On Wed, Aug 30, 2000 at 10:55:12AM -0400, Roger Chaplin wrote:
> Josh Criswold <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>
> > Last night I was wondering about the feasibility of
> > using a PDA as the "brains" for a vehicle engine
> > management system. I don't know much about the
> > hardware of the various Palm OS PDAs, but I do know
> > C(2+) and Java and that there are compilers (though
> > limited) for both of these languages on the Palm OS.
> > The question I can't answer is will a compiled C
> > program be fast enough with PDA hardware? Also, is
> > the I/O fast enough?
>
> As Rik mentioned, I/O is practically non-existent on Palm devices. Why
> not design your own hardware on a Springboard module and use a Visor,
> or on a CF module and use a TRGpro? I've not surveyed the market;
> perhaps there are general purpose I/O modules already available in
> these form factors.
>
> Also, I'm pretty sure there are much better hardware choices for this
> type of application. Find a copy of Embedded Systems Programming
> magazine and look at the ads in the back. You'll find some inexpensive
> and I/O-rich single board controllers for sale. Heck, with a 68332 chip
> and some I/O driver/buffer ICs you would probably have all the hardware
> you need.
Or Circuit Cellar Ink. I suspect one of the new atmel chips, an 8051
derivative or even one of those stamp thingys could do that.
The 332 is overkill and doesn't have onboard A/D (for his throttle
app). The 68HC11 (probably the 811 - 2k on board EEPROM) has the
input capture/timers and output compares for the digital signals , and
A/D inputs. And there are other CPU32 family members with A/D if he
needs the processing power.
He *could* use palm hardware (the sound output and a few other things)
but it would require major hacking.
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