In on Thu, 26 Feb 2009
20:53:32 GMT, in alt.electronics, 'PCPaul' wrote:

OB-Sci2: What's the current state of the single chip u-proc game? Low
cost devices, as self contained as possible, PC design tools would be
nice (compilers/assemblers/simulators). No particular target, some sort
of EEProm, reasonable chunk of en-chip RAM, any sort of IO. RISC or CISC
instruction set, not fussed. Something to play with. Preferably neither
a PIC nor a 'basic stamp'..

The Arduino family seems to be gaining ground as playthings - based on
the Atmega uControllers.

There's a whole IDE, libraries etc for the asking, and a kit can be had
for £15 or so from the US via EBay.


Hey, thanks for that, a slightly more focused search on the subject has
brought back loads of interesting sample projects.

Loads to read about and scheme over. I haven't yet managed to find a write
up on straight ASM programming, all they seem to push is some sort of
compiled magicery. Also, shame it's so tiny on the RAM / eeprom front in
these days of gigabytes for tenners. For the price it's a marvelous
shortcut, including additional bells/whistles over what I'd consider
standard for a single chip proc. Just, like I say, puzzlement that it
doesn't seem to have caught up with what should be possible in this
decade.

Thanks again

PS: I completely missed this msg initially because the 'clever' crosspost
checking on this client decided I must have read it already.

Dave J.