Getting into micros, need a chip to start

[originator]

Hello all.

I am looking to convert a logic system into a micro based board. From what I have learned about the process, I'd like to use C and write some code on Xcode (OS X), then test it with a USB connection to make some leds turn on and off. I am looking to find a simple chip to start on, maybe 12-15 inputs, 10 outs or so. I have someone to help me get going with the language to get my feet wet, but will likely do some consulting to speed up the curve. If you've used a specific chip and have a part number you like that would be great,

I have a PC also, so that is a second choice for interfacing and writing the program.

Functiionally, it needs to see 5 volt inputs from a number of sources and respond with various outputs based on the code. I have heard this should be easy to implement, especially since there is a working logic based board to emulate.

Thanks


Todd Chapman

 

[itsmoked]

You have about four choices.
Get a microchip development board.
Get an Atmel development board.
Get a Zilog development board.

Or much easier get a PICSTAMP and do this all with Basic or some other higher language.

Oh and totally ditch that Mac as I cannot imagine a single C compiler or Integrated Development Environment that runs on a Mac.

Engineers use PCs, artists use Macs.

Keith Cress
Flamin Systems, Inc.-

http://www.flaminsystems.com

 

[originator]

Hello again itsmoked

I am reading through all the lit you mentioned before about parallax. Just digging into it, the picstamp looks like the way to go. I am really looking forward to figuring it out.

 

[itsmoked]

Here are several you may want to look at.

http://www.micromint.com/products/bolt.htm

http://cubloc.com/product/01_01cb220.php

http://jstamp.systronix.com/jstamp_photos.htm

http://www.bagotronix.com/dosstamp.html

and of course:

http://www.parallax.com/html_pages/products/basicstamps/basic_stamps.asp

These will give you instant gratification compared to slogging thru C and the tools required to develop with it.


Keith Cress
Flamin Systems, Inc.-

http://www.flaminsystems.com

 

[originator]

I ordered some Parallax parts, the 32 i/o BS2P40 and the demo board. Should be fun to get into it. The PBasic doesn't seem too intimidating. They have their software for both PC and Mac so I can use either one.


Thanks for the tips!

 

[ScottyUK]

If you really want to get involved with the hardware, some of the old 8-bit microprocessors without any integrated support IC's are worth playing with:

i) Thy're muck cheap, so you can blow 'em up a couple of times and not feel guilty.
ii) They work in breadboard lash-ups.
iii) They make you do everything yourself, so you learn.

The 6809 or the 68008 would be work a look at. The 68008 is a nicer chip to program in assembler. The old Z80 is another possibility.


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I don't suffer from insanity. I enjoy it...

 

[VEBill]

The 6809 is found inside the Tandy Radio Shack Color Computers (CoCos). Dime a dozen these days (seriously, maybe $5 each). They even used to sell an Editor/Assembler cartridge for working at that level.

Not exactly up-to-date but very easy to work with and with a extremely gentle learning curve.

 

[ScottyUK]

If you decide to have a ply with the 6809, an excellent book is "Programming the 6809" by Rodnay Zaks and William Labiak. This was the first processor I learned on - the book made things much easier to understand. It is from 1982, so it might be a little hard to find these days.


----------------------------------

I don't suffer from insanity. I enjoy it...

 

[machmech]

hi ScottyUK

Not that hard to find, got it on Ebay $15.00

http://cgi.ebay.com/Programming-the...goryZ378QQssPageNameZWD1VQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Chuck

 

[originator]

Thanks for the suggestions on the 6809, I used to have one of those computers by Tandy back in the day. I have already ordered some Parallax parts and spent a lot of time reseraching that route, so for now I'll have to see where that leads. So far, as a new guy, I am really liking the Parallax site. The ethernet connectivity is already worked out really nicely with their systems as well. Buying OEM parts to embed their stamp into my own system is under 20 bucks.

Thanks again fellows

 

[zeitghost]

Nobody makes 6809s any more (.

I would have thought that the Microchip PIC is the way to go.

Hideous architecture, but it does work.

And reasonably cheap.

Free tools (assembler) from the Microchip site.

 

[ScottyUK]

Man, I am getting old!


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I don't suffer from insanity. I enjoy it...

 

[zeitghost]

You and me both...

 

[zappedagain]

They have a CoCo emulator for Mame... Now where did I put those cassettes my programs are stored on?!?

 

[e2zn]

zeitghost-

I have worked with PIC micros and I find them pretty easy. But I have no experience with the other standard mfgs. Why do call the PIC architecture hideous? Is Atmel or another better?

e2zn

 

[itsmoked]

No they aren't any better(or worse). But they are no longer straight forward like a Z80 or a 6802 etc.

Keith Cress
Flamin Systems, Inc.-

http://www.flaminsystems.com

 

[MikeHalloran]

I thought the 8080 architecture was actually elegant. If you list the mnemonics and corresponding binary codes in octal and sort them, you see the bits are organized in a very regular way.

operand | operation | destination ... like that



Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

 

[richs]

Hiya-

I'm pretty darn sure that Zilog still ships a variant of
it's old Z80 CPUs.

For fun a couple of years ago, I wanted to use the newer
memory chips with a Z80 (I actually wanted a 6502, but I
couldn't find any at the time. 6502's are no longer made,
just some FPGA cores I think).

Anyway, I was between jobs at the time and it was in the
summer. So I took a hand wrap tool, my little board and
sockets and went off to Carl's Jr. to wire wrap my board
right there at the nice air conditioned bench, sipping
at my free refills iced tea.

Since I work in SillyCone Valley, there were several other
customers that came over and struck up conversations with
me. Usually older guys who used to wire wrap themselves.
Many of them were quite suprised that one could still even
get Z80s, even more so when they heard that you can still
get the 40 pin DIP versions.

There are some BIG EPROMs and static RAMs available these
days. Nice.

Cheers,

Rich S.

 

[itsmoked]

I really loved the Z80. The nice instruction set, the clarity. That thing kicked the 8085s butt in every respect. Now Pintiums are based on 8085s... go figger.

That the Jack in the Box on El Camino Real?

"A"

http://www.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=e...66,-121.990128&spn=0.180356,0.293198&t=h&om=1

Keith Cress
Flamin Systems, Inc.-

http://www.flaminsystems.com

 

[MikeHalloran]

An 8085 is an 8080 with two extra instructions and a different bus. The Z80 used a couple of unused 8080 opcodes as lead-ins to a set of additional instructions that were logical extensions to what an 8080 could do, but the binaries didn't appear real well organized.

That was at one time important to me because I was trying to make a V30 run Z80 code. It would have been easy if the V30 had a 'bad opcode' trap. (A V30 is an 8086 with a couple of extra instructions that turn it into an 8080, and back again.)

That led to an exploration of 8086 opcodes, which appeared to have been assigned pretty much at random. In that sense, the Pentium descends more from the Z80 than it does from the 8085.



Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA