Micro-controllers intel and PIC some very basic questions  - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: omerkc1
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: November 25, 2016, 04:28:12 pm
content: Hello there! All I know about electronics is from self learning, so go easy on me eh?I found a two microcontrollers lying around me petroleum lab (intel l7421568b ; pic 16c64a) and got into reading about what I could possibly do with em.I was able to find some information on the pic, but nothing on the intel.So, here are my questions:1) can I use the same bootloader on the intel as the pic?2)how are they different from the ATmega328just by typing this out,I know how stupid these questions sound... but eh, never hurts for a dolt to learn after a few kicks yea?

author: Ian.M
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 25, 2016, 05:48:00 pm
content: Google doesn't find anything for thye Intel part number so the odds are that its something old and proprietary, probably mask programmed for a specific application. Some of Intel's old MCUs could be used with an external EPROM program memory, but EPROMs are a P.I.T.A all of their own, and you loose so many I/O pins to the external memory interface that it isn't worth it compared to modern devices of the same architecture, some of which have built in serial bootloaders.The PIC16C64A is an EPROM memory midrange PIC. If its in a plastic package, its essentially worthless as its OTP so you cant erase and reprogram it. If its in the windowed CERDIP package, it might be worth a bit to someone who is stuck with supporting a legacy product that uses it and already has the development tools, but a compatible programmer + a UV eraser for it will cost you far more than a PICkit 3 and a tube of far more powerful modern PICs.1. Neither support using a bootloader.2. That's a question you should try to answer for yourself by comparing the summaries for program and data memory and peripherals in the PIC16C64A and ATmega328P datasheets. Also note that the PIC needs a minimum of 4 clock cycles per instruction compared to the ATmega's one.

author: omerkc1
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: November 26, 2016, 01:59:32 pm
content: Thank you so much for your reply.^.^I've got loads to lean obviously. buy hey, one step at a time eh!

author: danadak
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 26, 2016, 02:47:30 pm
content: Consider starting with Cypress PSOC. It is a CPU + a lot of analog capability, with a tonof training videos. a $ 10 board will get you an excellent platform for experimentation.http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/CY8CKIT-059/428-3390-ND/5184557?WT.mc_id=IQ_7595_G_pla5184557&wt.srch=1&wt.medium=cpc&WT.srch=1&gclid=CJati_LUxtACFU1WDQodVfkMnAThe Pioneer board has arduino compatible headers, but is lower ended part in feature set, and more like $ 25.http://www.cypress.com/documentation/development-kitsboards/cy8ckit-044-psoc-4-m-series-pioneer-kitFor me what stands out is -1) Routability2) Fast 12 bit SAR A/D and slow 20 bit DelSig3) DFB (Digital Filter Block) that is dual channel, handle FIR or IIR filters, or DFBcan be used as a GP fast processor block, similar to RISC block4) MSI logic elements GUI based and/or the UDB Verilog capability. Eg. the FPGAlike capability5) Onboard Vref6) IDAC, VDAC, OpAmps (up to 4), comparator, mixer, switch cap, analog mux....7) LCD, COM, UART, I2C, I2S, One Wire, SPI, Parallel, LIN, CAN, BLE, USB9) Custom components capability, create with schematic capture or Verilog10) DMA to offload processes like filters, COM, Display11) ARM M0 (PSOC 4) or M3 (PSOC 5LP) or 8051 core(PSOC 3)12) Extensive clock generation capabilities13) All components supported by extensive prewritten APIshttps://www.element14.com/community/thread/23736/l/100-projects-in-100-days?displayFullThread=truehttp://www.cypress.com/documentation/code-examples/psoc-345-code-examplesGreat video libraryAttached component list. A component is an on chip HW resource.Free GUI design tool with schematic capture, "Creator". Components have rich API library attachedto each component. Compilers free as well.PSOC 4 is low end of family, consider 5LP parts as well. PSOC 4 also has arduino footprint boards (pioneer) as wellhttps://www.elektormagazine.com/labs/robot-build-with-cypress-psochttp://www.cypress.com/products/32-bit-arm-cortex-m-psocContact the local sales office, "RSM", regional sales manager, and FAE as well, maybe they can give you some stuff as well. Never be afraid to ask. Even contact the Manufacturers Rep, sometimes they can have some boards laying around not beingused.Regards, Dana.