I am potentially about to start programming ARM Cortex M based microcontrollers this September. I need to know the list of connectors I need to connect a microcontroller to my computer for programming. I have em::bloks IDE which apparently is suitable for Cortex M microcontrollers, will this program be adequate? I am thinking of starting with this one (small and cheap) http://uk.farnell.com/nxp/lpc810m021fn8fp/mcu-32bit-cortex-m0-30mhz-dip-8/dp/2320692
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For starters I recommend not to use the bare chip but a development kit. Those have breakout pins to connect peripheral circuits and - most importantly, usually come with a USB or serial interface to the PC. Here are some examples I Googled.
Or this one rather inexpensive.
Or this one rather inexpensive.
As far as I can tell, that is the only through-hole ARM core available. If you are choosing it because it is through-hole, you have no where to go when you need more pins (which you will).
I would think PIC or AVR would be a better starting point.
Is there a reason you want an ARM core or 32-bits?
Bob
I would think PIC or AVR would be a better starting point.
Is there a reason you want an ARM core or 32-bits?
Bob
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Sorry, I don't know. The Conrad kit comes, as far as I can see, with an IDE. I do not have personal experience with ARM based controllers.
No particular reason, it was just the core for the microcontroller in the thread starter, and the microcontroller is small and cheap. I need to investigate the other varieties more.
Hellmut1956
- Aug 11, 2014
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Lavaguavas opening contribution I believe is typial for beginners! responding i could make my life easy by telling him he should buy an evaluation board from one of semiconductor companies. To give you an example! NXP has a rich portfolio of Arm Cortex Mx controllers, They use "Embedded Artists" to design and manufacture and sell most of their so called LPCXpresso Evaluation kits. For me in the company "Watterott.com" is the most inexpensive source to buy including the shipping rates. I have given you the link to their LPCXpresso board offerings. I have decided to dwelf into the Arm Cortex M* controllers, coming from the Atmel AVR controllers, as the really powerful LPCXpresso1769, an Arm Cortex M3 evaluation kit can be purchsed for just 23.8ß Euros.
This evaluation board consists of 2 halves. The Target is a board with the LPC1769, it has throughholes so you can have it plugged into a breadboard soldering the pins to it. It is so small and so inexpensive, that even having my electtronic lab here in my workshop being able to make PCBs myself, the cost of the components on this board are more expensive than the whole LPCXpresso! by the way, the version of the LPC1769 on the target board is the biggest one so you have lots of memory!
The other half, the LPC-Link is a JTAG to USB. So you can connect the LPCXpresso 1769 via USB to your PC! But the power is that thanks to this LPC-Link you can debug in a pretty sophisticated way your software running on the target. Even more, you can develop your own hardware and just have the Target board plugged onto it. This makes it possible to separate the sophisticated PCB required for the LPC1769 from a simple throughhole board or your breadboard!
The 2 vertical rows of throughholes you can see on the picture allow to connect the LPC-Link to your Target and your own board and still be able to debug as used to with the LPCXpresso1769.
The IDE is available at no cost to programm up to 256 kBytes of Code at the NXP site and it has huge amounts of information and examples! When starting with a new controller architecture one of the first steps to do is the embedded equivalent to the famous "Hello World" program, here the blinking LED! So when you succeed to compile, download and execute the program on your target your are starting from a working setp! What kept me in the past from programming controllers in "C" was that I was unable to get the "Toolchain" properly configured and have the proper make files done. The IDe I am referring to autoconfigures itself to the LPCXpresso board choosen, so that is a no brainer. For every peripheral function there is at least one example program in the IDE environment which you can study and copy and paste into your application!
If you have, like I do, a project in mind to develop a system to control the sheets in a model sailboat using a stepper motor, than you might consider using an RTOS, Real Time Operating system. I have decided to go for FreeRTOS, which as the name says is available for free with an excellent Reference Manual and a second book to explain how FreeRTOS is used with the LPCXpresso 1769. I have purchased those 2 books and can recommend them. You find all information at the Lin by clicking on the word here in the contribution.
As I started, this kind of information is useful if you have a certain level of basic knowledge about controllers and embedded development. Also pretty important, as embedded development, even if it is just software, is very closely related to the hardware and consequently a certain amount of knowledge about electronics is a requirement. Just tpo tell you that even having worked in the semiconductor industry starting as an "Field application Engineer" for one of the large US companies in this field, I decided I had to study analog electronics taking advantage of a free training course available here called "Real Analog: Circuit 1" to find that at the site of Analog Devices even additional lectures were available. I also purchased the "Analog Discovery Kit" via one of my sons studying at a university in California! Worth every penny and you should add the Analod Devices Parts Kit from DigilentInc!
So will this information be really answering the question avaguava placed at the beginning? Yes if he has a certain amount of background knowledge, No if he does not as I assume from how he asked the question! So I feel as a person who has reached a more advanced level of knowledge thanks to many pacient forum members around the globe helping me, that I should answer giving advices and showing roads to accomplish what might be his goal!
Please, if you would like to discuss, comment or get advice about the tons of information I have tried to supply, please do not hesitate to ask, the Forum will notify me be mail! If you have, as certainly it will be the case, have found errors in what I wrote or you disagree with me, I see forward to learn from you!
This evaluation board consists of 2 halves. The Target is a board with the LPC1769, it has throughholes so you can have it plugged into a breadboard soldering the pins to it. It is so small and so inexpensive, that even having my electtronic lab here in my workshop being able to make PCBs myself, the cost of the components on this board are more expensive than the whole LPCXpresso! by the way, the version of the LPC1769 on the target board is the biggest one so you have lots of memory!
The other half, the LPC-Link is a JTAG to USB. So you can connect the LPCXpresso 1769 via USB to your PC! But the power is that thanks to this LPC-Link you can debug in a pretty sophisticated way your software running on the target. Even more, you can develop your own hardware and just have the Target board plugged onto it. This makes it possible to separate the sophisticated PCB required for the LPC1769 from a simple throughhole board or your breadboard!
The 2 vertical rows of throughholes you can see on the picture allow to connect the LPC-Link to your Target and your own board and still be able to debug as used to with the LPCXpresso1769.
The IDE is available at no cost to programm up to 256 kBytes of Code at the NXP site and it has huge amounts of information and examples! When starting with a new controller architecture one of the first steps to do is the embedded equivalent to the famous "Hello World" program, here the blinking LED! So when you succeed to compile, download and execute the program on your target your are starting from a working setp! What kept me in the past from programming controllers in "C" was that I was unable to get the "Toolchain" properly configured and have the proper make files done. The IDe I am referring to autoconfigures itself to the LPCXpresso board choosen, so that is a no brainer. For every peripheral function there is at least one example program in the IDE environment which you can study and copy and paste into your application!
If you have, like I do, a project in mind to develop a system to control the sheets in a model sailboat using a stepper motor, than you might consider using an RTOS, Real Time Operating system. I have decided to go for FreeRTOS, which as the name says is available for free with an excellent Reference Manual and a second book to explain how FreeRTOS is used with the LPCXpresso 1769. I have purchased those 2 books and can recommend them. You find all information at the Lin by clicking on the word here in the contribution.
As I started, this kind of information is useful if you have a certain level of basic knowledge about controllers and embedded development. Also pretty important, as embedded development, even if it is just software, is very closely related to the hardware and consequently a certain amount of knowledge about electronics is a requirement. Just tpo tell you that even having worked in the semiconductor industry starting as an "Field application Engineer" for one of the large US companies in this field, I decided I had to study analog electronics taking advantage of a free training course available here called "Real Analog: Circuit 1" to find that at the site of Analog Devices even additional lectures were available. I also purchased the "Analog Discovery Kit" via one of my sons studying at a university in California! Worth every penny and you should add the Analod Devices Parts Kit from DigilentInc!
So will this information be really answering the question avaguava placed at the beginning? Yes if he has a certain amount of background knowledge, No if he does not as I assume from how he asked the question! So I feel as a person who has reached a more advanced level of knowledge thanks to many pacient forum members around the globe helping me, that I should answer giving advices and showing roads to accomplish what might be his goal!
Please, if you would like to discuss, comment or get advice about the tons of information I have tried to supply, please do not hesitate to ask, the Forum will notify me be mail! If you have, as certainly it will be the case, have found errors in what I wrote or you disagree with me, I see forward to learn from you!
Wow, this was a while ago I posted this. Thankyou for all your detailed replies, especially Hellmut1956's reply. I have been programming the Arduino based boards, starting with a Mega2560 then moving onto teensy 3.1 and attiny85. I plan to continue programmiung attiny's in the Arduino IDE at the moment, however want to move onto a professional IDE, unlike the arduino "toy" IDE. Thankyou for the suggestion Hellmut1956, I will research this option further, it looks promising!
I now know a lot more about digital circuitry, microcontrollers, programming and general, mostly due to this forum. I need to consider the options and decide on a specific package that would be beneficial in a university/working environment.
Again, Thanks Hellmut1956, I would like to discuss this option further, I will however research the product page in depth before attempting to do so.
Thanks,
I now know a lot more about digital circuitry, microcontrollers, programming and general, mostly due to this forum. I need to consider the options and decide on a specific package that would be beneficial in a university/working environment.
Again, Thanks Hellmut1956, I would like to discuss this option further, I will however research the product page in depth before attempting to do so.
Thanks,
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