I've been in s/w programming for years. Thru out the years i also had interest in h/w programming (circuits + robotics + etc).
Please advice from where i can start h/w programming. my aim is to combine both s/w & h/w to work together.
+2
A:
I'd recommend Arduinos if you want to try some embedded programming. They're cheap, IDE works on multiple platforms and especially they are easy to start with.
af
2009-08-24 12:21:43
Is there any open source available?
Madhu
2009-08-24 12:25:27
Actually, Arduinos are open source. from the Arduino FAQ: "The source code for the Java environment is released under the GPL, the C/C++ microcontroller libraries under the LGPL, and the schematics and CAD files under Creative Commons Attribution Share-Alike licenses"And actually they're just nicely packaged Atmel AVRs.
af
2009-08-24 12:39:55
A:
I found Embedded Systems Building Blocks by Jean Labrosse very useful
John McG
2009-08-24 12:40:03
+2
A:
For a hobyists approach, or to start from absolute scratch, I'd suggest the Picaxe chip. They're cheap ($4 up), very simple, and very easy to program. The most basic one is an 8-pin IC, uses 5V DC supply, is programmed using serial cable and the free software, and stores around 40 lines of code. (Yes, very basic, but fun. And they do get bigger, ie: 16-pin, 40-pin.)
The Picaxe gives you a basic introduction into PICs, but is a significant step above Lego Mindstorms :P However, it is much slower at executing commands than a standard PIC (about 1KHz vs 1Mhz, I think), but it will do some things (like serial communications and controling LCDs) for you.
For more standard PICs, this looks like like a good place to start: http://www.piclist.com/techref/piclist/begin.htm
If you were after something much more advanced, say, using TCP/IP, running a HTTP host, working with USB peripherals, then this thread may be of interest: http://serverfault.com/questions/22030/recommended-embedded-linux-device-for-light-server-and-learning