[time-nuts] I want a good micro-controller

Didier Juges didier at cox.net
Fri Aug 15 02:51:34 UTC 2008


I am not sure what you mean about the 8051 being goofy to program in C. 

Aside from the bit variable type, the Special Function Register declarations
and the memory types (data, idata and xdata), which you only deal with one
time (when declaring variables) and which you can even ignore in many
applications (the compiler can take care of it, as long as you are not
pushing the limits of the chip's capabilities), the code itself is pure C.

The 8051 is considerably easier to program in C than in assembly, and there
are several very mature C compilers for the 8051. On the other hand, the ACR
being supported by gcc certainly gives it an edge in that area. I use SDCC
with the 8051, and it does a very good job. It is actively developped and
maintained as a sourceforge project.

I routinely compile and run my 8051 C code under gcc on the pc because it's
easier to have multiple test cases to make sure the functions do what I
think they do... All I need is a few declarations to resolve bit, data,
idata and xdata and bingo.

Didier KO4BB

> -----Original Message-----
> From: time-nuts-bounces at febo.com 
> [mailto:time-nuts-bounces at febo.com] On Behalf Of Robert Vassar
> Sent: Thursday, August 14, 2008 6:25 PM
> To: Discussion of precise time and frequency measurement
> Subject: Re: [time-nuts] I want a good micro-controller
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Good grief!  That's not a microcontroller!  :-)
> 
> 
> 
> I like the MCS-51 family, but they're kind of goofy to 
> program in C, and 8-bit.  Upside, lots of vendors & variants, 
> including the really nice SiLabs mixed signal chips made here 
> in Austin.  AVR is much nicer to code in C, and has great 
> tool support, but they're single source, and I have read that 
> Atmel is not always completely forthcoming in their errata.
> 
> 
> Arm... If you need something that can run Linux.... But why 
> not just go for a Soekris board at that point?  :-)
> 
> 
> Rob
> KC6OOM/5
> 
> 
> On Aug 13, 2008, at 7:06 PM, Bob Paddock wrote:
> 
> >> any ARM7 outperforms the best PIC in price and performance :)
> >
> > http://beagleboard.org/
> >
> > Get them from DigiKey, $149.
> >
> > http://dkc1.digikey.com/us/mkt/beagleboard.html
> >
> > "The USB-powered Beagle Board is a low-cost, fan-less single board
> >
> > computer utilizing Texas Instruments' OMAP3530 [ARM] application 
> > processor
> >
> > that unleashes laptop-like performance and
> >
> > expansion without the bulk, expense, or noise of typical desktop 
> > machines.
> >
> > Beagle Board is based on an OMAP3530 application processor 
> featuring 
> > an ARM(R) CortexT-A8 running at up to 600MHz and delivering 
> over 1,200 
> > Dhrystone MIPS of performance via superscalar operation with highly 
> > accurate branch prediction and 256KB of L2 cache.  Focal to Beagle 
> > Board experience is the high-speed USB 2.0 on-the-go (OTG) 
> port that 
> > can be utilized to provide power to the board or to deliver highly 
> > flexible expansion.  Standard PC peripherals can be connected to 
> > Beagle Board using the USB with a mini-A to standard-A 
> cable adapter, 
> > DVI-D using an HDMI to DVI-D adapter, or through the MMC/SD/SDIO 
> > connector enabling a complete desktop experience."
> >
> >
> > --
> > http://www.wearablesmartsensors.com/
> > http://www.softwaresafety.net/
> > http://www.designer-iii.com/
> > http://www.unusualresearch.com/
> >
> > _______________________________________________
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