Newbie help needed

linnix wrote:
> On Oct 8, 8:24 am, James Fraser <j...@concentric.net> wrote:
>> On Oct 5, 6:36 pm, Jim Granville <no.s...@designtools.maps.co.nz>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> James Fraser wrote:
>>>> or this, I suppose:
>>>> http://www2.silabs.com/tgwWebApp/public/web_content/products/Microcon...
>>>> It looks like I need the $120 answer to develop what I want. The $30
>>>> answer you linked to wouldn't allow new code needed to hook up a DAC,
>>>> I think. Correct me if I'm wrong.
>> I looked into this a bit further. Both Microchip and Silicon Labs
>> would require that I buy the full version of the development
>> environment for $495. (Microchip requires the full version for support
>> for some of the chips with ethernet, and Silicon Labs requires the
>> full version of the Kiel tools to have more than 4 KB code. Even their
>> example web app requires more than 4 KB and can't be compiled with the
>> limited version.)
> 
> If you don't want to pay for development tools, I would push you back
> into AVR.  AvrStudio/win-avr/gcc-avr are free.  ISP downloader/USB
> bootloader are possible.  AT90USB82/162 (8K/16K usb device) are more
> than enough for a guage.  There is also AT90USB1286 (128K) if needed.
> 
> 
A very easy and cheap option is to get the ready made ftdi USB to TTL 
level serial converters (from their online shop) and a simple AVR 
ATtiny2313. This part has 4 PWM's for driving the gauges, a UART to 
receive values for the gauges and some spare IO to flash a backlight 
LED. The FTDI USB adapters come with a virtual COM driver for Windows so 
you can control your gauges from Python, VB, Java, C++ or whatever you 
feel comfortable with!

Antoon

"Jaded Hobo" <badboy@heaven.org> skrev i meddelandet 
news:470bc871$0$19309$9a622dc7@news.kpnplanet.nl...
> linnix wrote:
>> On Oct 8, 8:24 am, James Fraser <j...@concentric.net> wrote:
>>> On Oct 5, 6:36 pm, Jim Granville <no.s...@designtools.maps.co.nz>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>> James Fraser wrote:
>>>>> or this, I suppose:
>>>>> http://www2.silabs.com/tgwWebApp/public/web_content/products/Microcon...
>>>>> It looks like I need the $120 answer to develop what I want. The $30
>>>>> answer you linked to wouldn't allow new code needed to hook up a DAC,
>>>>> I think. Correct me if I'm wrong.
>>> I looked into this a bit further. Both Microchip and Silicon Labs
>>> would require that I buy the full version of the development
>>> environment for $495. (Microchip requires the full version for support
>>> for some of the chips with ethernet, and Silicon Labs requires the
>>> full version of the Kiel tools to have more than 4 KB code. Even their
>>> example web app requires more than 4 KB and can't be compiled with the
>>> limited version.)
>>
>> If you don't want to pay for development tools, I would push you back
>> into AVR.  AvrStudio/win-avr/gcc-avr are free.  ISP downloader/USB
>> bootloader are possible.  AT90USB82/162 (8K/16K usb device) are more
>> than enough for a guage.  There is also AT90USB1286 (128K) if needed.
>>
>>
> A very easy and cheap option is to get the ready made ftdi USB to TTL 
> level serial converters (from their online shop) and a simple AVR 
> ATtiny2313. This part has 4 PWM's for driving the gauges, a UART to 
> receive values for the gauges and some spare IO to flash a backlight LED. 
> The FTDI USB adapters come with a virtual COM driver for Windows so you 
> can control your gauges from Python, VB, Java, C++ or whatever you feel 
> comfortable with!
>
> Antoon

Seems a waste when you can do what you want in a single SAM7S321.
There is easy to use USB CDC S/W which will give you that virtual COM port.

-- 
Best Regards,
Ulf Samuelsson
This is intended to be my personal opinion which may,
or may not be shared by my employer Atmel Nordic AB