I am having a processor problem... - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: technix
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 11, 2017, 03:30:32 pm
content: In my compartmentalized storage of components, one certain section is overflowing: "MPU, MCU and SoC, in through-hole packages or DIP adapters". How do you deal with this? I have sampled a few different lines of MPU chips, especially the time STC approved my crazy request of sampling 3 of each of their IAP 8051 parts in DIP, and thus accumulated a lot of unused sample MPU chips. And my recent buy just added more things into the mix.There is currently a single MC68HC000, a full set of IBM PC XT chips in CMOS, a lot of 8051-based micro produced by STC, some flavors of PIC and AVR, and a few STM32 on DIP adapters. How should I deal with those?

author: tpowell1830
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 11, 2017, 03:39:02 pm
content: Well, if you are trying to get rid of them, you could list them as (FREE) PCU Chips in Buy, Sell on EEVBlog and give them to someone who may need/want them for the price of shipping. Or keep them...

author: technix
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 11, 2017, 04:02:47 pm
content: I am not sure if I should just get rid of them, think up some semi-permanent project to use them up, or find new places for them. The PC XT chips can go into a semi-modern SBC project (a 16-bit DOS/xv6 little brother of my AT91SAM9260-based Linux board) The headache comes from the STC chips - I have way too many of those from that crazy sample request.

author: shteii01
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 11, 2017, 05:59:29 pm
content: Get large-ish breadboard, stick them in, mount the breadboard on the wall. Call it Art.

author: eugenenine
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 11, 2017, 06:19:04 pm
content: I have a separate box with each mcu/cpu architecture. All my 8085 is in one box with data sheets and such, all the pic are in one, all the atmel in one, etc.Each box might have a protoboard with a project in progress, some cpu's or i/o chips, etc.So when I get a chance to mess with one of them I just pull out that box and work on it for a bit.So if I decide I don't want to work with a certain mcu anymore I can get rid of that whole box at once.Though I advise to be careful, I got rid of my 68k stuff a wile back and now wish I hadn't and they are harder to find that what I would like.

author: Ian.M
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 11, 2017, 06:25:00 pm
content: So you admit to putting in a sample request for a whole chunk of STC's 8051 range and sticking them in a draw to gather dust?Gratuitous sampling to feed your addiction requires a penance - design, build and document here the best 8051 board, you can,with full notes on getting together a working toolchain and getting started targeting 8051 novices.

author: technix
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 11, 2017, 06:50:06 pm
content: Quote from: Ian.M on March 11, 2017, 06:25:00 pmI was writing a series of blog posts exploring those chips on a breadboard. That series was closed, and chips fell into disuse after it. To use STC chips you are almost forced to use the Keil toolchain (or you lose the on-chip debug)They approved three of each as their management understands the oh-so-often experiment mishaps that lets out the magic smoke. They have the full expectation that I will let the smoke out of half of those chips (although I avoided that)

author: technix
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 11, 2017, 06:51:24 pm
content: Quote from: shteii01 on March 11, 2017, 05:59:29 pmOr get a large-ish PCB, arrange something working out of them, and mount it on the wall with a Li-Po hanging off it?

author: Ian.M
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 11, 2017, 07:22:32 pm
content: I think anyone who can afford Keil, probably wouldn't be futzing about with an 8051 on a solderless breadboard!The evaluation 2K code limit + high pricetag means this frog is nowhere near the pot . . .A lesser penance is still required (assuming you are willing to confess a link to that 8051 breadboard blog) . . . I'll leave it to the audience to suggest one.

author: george.b
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 11, 2017, 08:17:24 pm
content: As for the 68k:

author: technix
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 12, 2017, 03:33:04 am
content: Quote from: george.b on March 11, 2017, 08:17:24 pmThat is not for this phase of the M68K project. I will probably let the M68K collect dust, and go for a 68030 + 68882 + FPGA + DDR3 stack on that architecture.