Electronics > Microcontrollers

PIC ATMEL ARM IDE (Compiler+Editor+Programmer)...

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astra:
Hi,
i'm sorry if i'm asking something that's already has been answered..
I try to find with the search button in the forum but i could not find the answer..
So that's the question...
I’m an old EE but I’m new in the MicroController field… In this period I’ve try to learn some about the microcontroller because i like to build some project using Microcontrollers.
I’m not so sure which Brand to choose..
The parameters I need to respect are different...but in this moment the most important is the price because of the limited budget..  ::) So I try to understand what are the prices of the necessary tools  (IDE, Editor, Compiler, Programmer…) of the different Brand's solutions that are offered.
I try to understand something reading through the internet and i try to syntetize what I’ve understood:

PIC :

Editor         :   MPLab X IDE v2.05     
Price           : Free

Compiler     : MPLab XC 8 / 16 /32
Price 8 Bit Standard HPA WorkStation :  73,33 €
Price 8Bit  Standard WorkStation: 363,01 €
Price 16 Bit Standard WorkStation :  363,01 €
Price 32Bit limited :  0,00 €

Programmer : [url=http://www.microchipdirect.com/ProductSearch.aspx?Keywords=PG164130]http://www.microchipdirect.com/ProductSearch.aspx?Keywords=PG164130 [/url]
Price  : 32,96 €

ATMEL:

Editor : Atmel Studio 6.2 beta Installer
Price   : Free

Compiler : Atmel Studio 6.2 beta Installer
Price       : Free

Programmer : AVRISP mkII
Price  : 34 US$


ARM :

Editor : Eclipse ds5 community edition
Price : free

Compiler :    Eclipse ds5 community edition
Price : Free

Programmer : Ulink2
Price : 316,00€

I do not put in this list other manufacturer (as Texas Instruments..only to try to focus on the major competitor in the market) and I do not watch the Microcontroller products…

I like to have your opinion about the list above..have I right understood the situation..?
I’d like to choose the way and in order to make the right choice I’d like to understand what I’m buying..
For example is it true that PIC do not offer any free compiler for the 8bit and the 16bit Microcontroller..?
Only the 32Bit limited (in optimization) version is free..?
Thank you for the time you dedicate in helping me take the right choice..
Astra.

dannyf:
8-bit low cost options:

1) PIC: inexpensive but outdated chip, free but limited compilers, $50 programmer.
2) AVR: inexpensive chip, free and unlimited compiler (gcc-avr + code block), <$10 programmer.
3) STM8: inexpensive chip, free but limited compiler, hardware debugger.

16/32-bit chip:
1) PIC24: reasonably priced chip, free but limited compilers (C30/X16 + emBlocks), $50 programmer.
2) STM32: inexpensive chip, free and unlimited compiler (gcc-arm + CoIDE), $10 programmer / hardware debugger.
3) TI launchpad: inexpensive and somewhat quirky chip, free and unlimited compiler (gcc + eclipse), $10 - 20 programmer / hardware debugger.

8-bit chips are fairly easy to learn and are reasonably capable - I would pick the avr there. 32-bit chips have a much steeper learning curve / complexity and may not be for everyone - my pick there would be STM32 for its value.

westfw:
Microchip PIC has free "limited" versions of 8 and 16bit compilers as well as the 32bit.

The AVRISP programmer you mention does programming only, but not debugging.  (the PICKit3 and Ulink3 do both.)  There are AVRISP clones that are MUCH cheaper than the official Atmel version.

ARM doesn't sell chips, so you have to pick a vendor.  TI, NXP, ST, Freescale, and probably others, are all selling very inexpensive (< $20) evaluation boards that include debugging and programming.  The ULink is a very generic (and widely supported) but also very expensive tool for ARMs.

IMO, it would be foolish not to consider Arduino variants.  About $30 will get you AVR, ARM, or PIC32 versions with a fine compiler and bootloader, and a simple IDE, ready to plug into your choice of development system and start writing code.

This MOOC on embedded systems is going pretty well.  They're using a TI ARM board: https://courses.edx.org/courses/UTAustinX/UT.6.01x/1T2014/info

JoeN:
J-Link EDU is a very capable programmer for ARM if you are going to be doing non-commercial hobbyist projects:

http://www.segger.com/j-link-edu.html

http://www.digikey.com/product-search/en?lang=en&site=us&KeyWords=J-Link+EDU

It works well with both Atmel Studio (free and unlimited for Atmel ARM chips) and Keil (limited, but supports basically every ARM chip up to limits).

For about $70 all in you should be able to start working with ARM if you can convince Atmel to send you a few samples and make your own board.

Psi:

--- Quote from: astra on March 01, 2014, 11:29:55 pm ---The parameters I need to respect are different...but in this moment the most important is the price because of the limited budget..

--- End quote ---

Personally i recommend spending $30 on a proper AVR programmer..
But the absolute cheapest option doesn't even need that...

Find an old computer that has a printer port (LPT) and runs either windows 98, windows 2000 or windows XP.
(XP64/vista/win7/win8 are a bit more tricky because they don't let programs access the printer port directly, so an old PC is best)
Cost = free

Buy an ATtiny or ATmega MCU IC in DIP package - Cost $3

Buy a breadboard - Cost $5
(You could also use veroboard/DIP sockets etc.. but breadboard is easier to play with and change your circuit)

Buy/find a DB-25 connector that will plug into your printer port  - Cost $4

Wire up the printer port to the breadboard/MCU so you connect the 5 pins as shown here..
(The resistors in the picture can be left out if you're super cheap. Otherwise use 470R)

Keep the cable length less than 1.5Meters between the breadboard and printer port.

Now all you need is a 5V power from somewhere to run the chip. You can cut up a USB cable and use the red and black wires for super cheap 5V source.

Now your MCU has power and programming pin connected :)
You can write code in AVRstudio and upload it to the chip using AVRdude.
You may want to write a simple batch file to copy the output hex file from avrstudio to a different location and run the avrdude command to upload it to the chip. You can even setup avrstudio to automatically run avrdude and upload your code when you hit compile.

The important commandline options for avrdude are.
-c bsd   (sets the programmer type your using)
-p m64 (tells avrdude your programming a ATmega64, change this as needed)
-E noreset  (tells avrdude to pull the reset line high after programming so the chip starts running)
-e (erase the chip before programming)
-U flash:w:mycode.hex (upload the mycode.hex file to the mcu in flash memory)

eg..  avrdude -c bsd -p m64 -E noreset -e  -U flash:w:mycode.hex

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