Which Microcontroller for Job Opportunities?

I'm an experienced software developer (Assembler, C, Java, ...) and systems programmer with a basic electronics and ham radio background, interested in getting into embedded systems development in Northern California as a contractor.

I love playing around with this stuff! :) Which architecture would likely present me with the most employment opportunities? PIC? 8251? Basic Stamp? TINI? ???

Advice is appreciated, Thanks.

Reply to
linx4prs
Loading thread data ...

This depends very heavily on the projects in which you might be involved. That said, I've been involved for the past five years with some of the more "heavy duty" chips such as the Power PC's and Coldfires.

--
========================================================================
          Michael Kesti            |  "And like, one and one don't make
 Click to see the full signature
Reply to
Michael R. Kesti

It would be a good idea to be able to use virtually anything. In my previous job I used Atmel AVRs, PICs and ADSP-21xx. Since then I've also used MSP430, PSOC and Blackfin.

Leon

--
Leon Heller, G1HSM
leon_heller@hotmail.com
 Click to see the full signature
Reply to
Leon Heller

Thanks, Michael. Since I'm a freelance software contractor beginning on the embedded microcontroller path, I'm interested to know which of these areas might present me with the most opportunity initially.

Phil

Reply to
linx4prs

Hi,

you can check PIC, MSP430 and AVR which will cover most of the embedded applications you will have to do

PIC is very robust and reliable microcontroller, we use it were needs to operate in high noise, and where high reliability is need. Also this is one of the most popular 8 bit microcontrollers, so it's much possible your employeer to require PIC programing skils.

AVR is much faster than PIC so we use AVRs where speed is must.

MSP430 have no alternative in battery powered applications

Hope this helps!

Tsvetan

--
PCB prototypes for $26 at http://run.to/pcb(http://www.olimex.com/pcb)
Development boards for PIC, AVR and MSP430 
 Click to see the full signature
Reply to
Tsvetan Usunov

I'd recommend looking at the ARM architecture. This is licensed by around 100 semiconductor manufacturers, each putting their choice of peripherals around the processor core.

The instruction set is orthogonal and pleasant to use, and has maintained backwards-compatibility such that application code written for earlier generations of the architecture runs on the newest chips - whoever is making the silicon.

ARM-powered chips can be found in most of the world's cellular phones, GameBoy Advance, Printers, Hard Disk Drives, Digital Cameras, Pagers, etc etc etc.

Licensees of the ARM architecture include Intel, Sharp, Philips, Sony, Samsung, LG, Oki, Motorola, and many other "big guns" in the semiconductor industry.

Reply to
CodeSprite

Thanks Tsvetan,

It sounds like the PIC is a good place to begin; it seems to be a sort of "base skill" that everyone expects and there is so much free public software and support for it on line. It looks like I can begin there easily and then branch out to other processors.

MPLAB is free and I can either spend $99 for the Warp-13 programmer that everyone seems to prefer, or maybe just put together a simple rs232 serial port programmer .

Thanks again,

Phil

Reply to
linx4prs

ElectronDepot website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.