Actions
Forum Thread Details
  • Replies 29 replies
  • Subscribers 502 subscribers
  • Views 1402 views
  • Users 0 members are here
Related

Question of the Month: What’s the most frustrating part of working with modern micro-controllers?

cstanton

Micro-controllers are at the core of most embedded systems, but working with them isn’t always smooth. From confusing datasheets to fragmented tool-chains, even experienced engineers can hit roadblocks. This month, we want to know:

Bonus question:

What micro-controllers are you currently using? (and why that one?)

  • As a hobbyist, my microcontroller of choice for 75% of my projects in the last few years has been the ESP32S3.  It is a good compromise of functionality, cost, power, and it is widely available on low cost development boards.  It is also supported by multiple development chains (ESP-IDF, Arduino IDE, Platform IO)  and has good documentation.  My favorite dev board implementation is the Seeed Xiao which has a small footprint and castellated pins which allows integration on other PCBs.  The biggest constraint of the Xiao has been the number of available IO pins but it solves most of my project needs (WiFi/BLE, I2C, UART, SPI, PWM) and it is also available in other MCU variations.

  • I normally use Arduino Nanos, I bought dozens of clones years ago for just over a 1$ each. Different Arduino models get used tho based on needed functionality. I graduated a bit to Raspberry Pi Picos as PWM is alot faster and crazy easy to use, and OLED displays have more capabilities using Picos. 

    Arduinos are usually my starting point - the IDE has very reliable example codes available. This example code allows me to test hardware immediately, and is a starting place to cut and paste code snippets.    

  • Using VS code with Arduino extension has ruined the idea of using IDE to build applications. I hate installing a new IDE which is just another port of eclipse IDE and comes bloated with BSP of some MCU that I don't need at all. 

  • I stick to the Arduino and Raspberry Pi - primarily for the community support.  I've dabbled a little bit with the STM32 Nucleos.  I just don't enjoy having to learn a new ecosystem as much as I used to.

  • If it's not supported by PlatformIO or not even a plugin into VSCode, there's a 99% chance that I won't consider it.
    I'm so used to VSCode for so many personal and professional projects that I'm not willing to learn yet another IDE where some very basic features might even be missing from it.

  • I'm probably just getting old, but like with a lot of modern technology, the built-in obsolescence factor.

    You spend a considerable amount of time digesting huge data sheets and getting comfortable with development tools only to find that tomorrow you have to start all over again and often for no real benefit either.

  • By far, I think proprietary IDEs and toolchains are the biggest bug bear.  But also, configuration complexity and poor documentation - within that, I count lack of or irrelevant/overly simplistic examples.  I've mostly used Arduino's but the actual last MCU I used was a PIC.

  • in reply to beacon_dave

    Hear Ye Hear Ye Ole IDE.  Next year is the major anniversary of my 1st and only official software programming class.........in Fortran 4 - WatFor. I must be getting old too   :-)  

  • 90 percent Nano with Uno and Mega picking up the final 10.

  • My pet peeve is the long load time of the Arduino IDE.

    Another issue I often have is that MCUs and peripherals are not usually tolerant of both 5V and 3.3V

    Is it my imagination or is TI moving away from low-cost dev kits?