A twist on pic chips with significantly lower startup effort; check out
picaxe (www.pixaxe.com). It is one of a number of pic chip types with a
simple basic interpreter on it that can do A/D and RS232. You program it
via some free PC software and a serial lead. It can be reused multiple
times and most have on board ocsilators etc. so all you need is one chip
in many cases.
I have built loads of stuff from them.

Steve

Chris Hornberger wrote:

I'm looking to build a simple analog to digital circuit as a pet project
thing, to help me get back in to electronics. I tinkered quite a bit as a
kid, but I'm rusty. Very rusty.

Here's what I'm looking to do... measure the voltage/resistance on a sensor
as it approaches ground, then turn that value into some digitally
transmitted value.

The example would be, say, the temperature sensor on the average automotive
engine, and pump that value at an RS232 line. I'm a programmer and can
handle the software side of things on the computer or data acquisition
device (probably in Java). I guess I'm just looking for a little guidance on
the converter/hardware side.

Any place in particular I should look, and/or could someone lend a hand?

Thanks.