beginning in embedded industry

Hi all,
    I learn computer from colleague and all my development experience
is on desktop computer. I want to do something new. I want to begin to
do interface with hardware and, hopefully, can do something useful
(say, to make a simple toy). I don't know how to start and I need you
suggestion/help. Say, where/what hardware should I buy? And how to
"program" those little device? Any knowledge I should know (please
help to list ADAP)?
    Thanks for all.

Hi there !

You should start with simple projects. Think about something you'd like to 
try. How about a small PCB board that has flashing LEDs ? Interfaced through 
a pareller port, perhaps ? When this works, you could try upgrading it to 
interface through a USB port, for example, to increase the complexity 
without doing radical changes. Put your software skills to work and write a 
device driver for the USB version ?

Another fine example of a simple embedded design is a measurement or control 
of somekind. How about coding a remote control unit, that's plugged to your 
PC and can control your TV ? Or how about an audio device ? Take your home 
CD-player, build an audio digitizer board (a simple ADC IC is enough), plug 
in the stereo cord from the CD-player and have your PC read it through USB, 
for example.

All these can be considered 'toys'. They start simple, but offer a large 
variety and lots of challenges. Also, by doing small 'upgrade' changes, you 
can practise more and still keep a good basis of the original work.

-Antti Keskinen 

Hi,

You can search the net for hobby electronics projects. If you`d like to
do some work with microcontrollers, which is what ud like to do for
making small "toys", you can start with simple ones like the 8051s or
TinyAVRs. Search for these on google, youl find plenty of stuff for
beginners.

Have Fun!

ccwork wrote:

> Hi all,
>     I learn computer from colleague and all my development experience
> is on desktop computer. I want to do something new. I want to begin to
> do interface with hardware and, hopefully, can do something useful
> (say, to make a simple toy). I don't know how to start and I need you
> suggestion/help. Say, where/what hardware should I buy? And how to
> "program" those little device? Any knowledge I should know (please
> help to list ADAP)?
>     Thanks for all.

Have a look at:
http://www.dontronics.com/dt006.html
that may be what you are looking for.

Don...


-- 
Don McKenzie
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