RE: A Few Microcontroller Choices for A New Coder

gervasi — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 21:36:59 GMT

I am doing a project with the Parallax Propeller chip. It's a processor with eight cogs that can do stuff in parallel, kind of like an FPGA. You code in the Spin language, which is mostly sequential but allow you to start processes running in parallel on separate cogs. The main advantge of all this is you don't have to keep track of intrupts and task switching. I'm undecided as to whether this makes for a good processors.

RE: A Few Microcontroller Choices for A New Coder

DAB — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 19:30:11 GMT

Hi Dave,

I concur with your assessment. When I got pack into playing with microcontrollers, I picked up a PIC, and Arduino and the TI MSP430.

If you are a beginner, any of these will get you started. All have a ton of open source support and easy to use tools.

Having worked with microprocessors for over 40 years, my best suggestion is to choose one and learn it inside and out.

Once you are fluent in one, you can pick up any of the others as you find them a better fit for your project. Each product line has strengths and weaknesses, but unless you are looking at building a really complex system, any of them will meet your needs.

If you are new to electronics and programming, it will take you a while before your skills outgrow the controller you selected. By that time there will be a whole new line of faster and more versatile products to choose from.

I have worked on many state of the art projects and can honestly say that the processor seldom limited the application. As you get experience, you will learn a lot of practicle tricks that can compensate for a MCU limitation.

The best cost/performance comes with the TI MSP430 (go see my blogs in the MSP430 group). Being 16bits, it has a lot of advanced built in capability that should keep you modding for many years, but you can also use the Arduino or PIC line, you just might have to advance to some of their more expensive products.

So select one and get started. You will soon find yourself empowered to build just about anything.

Just my opinion,

DAB