Author Topic: What is the next step from 8bit Arduino?  (Read 3978 times)

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Offline techman-001

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Re: What is the next step from 8bit Arduino?
« Reply #25 on: November 04, 2019, 10:20:23 pm »
However the entire STM32L0 and STM32L1 series do.  They have true EEPROM built in, not emulated with flash.

Application note AN4808 suggests otherwise:
Quote
When designing an application that utilizes the EEPROM data memory on single bank
device, it is necessary to clearly identify the timing constraints and requirements.
There are basically two options:
1. Have the code necessary for any action that may occur during the write operation in the
volatile memory (RAM)
2. Postpone the writing to a quieter moment, when no immediate action is necessary.
In this application note we assume that the second option is not applicable, hence the first
one must be implemented.
It is necessary to initiate the data EEPROM writing from the RAM as well. When the
execution is stalled due to fetch attempt from the busy NVM, neither events or interrupts are
processed until the BSY flag is released. Having the interrupt code in RAM is not enough to
wake the MCU.
This clearly indicates that EEPROM is emulated and is contained in the same bank of the flash memory.

Some SAM devices have a smaller additional flash bank specifically for that reason.

I believe that there may be other reasons for  AN4808.

The EEPROM data memory is in the same functional area as the rest of the NVM as can be seen from the attached pic but that doesn't have to mean it is also Flash does it ? Just being on the same bus as the Flash could explain AN4808 ?

Besides,  STM clearly state "­ 12 Kbytes of true EEPROM with ECC" in October 2017  DocID022268 Rev 10. There are no reasons for them to lie so blatantly and many legal reasons not to.
 

Offline usagi

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Re: What is the next step from 8bit Arduino?
« Reply #26 on: November 05, 2019, 07:56:00 am »
for pure arduino IDE development, samd21 "M0+" based boards is the way to go. arduino support is quite mature for this cpu. i'm a fan of the adafruit M0 feathers. you can dive right in with your traditional libraries, sketches, and pinouts.
 
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Offline westfw

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Re: What is the next step from 8bit Arduino?
« Reply #27 on: November 05, 2019, 08:18:48 am »
Hmm.  The "next step up" from 8bit Arduino depends on which directions you consider "up."
  • Performance-wise, you have the 32bit Arduinos.  The same basics you're used to, with increased speed, more memory, and additional feature (USB Host, wireless modules, Audio libraries...)
  • User-environment-wise, there are a bunch of more advanced IDEs that will support Arduino 8bit hardware (as well as other choices.)  Eclipse, XCode, Atmel Studio, Visual Studio Code, ...  (you may need additional hardware and/or modifications to use debugging, but that'd be true for other directions as well.)
  • "programming"-wise, you can write more advance code even for the 8bit Arduino.  How about some non-blocking Serial code that understands more than single characters?  Fiddle with the internal libraries.  Explore some area that you haven't yet (networking?  Sensors? Power saving?)
  • There are the non-arduino chips/boards and environments.  Sort of like doing 1-3 all at the same time.  Which might be fine, or it might be a bit much.
 
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Offline rstofer

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Re: What is the next step from 8bit Arduino?
« Reply #28 on: November 08, 2019, 12:26:21 am »
The Teensy 4.0 is an interesting and FAST board.  One of the neat things is TeensyDuino which is a library replicating the functions in the Arduino library.  To a large extent, Arduino programs are easy to port.  This is a great hand up when starting with the ARM processor

https://www.pjrc.com/store/teensy40.html

 

Offline usagi

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Re: What is the next step from 8bit Arduino?
« Reply #29 on: November 14, 2019, 06:31:32 pm »
The Teensy 4.0 is an interesting and FAST board.  One of the neat things is TeensyDuino which is a library replicating the functions in the Arduino library.  To a large extent, Arduino programs are easy to port.  This is a great hand up when starting with the ARM processor

https://www.pjrc.com/store/teensy40.html

the pogo pin pads on the bottom of teensy boards are obnoxious and I wish pjrc would stop doing that.

Offline maginnovision

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Re: What is the next step from 8bit Arduino?
« Reply #30 on: November 14, 2019, 10:47:19 pm »
Instead of 4.0 I'd recommend 3.5 or 3.6 since they have the SD card slot and more easily available io. Both fast and huge upgrades.
 

Offline NorthGuy

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Re: What is the next step from 8bit Arduino?
« Reply #31 on: November 15, 2019, 05:36:17 pm »
There's no next step. There's no steps at all. There's no ladder to climb. You need the device which is suitable for your next project. That's it.

It's the same as everywhere else. If you have a job that requires nails, you use nails. If you need screws, you use screws. And you need a little bit of experience and little bit of brains to tell these situations apart.

Other people will recommend what they have used (and liked) in the past, whether this is suitable for your project or not. These people have completely different skill sets and levels, which are very different from yours. What is good for them may be different from what is good for you.

When doing microcontroller projects, 80% of skills is the ability to select a device which will help you to do the job the best. Note that this depends on many factors including your skills and habits. The device which I would select may be totally inappropriate for you. It takes time to figure this out. You need to try things, make mistakes, and the more mistakes you make the more you learn.

So, go ahead. Make your first mistake. That will be a good start.
 

Online SiliconWizard

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Re: What is the next step from 8bit Arduino?
« Reply #32 on: November 15, 2019, 05:42:47 pm »
So, go ahead. Make your first mistake. That will be a good start.

Best piece of reasonable advice I've seen here. ;D

If by "next step", the OP means "being able to work with non-Arduino-compatible MCUs", so they get a lot more choice (so they could potentially select something a lot more appriopriate for a given task), then any current and not too obscure MCU will do. Try, learn how to develop for one without the Arduino environment, and you'll have made a big step towards just having a lot more CHOICE. Just my 2 cents.
 


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