[AT] was generator=ee / tubes

[Al Walker]

Hi Cecil,
As Ken mentioned, the Rabbit series is good.  Microchip has some pretty 
good kits, but, so far, I have been using the Parallax Basic Stamp Board 
of Education.  Arguably less complex than some but the books explain 
each step pretty well.  The microcontrollers themselves are more 
expensive that Microchip but most excellant for experimenting, proof of 
concept,  and prototyping.  If you are going to do mass production, you 
would want the low priced chips  from Microchip and others.  Parallax 
uses a programming language called P-Basic, a version of Basic.  
Microchip and others commonly use a language called C or C++.  If you 
want to get down to each nit-picking detail, many elect to use assembly 
language, which, I believe, is one step above machine code, or 1's and 
0's. All of these products and more are available from www.digikey.com .
You EE's please correct me where I'm wrong or off base.
Thanks,
Al in NW MN


Cecil Bearden wrote:

> Al:
> I would also love to learn to program those microcontrollers.  I keep 
> heaing that a 6 year old can program them, but I can never get just 
> the information I need to buy a kit for programming them.  I am making 
> some gate openers that would work great for micro control, instead of 
> so many wires and switches....
>
> Here we go again with the complication.....
>
>
>
>
>>
>> Since I currently work in electonics distribution, I have found this 
>> thread most interesting. I have been taking classes to learn how to 
>> program those microcontrollers so that somewhere down the road, when 
>> very few others know how to fix their "old" electronic tractors and 
>> haulers, maybe I will be able to do so. Or maybe rig up some fancy 
>> shcmancy LED light strings to hang on one of my tractors for 
>> Christmas. Carry on, EE's. I can certainly learn from your knowledge.
>>
>> Al in NW MN
>
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