[Prev][Next][Index][Thread]
e(2): e: Microcontrollers, robots etc... w/qcam
jackc@bidra87.bbn.hp.com,Internet writes:
>I would be very interested in this also. Are these devices available in
>a completed unit,
>or does this involve building with chips and PCB's?
The 68HC11 is a self contained microcontroller system on a chip. It can run
in single chip mode with only a few external components, namely, a crystal,
a few capacitors, and a few resistors for mode control, add a 1488 and 1489
line drivers and presto, you have RS232 with the builtin UART. You can get
versions that have the BUFFALO monitor/debugger built into the factory mask
programmed 8 or 12K ROM, couple that with the RS232 is all you need to
start developing and testing 68HC11 code from your PC. Within the chip are
pretty much all of the components you need for small scale controller
applications. To give an idea of the upward boundaries of the chip's
capabilities, the 68Hc11 is what is used inside of the Motorola celular
phones and is also what is used as the on-board computer in General Motors
cars that control ignition timing, fuel injection, and anti-lock brakes.
There are a multitude of 68HC11 development boards available on the market,
Motorola has a good selection (see:www.motorola.com) of these and there are
many third party vendors of these kinds of boards, a good magazine that
advertises allot of 68HC11 products is called "Midnight Engineering", you
can also find allot of info on the web.
Mike Sharkey
X11 Development
SoftArc Inc.
msharkey@softarc.com
References: