Most of my projects have a serial port and a standard comm interface. Once I get that up and running, I use it for debugging.
That's the point where I start to breathe better too :-) I have had my share of grief with emulators also. It was not enough that they cost $1,000's and required these monster cables such that sometimes they did not even fit on the target board... They had their own temperament. On the other hand, emulator or not, I had to squeeze my brain a lot more when things did not work. Now, I put a breakpoint or two, and in little time, the problem is usually identified. This is a case where I definitely do not miss the old days. I also agree with you that decent C compilers and sufficient resources on modern chips have made assembly mostly a thing of the past. Except for a very recent project where I had to design a circuit that generates a number of interlaced sync pulses with precise timing. I could have done it with a PLD, but it was simpler to use a Silabs uC, with its built-in stable clock at 25 MHz. Using assembly allowed me to keep timing to within the 40nS cycle time. For what I wanted to do, the compiler generated more code, simply because it was the wrong tool for the task. The Silabs solution was 1 chip, instead of two for the PLD. Since I used another Silabs chip in the project, it also simplified programming (same tool). Didier > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Chuck Harris > Sent: Thursday, February 21, 2008 9:37 AM > To: Discussion of precise time and frequency measurement > Subject: Re: [time-nuts] favorite microcontroller module? > > Hi Didier, > .., I can use a pin that ordinarily > >> would run an LED as a diagnostic port. > > > > I had forgotten these tricks, which were the norm 20 years > ago when I > > was too lazy to pull the 6805 emulator. > > It's sort of funny, 20 years ago, I was flush with emulators, > and used them > for most of my development. The had their place back then, > as my projects > were spiraling out of control in terms of complexity. > > Now, I just do PICS, and don't need such things. I can debug > most effectively with either simple diagnostic messages, or a scope. > > I don't miss how code that would work with the emulator > bombed without the emulator ... and vice versa. > > Now that I am used to the full debug > > capability of the Silabs chips, which uses only the reset and one > > other pin on the smaller chips (the other pin being able to share > > debug and normal duty), I don't have to resort to tricks > like this :-) > > You get that capability even with their $18 USB based "development > > system" that's the size of a stick of gum. > > PIC's will do the same thing. I just haven't had the need to yet. > > > > >> Many would say this is a religious issue, but I would disagree. > >> The 6 and 8 pin PICS are simply awesome in what they can do in > >> virtually no space. The tools are cheap, or free. The PIC's are > >> cheap too. > >> > > > > No religion involved, I think the PIC line is unequalled > when it comes > > to the variations and features that are available in the small pin > > count packages. Silabs only has half a handful of chips in DIP > > packages (is two the same as half a handful?) but they have some > > pretty awesome parts in SM packages that are 3x3 mm or so > (they start > > at 11 pins, 10 + a tab), so if you do not do the soldering by hand, > > you can't complain that there is no room for a powerful uC. > > True, they have made a number of wins. > > > I am getting familiar with the AVR line simply because a > number of my > > friends use them and speak highly of the architecture, but > in general, > > I try to stay with open, multi-sourced architectures, so > the 8051 has > > a leg up on PICs and AVRs from the start. I made that decision when > > Motorola forced me out of the 68HC05, like so many others. > I have not > > regretted it. Motorola was not able to get me in the HC08, > even though they gave it a good try. > > I tried to learn the HC10, but I could find no compelling > reason to learn yet another processor. > > > was not going down that road again. Burn me once, shame on > you, burn > > me twice, shame on me (or is it: don't burn me again?) > > > > The Silabs chips start at a couple of $, so they are out of > the sub-$1 > > market for sure. That's fine with me, I don't mind paying > an extra $ > > for the features and convenience :-) > > > > Like many things, uC are tools. The tool that you are the most > > comfortable with is often the best choice, for practical > reasons, even > > more so when you have to make a living out of it. For me, it's > > important to know that when I start a project, I can finish > it within > > schedule and within budget. My familiarity with the 8051 > and many of > > its variants (and my favorite compiler, and the ton and a half of > > available code) gives me that capability, but as you > pointed out, it's > > not the only way. I understand you feel the same about the > PIC. That's perfectly OK. > > > > Now, if you want an evening of fun, buy a Silabs toolstick > and a base > > adapter (about $28 + shipping from Mouser) and you have > everything you > > need (hardware and software, including demo version of the Keil C > > compiler) for a fun uC project. Please note the Keil C51 > compiler can > > be replaced with the free and excellent SDCC compiler. > > I have one around here someplace. I was frustrated because I > couldn't get it > to work under linux and wine. CCS has a native linux > compiler, and their windows > compiler works nicely under wine. I am having some trouble > with Microchip's programmer under the current wine release, > but it has worked in the past, I'll get it working again. > > > > > Here is an example of what you can do in an evening: > > http://www.ko4bb.com/Test_Equipment/AFSignalGenerator/SigGen.html > > Your server seems to be down right now. > > -Chuck Harris > > _______________________________________________ > time-nuts mailing list -- [email protected] To unsubscribe, > go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts > and follow the instructions there. > > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.5.516 / Virus Database: 269.20.9 - Release Date: > 2/20/2008 12:00 AM > > No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. 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