suggestions on where to start?

Your question is pretty vague...... to put it nicely!

An embedded system is anything with a Microprocessor that isn't a PC, and are usually under 1 GHz.

What are you trying to do with an embedded system?

Eric

Hi Eric,

Sorry I didn't give more details! I would like to create a very, very, very small system which still maintains reasonable speed, and do it at as low a cost as possible. Think a system that would be powerful enough to load linux and run an application not unlike zsnes, be able to read and write data from flash memory, receive input from a keyboard and have a video out. My main goal is to avoid using a hard drive of any sort - that adds in a lot of energy consumption, slows things down, and adds cost. Am I even being realistic here?

Thanks,

Matt

very,

at

able

keyboard

down,

You might want to have a look at

Very ambitious if you are new to embedded systems. You'd be better off starting with something simple like a small PIC or AVR system. I've got some examples on my web site.

Leon

It appears that you are describing something close to a general purpose computer system.

An "embedded system" is, to me, a microcontroller or microcomputer systems hidden inside some other equipment, so that the user of that equipment is not really aware of the computer. For example, modern cars have many embedded systems (engine control computers, anti-skid braking systems, etc...) hidden within them.

I don't think a system that "can load linux and run an application" describes an embedded system - but it might be a "dedicated computer system" (I don't know what "zsnes" is).

Maybe I could post snarky and otherwise useless messages on usenet, then sit back and enjoy my smug sense of self-worth?

And for extra credit,

Computer Science is to Embedded Systems as :

A) Burger flipping is to liberal arts.

B) Waiting tables is to English.

C) Landscaping is to PolySci.

D) Unemployment is to History.

E) All of the above.

F) I want to kill myself.

How 'bout

-Ben

Circuit Cellar magazine Philips arm7 lpc2xxx design contest

The board they are giving away is a keil mcb2130 without jtag debugger

Nice board(worth US$150) or chips local distributor sells the keil board for Aus$272

compilers

commerical limited editions

IAR Kickstart edition has a limit of 32KB

Imagecraft

Cross works (gcc + ide)

free compilers

plain gnu arm

or gnu arm

gnu arm + eclipse

I prefer the keil ide + gcc or gcc + eclipse ide

For programming

The serial programmer from Philips is easy to use and works well over rs232

the lpc213x chips have a serial bootloader

links for datasheets

Yes, if you've a bit of Windows or better DOS experience. Get Ecos (free) and the book about it (some tens of dollars). Use an old PC as a development platform, and enjoy yourself.

Paul Burke

Hi Ben,

Thanks for this link, it's actually really neat. After reading over the nice (and not-so-nice) comments on this thread, I've realized I may be barking up the wrong tree, and am instead going to break out my old circuit design books. Assuming I can find them. It's been, oh, eight years since I last did anything like that. Thanks, though, for the cool link.

--Matt

IIRC. There's a free version as well.

ZNES is a super nintendo emulator. If the OP wants to make a portable SNES, he's better off buying a GBA and saving the time. As cool as it would be to build your own, you've goto to consider the time plus the costs of bandwidth from being slahsdotted if it works.