Hello group, I'm planning to learn micro-controller programming and will appreciate it if you somebody could help me to decide on a platform to start. I have chose ARM series but currently there are two different models as: 1) LM3S811 2) MCB2300 1) which one would be a better choice for a newbie? 2) which one is better for RTOS? 3) which one has better documentation and samples that I can learn from? Regards.
question about ARM
Started by ●May 25, 2008
Reply by ●May 25, 20082008-05-25
Hello group, I'm planning to learn micro-controller programming and will appreciate it if you somebody could help me to decide on a platform to start. I have chose ARM series but currently there are two different models as: 1) LM3S811 2) MCB2300 1) which one would be a better choice for a newbie? 2) which one is better for RTOS? 3) which one has better documentation and samples that I can learn from? Regards.
Reply by ●May 25, 20082008-05-25
> 1) LM3S811 > 2) MCB2300 > > 1) which one would be a better choice for a newbie?Although both ARM devices, these are completely different cores. The 2300 being ARM7 based, and the LM3S811 being Cortex-M3 based. The MCB2300 has Ethernet, whereas LM3S811 does not. If you go for the Cortex M3 then why not go for an LM3S8962, or LM3S6965, as these also have built in Ethernet (including built in PHY).> 2) which one is better for RTOS?You cannot answer that question without putting in the context of an application - I know this is a learning exercise for you so you don't have an end application. The Cotex-M3 is designed from the ground up to be an embedded core and includes features that make it very easy to support using an RTOS. The ARM7 requires a slightly more complex RTOS implementation, but it works just fine too.> 3) which one has better documentation and samples that I can learn > from?There is plenty of documentation and tools for both. You can find many examples on the net for the LPC2368/LPC2378, while Luminary Micro themselves provide a really good set of drivers and examples for the LM3Sxxxx parts. The Cortex-M3 is simpler to get up and running, so if you are new to this then maybe that would be the best choice? Again without putting it into context of a real application it is difficult to say which. -- Regards, Richard. + http://www.FreeRTOS.org & http://www.FreeRTOS.org/shop 17 official architecture ports, more than 5000 downloads per month. + http://www.SafeRTOS.com Certified by T�V as meeting the requirements for safety related systems.
Reply by ●May 25, 20082008-05-25
ramsin ha scritto:> > Hello group, > > I'm planning to learn micro-controller programming and will appreciate > it if you somebody could help me to decide on a platform to start. > > I have chose ARM series but currently there are two different models > as: > > 1) LM3S811 > 2) MCB2300 > > 1) which one would be a better choice for a newbie?I agree with Richard, there isn't an absolute best choice. The LM3S811 has a Cortex-M3 core that is embedded optimized, so, eventually, I think that will see more of them in the future. The ARM7TDMI core is much older and maybe, you will find more documentation now, but I think that this is going to change in the future.> 2) which one is better for RTOS?Both of them are equally usable by an RTOS. Maybe at the current moment there are more RTOSes supporting Philips than Luminary processors, but things are changing rapidly, and if you are doing this for learning purposes maybe you should spend time on the newer one (Luminary).> 3) which one has better documentation and samples that I can learn > from?Maybe Philips NXP processors have better diffusion, but Luminary is doing a great job in supplying drivers and documentation, so, final decision is up to you, without any context information is not possible to say which is the best. -- _|/ Francesco Sacchi - Develer S.r.l., R&D dept. |\ http://www.develer.com/ - http://www.bertos.org
Reply by ●May 25, 20082008-05-25
On 25 May, 09:38, ramsin <ramsin.sa...@gmail.com> wrote:> Hello group, > > I'm planning to learn micro-controller programming and will appreciate > it if you somebody could help me to decide on a platform to start. > > I have chose ARM series but currently there are two different models > as: > > 1) LM3S811 > 2) MCB2300 > > 1) which one would be a better choice for a newbie? > 2) which one is better for RTOS? > 3) which one has better documentation and samples that I can learn > from? >If you haven't used a micro-controller before you will probably find the ARM rather overwhelming. It might be best to start with a simpler device. Leon
Reply by ●May 25, 20082008-05-25
FreeRTOS.org wrote:> The Cotex-M3 is designed from the ground up to be an embedded core and > includes features that make it very easy to support using an RTOS.I thought it was just a Thumb-only ARM. What features did they add that you've found useful for RTOS support?
Reply by ●May 25, 20082008-05-25
Eric Smith wrote:> FreeRTOS.org wrote: > > The Cotex-M3 is designed from the ground up to be an embedded core and > > includes features that make it very easy to support using an RTOS. > > I thought it was just a Thumb-only ARM. What features did they add that > you've found useful for RTOS support?You are correct that it is essentially a thumb 2 instruction set. It was designed not to need underlying ARM instructions w..
Reply by ●May 26, 20082008-05-26
On May 25, 4:38=A0pm, ramsin <ramsin.sa...@gmail.com> wrote:> Hello group, > > I'm planning to learn micro-controller programming and will appreciate > it if you somebody could help me to decide on a platform to start. > > I have chose ARM series but currently there are two different models > as: > > 1) LM3S811 > 2) MCB2300 > > 1) which one would be a better choice for a newbie? > 2) which one is better for RTOS? > 3) which one has better documentation and samples that I can learn > from? > > Regards.I also have the same situation, looking forward somebody's suggestion.
Reply by ●May 26, 20082008-05-26
hello:> I have chose ARM series but currently there are two different modelsas: excellent choice. 1. ARM is, i think, the most popular CPU core right now, used in iPod and in many mobile phones. 2. ARM has a very interesting design philosophy. its RISC and also has conditional execution of ALL instructions. it also has a Thumb mode. these are unique to the ARM. 3. its 32-bit in a small, inexpensive package so that you can run uCLinux on it easily. so, if you learn ARM, you learn a new architecture and can also install Linux on your simple MCU board. you learn Linux also. this is the future and you will be prepared for the future! have fun! Aaron
Reply by ●May 26, 20082008-05-26
"Walter Banks" <walter@bytecraft.com> wrote in message news:4839E84F.3E4C4987@bytecraft.com...> > > Eric Smith wrote: > >> FreeRTOS.org wrote: >> > The Cotex-M3 is designed from the ground up to be an embedded core and >> > includes features that make it very easy to support using an RTOS. >> >> I thought it was just a Thumb-only ARM. What features did they add that >> you've found useful for RTOS support? > > You are correct that it is essentially a thumb 2 instruction set. It was > designed not to need underlying ARM instructionsAdditional even the interrupts run Thumb2 code and they look like normal functions for code generation. Interrupts are nestable. For other ARM devices interrupts run ARM code and need special games to nest (switching execution modes and stacks). So Cortex-M series (there is also an M1) are more like regular single-stack micros. Peter