoboard (if you have money to spend). If you're studying electronics at a school, they may be able to provide you with these tools.

I learned with the Microchip 16F87x microcontrollers, which I believe were very easy; I know there are a lot of tutorials on the internet for 16F84 also.



If you're not already into electronics, you may want to start by reading about resistive circuits, transistors, and logic ICs...



Hope this helps.

 

[Analog]

http://www.winpicprog.co.uk/pic_tutorial.htm

http://www.electro-tech-online.com/micro-controllers/

 

[Modelworks]

Start with the pic .
Its a great micro , I've used for years.
If you want to get some pic chips for free go to http://www.microchip.com and look for the free samples link.
They will mail you some free chips that otherwise might cost you 20.00 or so.

I recommend the 18f4580 and the 16f877a
The 16f877a is the one your most likely to find examples for.

Also come join us on the pic list.
Theres everyone from engineers to students to hobbyist.
http://www.piclist.org/techref/piclist/index.htm

You don't have to spend a lot to do pic programming.
Don't let the high cost of development boards scare you away.

You can start with just a few items.
breadboard
pic microchip
+5 vdc power supply
Max232 chip
Serial cable 9pin to 9pin
some capacitors 10uf@16vdc
resistors 1k, 10k
led -any color


If you get stuck or have any questions just send me a pm.

 

[Lord Banshee]

Personally i like Atmel MCUs the best due to all the free "good" software

here is an tutorial i found recently when buying some parts, i have not read it so not sure if it is any good. You let us know

http://www.sparkfun.com/commer...hp?p=BEE-1-PowerSupply

 

[munisgtm]

Awesome information just what i needed ! well i'm in electronics i have made a project on a bread-board and then made the same on vero-board(that was my Computer logic design course)and my next project is a power supply , but i still know nothing of assembly but i can easily do C programming . So much thanks for the information!

 

[munisgtm]

I'm getting confused , which micro-controller to use ??? i have heard that programmers are expensive , and what about those micro-controllers whose programmer's circuit can be easily made and then connected with COM port to start programming it ? can you guys tell me more about those ones ?

 

[Modelworks]

Programmers can be expensive, but they don't have to be .
With the Pic microcontroller you have the choice of basic, C, c++ and of course asm.
On the pic there is a way to install whats called a bootloader.
To do this you can use a programmer called a jdm. Sells for about 20.00 or you can make it yourself.
http://www.janson-soft.de/pic/pic.htm

the bootloader software , which is stored as a .hex file is then loaded onto the chip in the jdm programmer.
http://www.etc.ugal.ro/cchicul...ware/picbootloader.htm

i recommend the above one because its very small code and doesn't use up much space on the chip, leaving plenty of room for your program.

The bootloader software once on the chip will allow you to put the chip on your breadboard and then be able to reprogram it with only two wires without having to remove it ever again from the breadboard.

To do this you need to connect the serial port of your pc to a max232 chip, which converts the voltages from the pc into the proper voltage for the pic chip.
You then connect the rx and tx wires from the max232 to the pic .
When you run the bootloader program on your pc it will check for the presence of the pic chip and send the program you wrote to the pic.

You can do this about 10000 times before the pic won't hold the info anymore , so plenty of tries to get your code right.

If your looking for a free c compiler for pics then look here:
http://sdcc.sourceforge.net/

The one I use is:
http://www.ccsinfo.com/product...e&products_id=PCM_full
But its 125.00


Hope this helps !

 

[senseamp]

Class I took:
http://instruct1.cit.cornell.edu/courses/ee476/
Check out the final projects, some awesome stuff.

 

[munisgtm]

Don't wanting things really messed i'm going for the $20 programmer and thanks for the cool links