Hi Don,

I'm a web database programmer, I'd be interested in doing the work for
you for barter. I'm currently trying to build my client list. 
To view some of my work, have a look at these.

http://www.2ser.com/newsite/master.html (take a look at the mechandise
purchasing stuff)
http://boldenterprise.com.au/CYH/logon.php (login as "Alan Boldock"
password
83623623, I trust you!)
http://boldenterprise.com.au/rns/home.php (this site is about to be
released to the public and as such has no products in until my client
rolls them in, this makes it really boring but you can have a look
anyhow)

these are examples, I don't do graphic design as my graphic design looks
like something died on the page.  I've also done some larger government
funded projects using Java but for small project prefer PHP. 

Hope to hear from you 

Alan Boldock


> -----Original Message-----
> From: Don McKenzie [mailto:don@d...]
> Sent: Friday, 6 September 2002 6:35 PM
> To: simmstick@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: Re: [simmstick] Rapid Can Development.
> 
> 
> Dan Vasaru wrote:
> >
> > Don,
> >
> > Regarding your little job, the easiest way to do it is in perl. I
can do
> it
> > for free , but it will be a basic perl script which you will call
from
> the
> > command line. Tell me if you're interested.
> >
> > Dan
> 
> Thanks very much Dan, and everyone else.
> Twas the quickest I have got anyone to do anything.
> Quicker than when my wife asks me to but the garbage out. :-)
> 
> Brill Pappin has offered to do it for me, and I have accepted. (for
> barter)
> 
> I am also after a Web CGI/perl/database programmer. I have a serious
job
> I want done some time in the future, that involves a web based member
> database paid membership, plus two information data bases. selling
info
> to paid members.
> 
> nothing to do with electronics, for my real, real, retirement when I
am
> seventy. :-)
> 
> Cheers Don...
> 
> Don McKenzie mailto:don@d...
http://www.dontronics.com
> 
> Add USB to your Product in 10 min.
http://www.dontronics.com/giga.html
> The World's Largest Range of Atmel/AVR & PICmicro Hardware and
Software
> 
>   Please place (or leave -->) "dt2002" in the subject or body of your
>   message to guarantee your message getting through our spam filters.
> 
> ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor
> 
> To Post a message, send it to:   simmstick@e...
> 
> To Unsubscribe, send a blank message to:
simmstick-unsubscribe@e...
> 
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
> 
> ---
> Incoming mail is certified Virus Free.
> Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
> Version: 6.0.384 / Virus Database: 216 - Release Date: 21/08/2002
> 

---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.384 / Virus Database: 216 - Release Date: 21/08/2002

Whoops that was a mistake, 

Oh well fell free to all look!

I meant to send that just to Don! 

Alan 

Oh, I'll change my password.



> -----Original Message-----
> From: Don McKenzie [mailto:don@d...]
> Sent: Friday, 6 September 2002 6:35 PM
> To: simmstick@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: Re: [simmstick] Rapid Can Development.
> 
> 
> Dan Vasaru wrote:
> >
> > Don,
> >
> > Regarding your little job, the easiest way to do it is in perl. I
can do
> it
> > for free , but it will be a basic perl script which you will call
from
> the
> > command line. Tell me if you're interested.
> >
> > Dan
> 
> Thanks very much Dan, and everyone else.
> Twas the quickest I have got anyone to do anything.
> Quicker than when my wife asks me to but the garbage out. :-)
> 
> Brill Pappin has offered to do it for me, and I have accepted. (for
> barter)
> 
> I am also after a Web CGI/perl/database programmer. I have a serious
job
> I want done some time in the future, that involves a web based member
> database paid membership, plus two information data bases. selling
info
> to paid members.
> 
> nothing to do with electronics, for my real, real, retirement when I
am
> seventy. :-)
> 
> Cheers Don...
> 
> Don McKenzie mailto:don@d...
http://www.dontronics.com
> 
> Add USB to your Product in 10 min.
http://www.dontronics.com/giga.html
> The World's Largest Range of Atmel/AVR & PICmicro Hardware and
Software
> 
>   Please place (or leave -->) "dt2002" in the subject or body of your
>   message to guarantee your message getting through our spam filters.
> 
> ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor
> 
> To Post a message, send it to:   simmstick@e...
> 
> To Unsubscribe, send a blank message to:
simmstick-unsubscribe@e...
> 
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
> 
> ---
> Incoming mail is certified Virus Free.
> Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
> Version: 6.0.384 / Virus Database: 216 - Release Date: 21/08/2002
> 

---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.384 / Virus Database: 216 - Release Date: 21/08/2002

I've wanted to get started in microcontrollers for some
time. I've been reading over info on the various simmsticks
and think I have an idea on how to start. Starting questions
though. 

1. Can anyone point me to beginner startup pages? Perhaps
something is around that is a real startup tutorial. The stuff
at Athena, Dontronics and Simmstick.com all seem to apply
to people that already have a handle on how everything goes
together.

2. I think starting is as simple as buying a DT001, a DT101
and hooking it up to your PC? Is that true?

3. What about software? Some page somewhere said the 
above was about all you need to start programming in assembler. 
I'm comfortable with assembler but where is the software and 
is it free? Is there info around on using the software?

Thanks for any and all replies.

Don

asd wrote:
> 
> I've wanted to get started in microcontrollers for some
> time. I've been reading over info on the various simmsticks
> and think I have an idea on how to start. Starting questions
> though.
> 
> 1. Can anyone point me to beginner startup pages? Perhaps
> something is around that is a real startup tutorial. The stuff
> at Athena, Dontronics and Simmstick.com all seem to apply
> to people that already have a handle on how everything goes
> together.

http://www.dontronics.com/auto.html
will outline the basics of choosing a micro.

http://www.dontronics.com/dt006.html will hand feed you through the
dt006 project, and give you alternatives, such as making your own
programmer from a db25 connector and 3 resistors.

> 2. I think starting is as simple as buying a DT001, a DT101
> and hooking it up to your PC? Is that true?

Basically yes, depends on which micro direction you wish to go.
http://www.dontronics.com/auto.html should help you a lot here.
 
> 3. What about software? Some page somewhere said the
> above was about all you need to start programming in assembler.
> I'm comfortable with assembler but where is the software and
> is it free? Is there info around on using the software?

assembler software is free from atmel and microchip sites.

> Thanks for any and all replies.
> 
> Don

I would have preferred someone with unbiased (not Dontronics) opinions
give you answers rather than me Don.

I hope they still do.

Cheers Don...

Don McKenzie mailto:don@d...        http://www.dontronics.com

Add USB to your Product in 10 min.  http://www.dontronics.com/giga.html
The World's Largest Range of Atmel/AVR & PICmicro Hardware and Software

  Please place (or leave -->) "dt2002" in the subject or body of your 
  message to guarantee your message getting through our spam filters.

Well I found Don's DT006 pretty easy to get going.

While I don't really like BASIC (I prefer Java and C/C++) it sure beats
learning assembler and I would encourage you to go the AVR way than the PIC
way, as there seems to me to be better free high level language tools like
avr-gcc to develop software with.

I am working on a model railroad project
(http://sourceforge.net/projects/embeddedloconet) using avr-gcc because IMHO
C is way more powerful for more complicated stuff, I wanted to only use free
tools and I have used C for years, however don't be put off using BASCOM-AVR
as it looks to be quite powerful under the covers with support for interrupt
handlers etc. The BASCOM-AVR software library supports quite a few useful
bits of hardware like a LCD, UART, RC5 used in TV infrared remotes that will
let you easily experiment without having to be an expert.

Hope that gives you some encouragment to dive in and play.

Alex Shepherd

> http://www.dontronics.com/auto.html
> will outline the basics of choosing a micro.

Excellent link Don, I don't know how I missed it. I'm going
to read it again tomorrow and that will no doubt lead to
more questions. 


> assembler software is free from atmel and microchip sites.

And the assemble software work with _ALL_ of the respective
simmstick boards?

Don

> While I don't really like BASIC (I prefer Java and C/C++) it sure beats
> learning assembler and I would encourage you to go the AVR way than the PIC
> way, as there seems to me to be better free high level language tools like
> avr-gcc to develop software with.

I'd actually like to stay away from basic and would probably graduate
to C later but for now I would like to stay in assembler. That said, does
the avr-gcc work with all the avr simmstick boards and what operating
systems does it run under - windows/linux?

Don

> > While I don't really like BASIC (I prefer Java and C/C++) it sure beats
> > learning assembler and I would encourage you to go the AVR way than the PIC
> > way, as there seems to me to be better free high level language tools like
> > avr-gcc to develop software with.

If you like Java, there is the Systronix JStamp and JStik. These are Java
processor (Ajile 80 and 100 respectively) boards; the dev-kit for the JStamp
has two SimmStick slots, and their backplane has six slots.

Unfortunately they are a bit more pricey than the competion, but you get
*much* more on board:
  JStamp: 512k Flash/512k RAM
  JStamp+ (what I have) 2 meg Flash/512k RAM
  JStik: 4 meg Flash, 2 meg RAM, Ethernet

The dev-kit for all the above include 2 serial ports.

I *really* wish they would put the AJile 100 onto a JStamp-sized package
with more memory and external Flash.

http://www.jstamp.com/
http://www.jstik.com/
http://www.systronix.com/

(I have no relationship with this company other than that of a satisfied
customer who is about to create SimmStick Lego interfaces [motor and sensor]
for the JStamp.)
-- 
D. Jay Newman                      !  Live fast,
jay@s...                !    Die young,
http://www.sprucegrove.com/~jay/   !      And leave a flesh eating corpse!

asd wrote:
> 
> > http://www.dontronics.com/auto.html
> > will outline the basics of choosing a micro.
> 
> Excellent link Don, I don't know how I missed it. I'm going
> to read it again tomorrow and that will no doubt lead to
> more questions.
> 
> > assembler software is free from atmel and microchip sites.
> 
> And the assemble software work with _ALL_ of the respective
> simmstick boards?
> 
> Don

assembler doesn't have a lot to do with it.
what you are interested in, is how to get the hex output file into the
chip.

this can be done with p16pro for PIC's, and Codevision, or Bascom-avr
for AVR's, but there are many programs that could help.

assembly or C, Basic, etc. whatever, generates a hex and/or bin file.
you then need to get that file and burn it into the chip.

Cheers Don...

Don McKenzie mailto:don@d...        http://www.dontronics.com

Add USB to your Product in 10 min.  http://www.dontronics.com/giga.html
The World's Largest Range of Atmel/AVR & PICmicro Hardware and Software

  Please place (or leave -->) "dt2002" in the subject or body of your 
  message to guarantee your message getting through our spam filters.

I would like to report that members of this group are assisting me with
two software projects, one which I mentioned on this list.

As I still have some late private emails on this subject, I felt I
should again let everyone know that the work is being done.

Brill Pappin is helping me out with the job I posted, in fact I think he
is nearly finished it, as he is ready to send me files.

And Alan Boldock has offered to look at a larger job I have had swimming
around in my brain box for a year or two.

I set this group up as a self help group for SimmStick and related
products, but didn't realize that our talented little group could be
called upon to help me out with other unrelated software projects.

I now know where to ask first. :-)

Cheers Don...

Don McKenzie mailto:don@d...        http://www.dontronics.com

Add USB to your Product in 10 min.  http://www.dontronics.com/giga.html
The World's Largest Range of Atmel/AVR & PICmicro Hardware and Software

  Please place (or leave -->) "dt2002" in the subject or body of your 
  message to guarantee your message getting through our spam filters.

Alex Shepherd wrote:
> 
> Well I found Don's DT006 pretty easy to get going.
> 
> While I don't really like BASIC (I prefer Java and C/C++) it sure beats
> learning assembler and I would encourage you to go the AVR way than the PIC
> way, as there seems to me to be better free high level language tools like
> avr-gcc to develop software with.
> 
> I am working on a model railroad project
> (http://sourceforge.net/projects/embeddedloconet)

Hi Alex, have added the picture links to my dt006 page.

Cheers Don...

Don McKenzie mailto:don@d...        http://www.dontronics.com

Add USB to your Product in 10 min.  http://www.dontronics.com/giga.html
The World's Largest Range of Atmel/AVR & PICmicro Hardware and Software

  Please place (or leave -->) "dt2002" in the subject or body of your 
  message to guarantee your message getting through our spam filters.

> I'd actually like to stay away from basic and would probably graduate
> to C later but for now I would like to stay in assembler. That said, does
> the avr-gcc work with all the avr simmstick boards and what operating
> systems does it run under - windows/linux?

Well if you want to go the assembler way there is a new tutorial on
AVRFreaks that step you through setting up your system and building your
first assembler project here:
http://www.avrfreaks.net/Freaks/newbie/intro.php

As Don already mentioned the AVR code generation is independant of the
deployment environment. The AVR opcodes are AVR opcodes regardless of target
environment, however I think Don has got a programming method for each DTXXX
board already, however I have only used the DT006 and SIMM100 so far, which
work fine.

I use Win2K currently and it works well enough for me. I had thought about
having a play with the Linux tools but for now Win2K is fine.

The only glitch I have so far is that I would like to use PonyProg
(http://www.lancos.com/prog.html) for programming and it has a DT006
programmer config but it does not release the RESET line after programming,
which means you have to unplug the cable after. I have exchanged a few
emails with Claudio who maintains it but that change has not come through
yet. What I do now is have the BASCOM-AVR programmer open and just load my
HEX file and program the AVR with that - which is ok for now. I might have a
play around with the self programming boot-loaders that allow you to start
the AVR with a small loader that is capable of reprogramming the FLASH via
commands over the UART. This might make things easier and potentially faster
as some loaders are smart enough to only program the changes and not
reprogram the entire FLASH.

The avr-gcc package is quite good. Probably not as tidy as one of the
commercial packages but still very powerful. I was working with the 3.0.2
version from the AVRFreaks site with the AVR 2313 and 8535 with no problems.
I have just downloaded the 3.2 version so I can work with the ATMega8 as it
looks to be a very good compromise between size, speed, features and price
for the projects I'm hoping to develop.

Cheers

Alex Shepherd

> If you like Java, there is the Systronix JStamp and JStik. These are Java
> processor (Ajile 80 and 100 respectively) boards; the dev-kit for the
JStamp
> has two SimmStick slots, and their backplane has six slots.
>
> Unfortunately they are a bit more pricey than the competion, but you get
> *much* more on board:
>   JStamp: 512k Flash/512k RAM
>   JStamp+ (what I have) 2 meg Flash/512k RAM
>   JStik: 4 meg Flash, 2 meg RAM, Ethernet

Yeah, I have kept an eye on these and the Dallas TINY over time. They look
really cool, but the price for what I want to do is really the killer. Also
while they do have more resources, Java chews up a lot of it as well and so
you really need to compare how much application logic can you fit into it.

C is still ok for what I want to do - I just have to scratch my head a bit
when trying to work out how many *'s I need to define and pass around
pointers. Java holds your hand with all that. When I look at the low level
bit twiddling hardware interface code I have done so far and the assembler
listings that avr-gcc produces from my C code, it does make me think that C
is just a really smart assembler preprocessor, but hopefully the higher
level code with be more intuitive using C.

Alex

> > If you like Java, there is the Systronix JStamp and JStik. These are Java
> > processor (Ajile 80 and 100 respectively) boards; the dev-kit for the
> JStamp
> > has two SimmStick slots, and their backplane has six slots.
> >
> > Unfortunately they are a bit more pricey than the competion, but you get
> > *much* more on board:
> >   JStamp: 512k Flash/512k RAM
> >   JStamp+ (what I have) 2 meg Flash/512k RAM
> >   JStik: 4 meg Flash, 2 meg RAM, Ethernet
> 
> Yeah, I have kept an eye on these and the Dallas TINY over time. They look
> really cool, but the price for what I want to do is really the killer. Also
> while they do have more resources, Java chews up a lot of it as well and so
> you really need to compare how much application logic can you fit into it.

Yes, it does chew up more memory, but this is *much* more than you can do
with most embedded processors. I want to experiment with neural nets and
vision sensors and most embedded processors don't have enough memory or
speed to deal with such things.

> C is still ok for what I want to do - I just have to scratch my head a bit
> when trying to work out how many *'s I need to define and pass around

I've done C too. It's usually not that bad.

Though I do like your comment that C is an assemby-language pre-processor.

I think that was the idea in the early days of the language.
-- 
D. Jay Newman                      !  Live fast,
jay@s...                !    Die young,
http://www.sprucegrove.com/~jay/   !      And leave a flesh eating corpse!

9-Sep-2002 New
MP3 Jukebox Module, and LCD module. This kit contains the core
electronics needed to play MP3 music files from a hard drive.  
http://www.dontronics.com/kitstream.html


Don McKenzie mailto:don@d...        http://www.dontronics.com

Add USB to your Product in 10 min.  http://www.dontronics.com/giga.html
The World's Largest Range of Atmel/AVR & PICmicro Hardware and Software

  Please place (or leave -->) "dt2002" in the subject or body of your 
  message to guarantee your message getting through our spam filters.

>    From: "Alex Shepherd" <ashepherd@w...>
>
> Well I found Don's DT006 pretty easy to get going.

I've found all of the DT boards I've used "pretty easy to get going".

>
> While I don't really like BASIC (I prefer Java and C/C++) it sure beats
> learning assembler and I would encourage you to go the AVR way
> than the PIC
> way, as there seems to me to be better free high level language tools like
> avr-gcc to develop software with.

Haven't done any AVR stuff, so can't comment. But over the past 30 years
I've programmed most every micro that's come along. Some in assembler and
some in other languages. I've found a good basis in assembler will alow you
to grock any language. And, as with spoken languages, as you learn more, the
next gets easier.

One thing for sure, some things are easier in one language as opposed to
another. For instance, I find all the bit twidling and timing routines used
for I/O is easier in assembler...but that coulds just be me.

>
> I am working on a model railroad project
> (http://sourceforge.net/projects/embeddedloconet) using avr-gcc

Could you tell me more about the capabilities of Digitrax?
(The group might prefer us to take it off line.)

Regards,
Mac

This is my other incarnation at work. I started the original
posting on "startup info" as ASD from home.

What's the reason for the AVR being so attractive? Is it that
the chip has some additional circuitry to make programming
easier. In the Dontronics pages there was some mention that
a programming circuit could be as simple as a couple of wires.

I have read someone mention that the AVR screams compared
to the PIC but I'm more interested in simplicity and low power.
And I guess long term supply. If I'm going to learn a processor
and it's code I only want to do it once at this point.

Don

----- Original Message -----
From: "dshesnicky" <dshesnicky@y...>
To: <simmstick@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Monday, September 09, 2002 4:00 PM
Subject: [simmstick] AVR vs the PIC


>
> This is my other incarnation at work. I started the original
> posting on "startup info" as ASD from home.
>
> What's the reason for the AVR being so attractive? Is it that
> the chip has some additional circuitry to make programming
> easier. In the Dontronics pages there was some mention that
> a programming circuit could be as simple as a couple of wires.

In-system programming is very easy with the AVR. Also, it has a decent
architecture,
compared to those dreadful PIC things. 8-)


>
> I have read someone mention that the AVR screams compared
> to the PIC but I'm more interested in simplicity and low power.
> And I guess long term supply. If I'm going to learn a processor
> and it's code I only want to do it once at this point.

The AVR is *much* easier to use. Power consumption is about the same.
If you want really low power, look at the TI MSP-430. It's also a nice chip
to
use, if a bit complex. I have an introduction to it (as well as the AVR) on
my web site.

Leon
--
Leon Heller, G1HSM
leon_heller@h...
http://www.geocities.com/leon_heller

> In-system programming is very easy with the AVR. Also, it has a
> decent architecture, compared to those dreadful PIC things. 8-)
> The AVR is *much* easier to use. 

Why do you say the AVR is *much* easier to use? Consider the
emphasis on *much* there must be some items that really stand
out for you.

Are both or either of the PIC and AVR second sourced by anyone?
I'd hate to learn an architecture/instruction set and have the
company go under. Dontronics has a page where he mentioned
there are sometimes supply problems with AVRs.

Don

>From: "dshesnicky" <dshesnicky@y...>
>Reply-To: simmstick@yahoogroups.com
>To: simmstick@yahoogroups.com
>Subject: [simmstick] Re: AVR vs the PIC
>Date: Mon, 09 Sep 2002 17:43:44 -0000
>
>
> > In-system programming is very easy with the AVR. Also, it has a
> > decent architecture, compared to those dreadful PIC things. 8-)
> > The AVR is *much* easier to use.
>
>Why do you say the AVR is *much* easier to use? Consider the
>emphasis on *much* there must be some items that really stand
>out for you.

It's largely the architecture. The PIC is about 25 years old and wasn't 
really intended to be programmed in the way a modern device is; it was 
originally a simple I/O processor for the GI 16-bit CPUs. That is why it is 
so crummy.

The AVR was developed quite recently using modern ideas.


>
>Are both or either of the PIC and AVR second sourced by anyone?
>I'd hate to learn an architecture/instruction set and have the
>company go under. Dontronics has a page where he mentioned
>there are sometimes supply problems with AVRs.

Few chips are second-sourced, these days. Besides, it doesn't take long to 
get to grips with a new one. I must have used 15 or more over the last 20 
years.

Leon
--
Leon Heller, G1HSM Tel: +44 1424 14790
Email:leon_heller@h...
My web page: http://www.geocities.com/leon_heller
My low-cost Altera Flex design kit: http://www.leonheller.com


_________________________________________________________________
MSN Photos is the easiest way to share and print your photos: 
http://photos.msn.com/support/worldwide.aspx

> Haven't done any AVR stuff, so can't comment. But over the past 30 years
> I've programmed most every micro that's come along. Some in assembler and
> some in other languages. I've found a good basis in assembler will alow
you
> to grock any language. And, as with spoken languages, as you learn more,
the
> next gets easier.

I'm not adverse to learning AVR assembler its just I didn't want my code to
be that tightly coupled to the hardware so that if I move to another
architecture it _may_ not be a complete loss of code. However reuse of ideas
is usually more important than actual reuse of code. If you can use the free
avr-gcc compiler and you still have room in the FLASH/SRAM then why not.
Often there are only a few speed critical parts in software so what does it
matter if the C compiler adds a few extra bytes here and there.

Its also a familiarity thing. When I look at C or Java the logic is more
obvious to me, however I have a friend who is quite comfortable reading the
HEX and will tell you what the logic is doing...

> One thing for sure, some things are easier in one language as opposed to
> another. For instance, I find all the bit twidling and timing routines
used
> for I/O is easier in assembler...but that coulds just be me.

Yeah at this level the language you use if pretty arbitaty. It all has to do
the exact same thing.

> > I am working on a model railroad project
> > (http://sourceforge.net/projects/embeddedloconet) using avr-gcc
>
> Could you tell me more about the capabilities of Digitrax?
> (The group might prefer us to take it off line.)

Well, I'll post this here once and then maybe we can take it off line if
there is more interest.

Alex
==========================
Here are a few links and explanations to give you some insight into this
world of Digital Command Control (DCC)
DCC defines a track level network protocol that manages the sending of data
packets onto the rails that are detected and responded to by Locomotives
(mobile decoders) and other auxiliary control gear (stationary decoders)
like point motor drivers and signals etc.

A quick overview:    http://www.awrr.com/dccintro1.html

The main home page of "NATIONAL MODEL RAILROAD ASSOCIATION" which covers
every conceivable thing about model trains is:

http://www.nmra.org

The DCC specific stuff is at:

http://www.nmra.org/standards/consist.html#standards-DCC

I have this: http://www.digitrax.com/superchief.htm control system from
Digitrax (the dominant DCC vendor in the US)

This gear has its own propriety network http://www.digitrax.com/loconetq.htm
that links hand controllers (throttles) and other layout accessories
including the hardware stuff the mail list
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/loconet_hackers I subscribe to is interested
in.

> > What's the reason for the AVR being so attractive? Is it that
> > the chip has some additional circuitry to make programming
> > easier. In the Dontronics pages there was some mention that
> > a programming circuit could be as simple as a couple of wires.
>
> In-system programming is very easy with the AVR. Also, it has a decent
> architecture,
> compared to those dreadful PIC things. 8-)

For me it was pretty much:
- there was a decent free high level language avr-gcc available
- the SRAM memory was not chopped up into bits that made it awkward to keep
track of where variables were
- the simplest ISP programmer only requires a parallel port and a few
resistors. Of course you can get more complicated if you need to.
- I have some friends who had played with both and suggested that the AVR
was the "way to go" if you have a choice.

Alex

I think I was digging too far into this choice, it seems 
the AVR is simpler and with fairly good support. Alot of s
immstick products appear to work with either the PIC or 
the Atmel processors. So I think I'll go with the DT006
system.

Don

Couple of quick questions on the DT006 Atmel board.

1. Why are there two serial type connectors - one 9 pin and
   one 25 pin? All the docs seem to point at the 25 pin being
   the RS-232 port for programming. But other boards (DT007?)
   only seem to have a 9 pin.

2. What is the working minimum for parts to get started? I've
   noticed that some people are leaving alot of parts off their
   boards. I mention "working" minimum instead of bare minimum
   because I'm wondering what most people would start with.

3. Is this board similar to a DT001 board where you have a
   load/run switch?

Don

dshesnicky wrote:
> 
> Couple of quick questions on the DT006 Atmel board.
> 
> 1. Why are there two serial type connectors - one 9 pin and
>    one 25 pin? All the docs seem to point at the 25 pin being
>    the RS-232 port for programming. But other boards (DT007?)
>    only seem to have a 9 pin.

Hi Don,
db-25 connects to your printer port for programming.
schematic will show this.
 
> 2. What is the working minimum for parts to get started? I've
>    noticed that some people are leaving alot of parts off their
>    boards. I mention "working" minimum instead of bare minimum
>    because I'm wondering what most people would start with.

you can start with enough to program a chip, that is the power section,
db-25 to 3 resistors, plus the chip, resonator/crystal, and reset
circuit.
 
> 3. Is this board similar to a DT001 board where you have a
>    load/run switch?

this will load/run without a switch, providing you don't load the
programming signals too much.

in most cases, it will program with the LEDs connected.

this is all detailed on the dt006 page and associated pages.

Cheers Don...

Don McKenzie mailto:don@d...        http://www.dontronics.com

Add USB to your Product in 10 min.  http://www.dontronics.com/giga.html
The World's Largest Range of Atmel/AVR & PICmicro Hardware and Software

  Please place (or leave -->) "dt2002" in the subject or body of your 
  message to guarantee your message getting through our spam filters.

> db-25 connects to your printer port for programming.
> schematic will show this.

Don,
What about the db-9?

Don

dshesnicky wrote:
> 
> > db-25 connects to your printer port for programming.
> > schematic will show this.
> 
> Don,
> What about the db-9?

for serial communications only.
again, the schematic will show this, but I realize if you are new to the
game, it all may not make sense initially.

Cheers Don...

Don McKenzie mailto:don@d...        http://www.dontronics.com

Add USB to your Product in 10 min.  http://www.dontronics.com/giga.html
The World's Largest Range of Atmel/AVR & PICmicro Hardware and Software

  Please place (or leave -->) "dt2002" in the subject or body of your 
  message to guarantee your message getting through our spam filters.

11-Sep-2002 
FT232BM chip FT245BM chip 
Version 2 of the new FTDI USB chips. 
http://www.dontronics.com/cat_hard_ftdi.html 

Don McKenzie mailto:don@d...        http://www.dontronics.com

Add USB to your Product in 10 min.  http://www.dontronics.com/giga.html
The World's Largest Range of Atmel/AVR & PICmicro Hardware and Software

  Please place (or leave -->) "dt2002" in the subject or body of your 
  message to guarantee your message getting through our spam filters.

> > What about the db-9?
> 
> for serial communications only.
>

Is the serial communications for already up and 
running systems that may need to be communicated 
with. Such as an LCD perhaps.

Is there any real detailed doc somewhere on this
stuff? I'm going to pull the full Atmel 2313 doc
today.

Don