Atmel

Hello,

I've done some PIC development before, with the PIC16F690, PIC18F4321, etc. and I'm thinking about trying out the Atmel processors since I've heard they have a flat memory space (no banks), a software stack, and other things I am interested in. What would be a good entry level atmel microprocessor to experiment with (maybe having features like USART, SPI, USB, external data/program memory) and what kind of programmer is available? This would all be for hobby stuff, so I'm looking for the equivalent to the PICKit 2 system and the mplabide stuff. If the development and programmer software worked reliably under linux, I'd be very happy as well.

I know gcc has an avr backend and somewhere there is available an avr-libc. While I'll probably write in assembly for a while to learn the processor, I'd eventually move over to C if I feel I know the instruction set well enough.

Any advice on where to get started? Can I get free samples of atmel processors as easily as the PIC processors?

Thanks.

-pete

Reply to
Peter Keller
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I'd get a member of the ATmega series. The Tiny series is ... tiny. ATmega168 would do. STK500 was best eval board, maybe new ones. Go to

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for best info around

Get the free WINAVR package which consists of an easy install version of GCC.

Reply to
RumpelStiltSkin

Well you don't need any hardware at all to start with as the free AVRStudio has a good simulator.

When you come to get hardware the STK500 is a good, low cost board. All the software tools can be free.

See

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for a little more info.

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Richard.
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Reply to
FreeRTOS.org

There are also plenty of third party development boards that are even cheaper:

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Grant Edwards                   grante             Yow! if it GLISTENS,
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Reply to
Grant Edwards

It is good to know there is a good simulator, but I'll probably start with the blinking LED on a real piece of hardware to get the development pipeline down.

How about something like the AVRISP mkII In-System Programmer? I'm looking for a USB programmer solution and that seems to be able to program many of the ATmega* series. Does it work under linux as well? I'm not so much in the need for an IDE. I'm perfectly happy with vim, make, gcc, and some command line tools for programming the device.

Though, I did find that there is no DIP package for any Atmel MCU that speaks USB. Am I mistaken?

Thank you.

-pete

Reply to
Peter Keller

Yes. As does the USB JTAGICE-mkII. If you've got a "real" parallel port, you can make a programming cable for the price of a DB25 connector.

Check out the avrdude web site for info on programming parts under Linux:

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Then avrdude is the command line tool for programming the device.

Dunno. I wouldn't be surprised. Most vendors stopped selling DIP packages ages ago.

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Grant Edwards                   grante             Yow! I don't know WHY I
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Reply to
Grant Edwards

The STK500 eval board has a built in ISP programmer. You can single step in WinAVR too, though not a true emulator like mkII.

Reply to
RumpelStiltSkin

16bit PICs have those things, familiar peripherals and tools. Downside is a slightly crippled C compiler for free.
Reply to
nospam

Sparkfun has a bunch of AVR dev boards (mostly as resellers of boards from Olimex). Follow the "development tools" link. Imagecraft carries several of the other popular AVR boards, including their own starter kit + compiler.

WRT compilers, the WinAVR port of gcc is linked from AVR Freaks. In the commercial realm I'm fond of Imagecraft (I also have their ARM and MSP430 compilers) but there are other options. Look at the tools section at AVR Freaks for links.

You'll probably also want an in-system programmer (not entirely necessary, as some of the dev boards will use serial bootloaders, but recommended). The genuine Atmel USB ISP is pretty inexpensive (see Digikey and many other places). It wouldn't hurt to get the STK500 (which can also be used as a dev platform) which can perform in-system programming (PC needs a serial interface) or it's younger brother STK600 (USB interface). Both can do parallel programming of the devices, which can recover a chip if you've accidentally set the fuses in such a way as to prevent the normal serial programming.

One thing to watch out for while you're getting started. Many AVRs have on-board RC oscillators. For those that do, most (all?) come from the factory with their fuses set to use the RC oscillator and NOT an external clock/crystal. If you don't realize this and attempt to program them with too high a programming CLK (> 1/8 the chip's master clock) it may appear that the chip is dead. It isn't; just slow down the ISP a little bit.

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Rich Webb     Norfolk, VA
Reply to
Rich Webb

You can bit-bang (low speed, 1.5 Mbps) USB in software on chips that are available in DIP

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But you probably don't want to. Learning to solder flat-packs is probably easier than doing anything major with software USB, although you will need a circuit board instead of wire-wrap or whatever your favorite construction technique is.

For $30 you can get a small AVR board with USB, buttons and blinkers

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?name=AT90USBKEY-ND

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David M. Palmer  dmpalmer@email.com (formerly @clark.net, @ematic.com)
Reply to
David M. Palmer

I'd like to thank all of you for this wonderful information. I appreciate it very much.

-pete

Reply to
Peter Keller

Don't forget to look at the Renesas R8C series chips. They have all the features you are interested in, and best free development tools out there. The HEW IDE can be downloaded from the website, and offers GNU (unlimited) or Renesas Compiler (free up to 64k). Debug is done via a one wire connection. They are code compatible with the Renesas M16C chips that have large 1MB memory maps.

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Reply to
vinnie

What is their CPU core based on, or similar to? Thanks.

Reply to
linnix

Looks like its their own design:

Page 15 of:

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donald

Reply to
donald

If you can evaluate a CPU by its instruction set:

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donald

Reply to
donald

What Atmel? There is no more such company.

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Vladimir Vassilevsky DSP and Mixed Signal Design Consultant

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Reply to
Vladimir Vassilevsky

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Microchip proposes an acquisition, and Atmel ceases to exist regardless of whether there's a deal or not?

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Grant Edwards                   grante             Yow! Is this going to
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Reply to
Grant Edwards

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I thought you were being facetious until I read that link.

That's very interesting. There seemed to be such a rivalry between the adherents the respective architectures, I wonder how they are all going to take it.

I guess it is bank switching forever then for me. :)

-pete

Reply to
Peter Keller

Seems a strange move for Microchip. Maybe they are simply cashed up, and see a fire-sale price in an industry they know ?

On-Semi did just buy AMIS, but Microchip have always been more of a loner.

Is the MIPS32 not getting the traction they hoped, so they need a side-door to ARM, Cortex, or even AVR32 ? Automotive AVR's ?

The ATxmega is an interesting family, tho not yet in small packages.

No mention is made of Atmel's CPLDs ? ( or of Atmel's R&D efforts...)

- The omission of Atmel Roadmaps, suggests this is a cynical harvesting effort ?

-jg

Reply to
Jim Granville

Microchip has a much higher price to sale ratio vs. Atmel. They can lower their P/S with this deal, even if they pay a premium. Atmel is a dog with their money losing fabs and many businesses.

It will probably be in the RF/ASIC group, to be sold to a third company. Microchip and On-Semi do not want the RF/ASIC stuffs. Atmel should have spinned off these earlier and concentrates on the AVR.

One thing I would like Microchip to do is to bring on ROM AVRs. ROM PICs are available for many years. Atmel does not understand the uC business.

Reply to
linnix

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