Looking for Microcontroller Recommendations
in [Design]
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From: Nobody on 16 Jan 2010 03:56 On Fri, 15 Jan 2010 13:12:39 +0000, Jan Panteltje wrote: > I dunno, the ARM netbooks had a lot of trouble few month ago running some > applications (in Linux), I think some applications still use extensive asm, > a simple example present on all those netbooks is the mpeg2 / H264 / > mpeg4 ... long list... drivers. That would all have to be re-written for > 'RISC' architecture is asm, and as you probably know x86 has many many > special instructions specifically for multimedia, If you need raw processing power, the x86 is likely to win. I'd expect it to, given that it's one or two orders of magnitude more expensive. An ARM-based system which deals with TV-resolution (or better) video would typically use a dedicated decoder. I certainly wouldn't try to do 1080p h.264 decoding with an ARM; a 3GHz P4 can barely handle it. OTOH, QVGA-resolution XviD (i.e. watching YouTube on a mobile phone) isn't a problem. For embedded applications, not only is an x86 and a software decoder a ridiculously expensive solution, you'd be lucky to finish a 25-minute episode before the battery is flat. Very few Linux applications use assembler. A handful of libraries use assembler where available, invariably with a C fallback. Even the kernel is only around 3.5% assembler.
From: RogerN on 16 Jan 2010 04:38 Thanks for all the fantastic recommendations! It seems like for many of the microcontrollers it doesn't cost much to get going at a hobby level. I ordered a PIC18 something starter kit that comes with a PICkit2 programmer/debugger and I ordered a PICkit3 Debug Express. I also have an Atmel STK500 starter kit that I bought around 10 years ago and have hardly used. I downloaded Arduino software and GNU C compiler for the AVRs. I plan to look into the other stuff that I'm not familiar with but sounds interesting, such as the Texas Instruments, Silabs, Arm, etc. At work some of our electricians hacked into alarm clocks to automatically start their car a few minutes before the end of their shift. They have the Bulldog security remote starter and said it has an input you can use to start your car, where we work is too far from the parking lot to use the remote. That would be a nice microcontroller project, use a temperature sensor and RTCC, if it's freezing out, start the car so many minutes before the end of shift, the colder it is, the more warm up time is allowed. I'm wanting to make some intelligent I/O and operator interface products that would be compatible with the Basic Stamp but would have a ICSP plug and perhaps a bootloader so these could be reprogrammed for anything else the end user wanted. Of course the products being compatible with the Basic Stamp would work with other microcontrollers and could even be controlled from a PC. Thanks again! RogerN
From: Nico Coesel on 16 Jan 2010 06:35 "RogerN" <regor(a)midwest.net> wrote: >Thanks for all the fantastic recommendations! It seems like for many of the >microcontrollers it doesn't cost much to get going at a hobby level. I >ordered a PIC18 something starter kit that comes with a PICkit2 >programmer/debugger and I ordered a PICkit3 Debug Express. But be advised: as soon as you think 'I need 2 PICs for this project' it is time to dump the PIC and learn to use a completely different microcontroller. For more complicated projects using a PIC is like eating soup with chopsticks. PIC gets you started real fast but it also runs out of air real fast. -- Failure does not prove something is impossible, failure simply indicates you are not using the right tools... nico(a)nctdevpuntnl (punt=.) --------------------------------------------------------------
From: Jan Panteltje on 16 Jan 2010 08:26 On a sunny day (Sat, 16 Jan 2010 08:35:19 +0000) it happened Nobody <nobody(a)nowhere.com> wrote in <pan.2010.01.16.08.35.18.250000(a)nowhere.com>: >On Thu, 14 Jan 2010 23:38:45 +0000, Jan Panteltje wrote: > >> I bought a book on ARM in the eighties? I was also the future then ;-) >> But somehow x86 grabbed it. > >I'm fairly sure that there are more ARMs in use than x86's. Practically >evey mobile phone has one, the Nintendo DS has two, iPods have one or two, >and they're also common in other high-end embedded systems (e.g. GPS >navigation) and in low-end computer networking devices (routers, NAS, >etc). > >The x86 probably wins in terms of total revenue, though. I dunno my Linksys router run a Broadcom MIPS. No idea what is in my cellphones. I counted more then 20 micros in this room alone, let's see: 1 PC x86 2 notebook: Intel x86 3 CB transceiver Hitachi 4,5 SWR box: 2 x PIC 6 Digital camera Canon : no idea 7 Digital camera Mustek: no idea 8,9 2 x webcam Logitech: no Idea, could even be ASICs. 10 Soldering iron: I think PIC, but not sure 11 IP camera: x86 clone 12 WAP: Broadcom MIPS. 13 PC keyboard: some micro, the old PC one had a 8051, could be anything 14 LED light controller PIC 15 Temp controller: 8052AH 16 temperature sensor PIC 17 DLS modem, no idea 18 Seagate external harddisk, no idea 19, 20 2x DVB-T settop box, forgotten what processor no idea There is one ARM processor in the SkyStar 1 sat TV PCI card, but that cars is no operational anymore. And a box full of various PICs... I am sure I forgot some. 21 Oh, mouse: no idea, no ARM, likely PIC 22 DVD player, could be a processor or some ASIC, dunno The list goes on, so, ARM rules? I think not. It is amazing how many processors are around us these days though. Oops, I forgot the cellphones, now that could be ARM. That makes 26 then. Oops, forgot the LCD monitor, 27 and the beat goes on... Portable CD player 28 Portable mp3 player 29 Lightning detector 30! I made 30, but still counting. How many do you have in the room you are in? Let's have a contest, no cheating, not moving to the lab or so :-)
From: Jan Panteltje on 16 Jan 2010 08:38
On a sunny day (Fri, 15 Jan 2010 23:56:57 GMT) it happened nico(a)puntnl.niks (Nico Coesel) wrote in <4b50f822.524548343(a)news.planet.nl>: >Jan Panteltje <pNaonStpealmtje(a)yahoo.com> wrote: > >>On a sunny day (Fri, 15 Jan 2010 21:14:55 GMT) it happened nico(a)puntnl.niks >>(Nico Coesel) wrote in <4b50d744.516134265(a)news.planet.nl>: >> >>>That's where you're wrong. The ARM system-on-chips all have mpeg >>>accellerators. Just look closely to your CPU usage while playing an >>>mpeg movie. I have a pretty fast Intel based PC but it can't decode a >>>1080p movie. I need a video card with a mpeg accellerator to play such >>>movies. >> >>So, even if they do, the trend is indeed towards integrating the graphics controller with the CPU, >>either in the same housing or on the same silicon. >>The latest Intel Atoms do this, and AMD knows about it too. >>Why then would you release a netbook where none of the current x86 software binaries run? > >This sounds a bit strange from a Linux user. Ever installed Debian on >an SGI Indy? Its the same as installing it on a PC. Thats the beauty >of Linux. It just runs on almost anything. Netbooks included. I have Linux on a Broadcom MIPS, cross compiled from the PC. It will *not* run LTSPice in Wine see? And you have to re-compile *every* application. >>Everything needs to be recompiled, and all codecs have to be re-written. > >Nope. That work is already done. You should get your facts right >before commenting. I'm using Linux almost daily a non x86 embedded >platform so I do have some real experience in that field. So do I, but this was about netbooks, not about some system you have the sources for. Let's face it ARM sucks :-) ix86 is soooooooooooooooo much better :-) >A x86 platform is still very inefficient. We looked into the Intel >Atom and a Cortex A8 devices for a new embedded platform. The Atom >just isn't suitable for real low power and small size due to the >chipset. Also the price versus performance isn't that good compared to >Cortex. Together with the commonly found hardware openGL and hardware >video codecs (not included in the Atom!) a Cortex device has some >serious muscle. I am sure there is some nice for an ARM here or there, 'embedded' takes a whole different meaning these days. If it needs a user interface why not buy an netbook and simply stick your I/O extension in a USB port. That gives you WiFi, Ethernet, serial via adaptor, display, keyboard, of the shelf, in 10 minutes to speed to a PC shop. then you only need to design the USB I/O box. This is what I do, and so much less worry. X86 not efficient? You must be joking, the new netbooks run 8 hours on a battery charge. Na x86 is the future, it has proven itself, after all we all want to run LTSpice on the Linux cellphone in Wine. hehe >-- >Failure does not prove something is impossible, failure simply >indicates you are not using the right tools... You should have use a x86! |