ECUs and Tuning Discuss Engine Management, Tuning, & Programming

Help me choose a MICROCONTROLLER board

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 08-23-2010, 05:52 PM
  #1  
Elite Member
Thread Starter
 
JasonC SBB's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 6,420
Total Cats: 84
Default Help me choose a MICROCONTROLLER board

I want to start designing stuff to AUGMENT my AEM ECU to add functions it doesn't have, or is weak on.


Basic Stamp? (no built in analog inputs0
Propeller?
Arduino? Which one?

Here's what I want:
- at least 2, maybe 3 analog inputs, 0-5V
- a couple of digital outputs - I don't mind adding my own buffers
- a few of the digital outputs are PWM for like WI and/or boost control
- I want those PWM outputs to be good for 10 Hz to 500 or 1000 Hz.
- I want to just have to say to a PWM output "I want X Hz and Y% duty", I don't want to have to code the loop, that's lame
- I want an on board clock that I can look up any time so I can figure out how many microseconds and milliseconds have elapsed since I did something. I only need 3 digits resolution of time, tho I will time different things, some are in the 100s of microseconds, some are 10s of milliseconds
- at least 2, maybe 3 "analog" outputs (PWM needs to be fast, like several kHz)

In addition, I want EASE of programming, EASE of the learning curve.
I have done a bit of C++ programming in the past.
I have done uC programming in college (Intel 8088 and Motorola 68xx family tho, no PICs, no RISC)
I prefer a system that uses a cheap simple USB or Serial cable connection and no fancy pricey interface board to program the thing.
I prefer that the uC board takes 10~16V happily. I want the I/O pins there, and I want it a quick simple affair to pull it from my car and connect to the programmer, like the Basic Stamp is.


The Basic Stamp has no analog inputs, so I guess that's out.
Can the Propeller do what I want?

Which Arduino is best?
The Duemilanove seems to fit what I want (does it?)
I couldn't find very much info on the Arduino stamp. What's its claim to fame? What is it lacking for my application?
JasonC SBB is offline  
Old 08-25-2010, 08:56 PM
  #2  
Elite Member
iTrader: (10)
 
Reverant's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Athens, Greece
Posts: 5,977
Total Cats: 355
Default

You want an Atmel. The Olimex board is fine, has 30+ generic I/Os, 8 ADCs, 4 PWM channels with timers, 2 serial ports. The PWM channels can from zub-hertz range to the megahertz range. Obviously natively in hardware, no need to code the loop. If you don't want to go SMD, you can pickup an ATMega644, which is like a Mega128 but has fewer PWM channels and timers (but still 8 10bit ADCs) in a 40-pin PDIP package. If you need to go even smaller, a Mega168 in a 28-pin package will have to do.

Dimitris
Reverant is offline  
Old 09-21-2010, 11:39 AM
  #3  
Junior Member
 
bloodline's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: London, England
Posts: 91
Total Cats: 0
Default

Please follow the Arduino thread, I will be posting there regarding the Duemilanove
bloodline is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Quinn
Cars for sale/trade
6
10-23-2016 07:58 AM
ReallyRottenTurbo
MEGAsquirt
4
09-22-2015 12:49 PM
TheNomad
Engine Performance
3
09-21-2015 10:20 PM
vehicular
General Miata Chat
12
09-14-2015 03:17 PM



Quick Reply: Help me choose a MICROCONTROLLER board



All times are GMT -4. The time now is 04:53 PM.