A fan controller (8-pin DIP package) is simple enough to build on perf board. But mostly I agree that it is best to buy these on PCBs. You can use them right out of the box. I do have an Arduino and it's advantage is that you can build very fast. I had a device that measured the resistance across a pot and displayed the value on a 2x16 LCD working about 40 minutes after I got the Arduino un-boxed. It is easy and fast. But they cost a few $$
A cheaper alternative I think I like is TI's "launchpads" They come on little credit card sized PCBs and the concept of very much the same as Arduino. TI sells several. One is a $13 ARM Cortex M4. It is a complete development system. The other is a MSP430 version for $10. But with the MSP versionyou can remove the uP after it is programmer if you like, or leave it on the board. These prices include shipping. $13 is good pice for an ARM on a breakout board. They also sell an assortment of "booster boards" that plug in and provide all kinds of interfaces, pretty much the same concept as Arduino "shields" More info here: /launchpad/overview_head.html<http://www.ti.com/ww/en/launchpad/overview_head.html> On Sun, May 26, 2013 at 9:18 AM, Jim Lux <jim...@earthlink.net> wrote: > On 5/26/13 9:00 AM, Chris Albertson wrote: >>> >>> But for many applications, the inevitable overhead >>> (power, heat, external components, OS, etc) simply >>> eliminates the gain of having a better/faster CPU. >>> >>> Sometimes I end up using a 6 or 8 pin PIC with only >>> a few lines of code to to solve complex problems where >>> a (F)PGA/CPLD design would be a lot of work and a >>> 16/32bit microcontroller simply overkill. >> >> >> >> As it turns out there are a LOT more simple jobs than there are >> complex jobs. This is why they make and sel a lot motr 8-t >> controllers than they sell 32-bit controllers. >> >> For example I want to control the cooling fan for a rubidium >> oscillator's heat sink. I only need three pins, 1) the temperature >> sensor, 2) Fan tachometer pulse, fan voltage. A $1 "tiny AVR" 8-pin >> chip can handle this just fine and we are talking about 20 lines of >> code maybe after the pins are set up. Using an ARM and running an OS >> would be silly overkill. >> > > The other thing is packaging and peripherals..not to mention development > time. It might be more "cost effective" (where cost is some complex > conglomeration of your time and money) to always use the same part, even if > overkill. > > Some people are happy to layout a new PCB, get it fabbed (or make it > themselves) or deadbug it. Others might want a board with terminal strips. > Or you might want something that you have a box for or maybe you like > mounting it inside. > > > I think everyone has their favorites, and most folks tend to have relatively > few candidates at any given time (it's difficult to switch among various > processors on a day to day basis). Right now, I tend to use Matlab on PCs > for big things, with some python. For smaller needs, I've been using lots > of Arduino Uno R3s and Teensy3s, because of the packaging. Both using the > Arduino semi-C tool chain and also the non-arduino compilers. (having a USB > boot loader, etc, does make life easier). > > I've used PICs and Rabbits in the not too recent past, but the Rabbits don't > have as nice a development environment, and there's no equivalent of the $20 > Arduino, nor the plethora of cheap interfaces to things like relays and what > not. > > I haven't looked much at whether a low cost PIC on a board with peripherals > is available. They've always been a "build a circuit" either with perfboard, > deadbug, or small PCB, and that makes it take a few more hours or days. > > For the "I want to finish the project this weekend starting Saturday > afternoon", the whole arduino world is pretty convenient, at least as far as > getting the hardware put together and a first load of software running. > > > > > _______________________________________________ > time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com > To unsubscribe, go to > https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts > and follow the instructions there. -- Chris Albertson Redondo Beach, California _______________________________________________ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there.