9) FINDING OUT MORE ABOUT MICROCONTROLLERS
If you are interested in learning more about microcontrollers, there
are many fine sources of information. You have your choice of
printed media (books, periodicals, informative graffiti) or
interactive (right here on the Internet, or BBSs).
8-bit Microcontroller Instruction Set Performance
- Digitial Systems Consulting / June 1994
- compares Motorola's M68HC05, Intel's 80x51,
Microchip's PIC16C5x, and National's COP8
- lit number 630008
- (800)272-9959 call this number for copies
The 16 bit 8096: Programming, Interfacing, Applications
- Ron Katz and Howard Boyet
- Microprocessor Training Inc
14 East 8th Street, New York, NY 10003
212-473-4947
- Library of Congress Catalog card number: 85-61954
- According to William Chernoff: "The book is pretty good -
mostly software examples. The one hardware thing I looked
closely at was wrong - a schematic error. Oh well."
The 68hc11 Microcontroller
- Joseph D. Greenfield (at R.I.T.)
- Saunders College Publishing, (Harcourt Brace Jovanovich)
- 1992
- ISBN 0-03-051588-2
- A number of the sections make use of the Buffalo monitor.
This could be useful if you are using the Motorola Trainer EVB.
The 8051 Family of Microcontrollers
-Richard H. Barnett
-Prentice-Hall, 1995 (yeah, that's right, 1995!)
-ISBN 0-02-306281-9
8051 Interfacing and Applications
- Applied Logic Engineering
13008 93rd Place North, Maple Grove, MN 55369
- (612)494-3704
The 8051 Microcontroller
- I. Scott MacKenzie
- Prentice Hall
- 2nd edition, 1995
- ISBN 0-02-373660-7
- includes schematics for a single-board computer,
assembly-language source code for a monitor program, and
interfaces to a keypad, LEDs, and loudspeaker
The 8051 Microcontroller
- James W. Stewart
- Regents/Prentice-Hall, 1993
- $27.50, 273 pages
- includes many interfacing examples (switches, solenoids,
relays, shaft encoders, displays, motors, and A/D converters)
and a chapter on top-down design method
The 8051 Microcontroller: Architecture, Programming and Applications
- Kenneth J. Ayala
- 241 pages, soft cover
- 5.25" diskette with assembler and simulator
- ISBN 0-314-77278-2, Dewey 004.165-dc20
- West Publishing Company
P.O. Box 64526, St. Paul, MN 55164
(800)328-9352
- see review in next section
The Art of Programming Embedded Systems
- Jack G. Ganssle
- 1992, 279pp, $55.00
- ISBN: 0-12-274880-0
- CONTENTS: Introduction, Initial Considerations. Elegant
Structures. Designs for Debugging. Design for Test. Memory
Management. Approximations. Interrupt Mamangement. Real-Time
Operating Systems. Signal Sampling and Smoothing. A Final
Perspective. Appendixes: Magazines, File Format. Serial
Communications. Bibliography. Index.
Assembly Language Programming (for the MCS-51 family)
- F. A. Lyn
- L. S. Electronic Systems Design
Basic-52 Programmer's Guide
- Systronix, Inc. (they also sell a Basic compiler)
- address above
Beginner's Guide
- Suncoast Technologies
A Beginners Guide to the Microchip PIC
- Nigel Gardner
- Character Press, Ltd. (UK)
- ISBN 1 899013 00 8
- software (on floppy) and hardware guide, debugging techniques
- suitably titled, for those with no previous microcontroller
experience
- 19.95 UK Pounds
The PIC Source Book:
- assembly language source code on diskette
- $39
- Scott Edwards Electronics
964 Cactus Wren Lane, Sierra Vista, AZ 85635
(602)459-4802 Fax: (602)459-0623
72037.2612@compuserve.com
C and the 8051
- Thomas W. Schultz
- Prentice Hall
- ISBN 0-13-753815-4
Data Acquisition and Process Control with the M68HC11 Microcontroller
- Frederick Driscoll, Robert Coughlin, Robert Villanucci of
Wentworth Institute of Technology.
- Macmillan Publishing Company
- 1994
- ISBN 0-02-33055-X
- Several Chapters on the 68HC11, instructions, and EVB;
chapters on interfacing Analog and Digital signals to the
68HC11; example applications of interfaces to temperature,
load cell, pressure and thermocouple sensors.
- a good companion to Motorola's "pink" books
Data book / Handbook / Users' Guide
- Advanced Micro Devices
- Dallas (User's guide for the DS5000)
- Intel
- Siemens
Design with Microcontrollers
- John B. Peatman
- ISBN 0-07-049238-7
- This book is on a more advanced level. Uses both the 68hc11
and Intel 8096 as example systems.
- Used for a very popular course on microcontroller design at
Georgia Tech.
Embedded Controller Forth for the 8051 Family
- Academic Press
- William H. Payne
- uses a Forth development system available on the Internet
Embedded Controllers Databook 1992 Edition
- National Semiconductor Corporation
- literature number: 400049
- (800)272-9959 call this number for for copies
Embedded Systems Programming in C and Assembler
- John Forrest Brown
- Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1994
- 304 pages, $49.95
- ISBN 0-442-01817-7
- covers Motorola and Intel processors
- includes diskette with code from the book
- book review in Dr. Dobb's Journal, November 1994, page 121
Experimenter's guide
- Rigel Corporation
Introduction to Microcontroller Design, Based on the 8051 family of
Processors
- Business Data Computers
P.O. Box 1549, Chester, CA 96020
M68hc11 Reference Manual
- Motorola - literature reference M68HC11RM/AD
- This document is the "bible" of the 6811 and is a must-have
for any serious 6811 programmer.
MC68hc811E2 Programming Reference Guide
- Motorola - literature reference M68HC811E2RG
- A pocket-sized guide to the version of the 6811 used on the
Mini Board
The Microcontroller Idea Book
- Jan Axelson (of Microcomputer Journal fame)
- features the 8052-BASIC microcontroller
- hands-on guide with complete plans (schematics, design theory,
program listings, construction details, etc)
- explains how to use sensors, relays, displays, clock/calendars,
keypads, wireless links, and more
- 1994, 273 pages, $31.95 + shipping
- Lakeview Research, 2209 Winnebago St., Madison, WI 53704
(608)241-5824 Internet: 71163.3555@compuserve.com
- contact the author at janaxel@aol.com
Microcomputer Engineering
- Gene H. Miller
- Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632
- 1993
- ISBN 0-13-584475-4
- Explains the basics. Many clear and concise assembly language
example programs.
- Written to be used with the Motorola Trainer (EVB).
Microcontroller Technology, The 68hc11
- Peter Spasov
- Prentice Hall
- ISBN 0-13-583568-2
Microcontrollers: Architecture, Implementation, and Programming
- Kenneth Hintz and Daniel Tabak
- McGraw-Hill Inc. 1992
- ISBN 0-07-028977-8
Microprocessor 1995
- Jack Quinn, Micrologic Research
- Integrated Circuit Engineering Corporation
15022 North 75th St., Scottsdale, AZ 85260-2476
(602)998-9780 Fax: (602)9481925
- comprehensive study of the microprocessor industry and market,
current status, trends, and developments
- $1495
- Microprocessor 1996 due out in November
PIC 16Cxx Development Tools instructions manuals
- Parallax, Inc.
- Instruction manual for the Parallax PIC assemblers
- Instruction manual for the Parallax Software Simulator
- Instruction manual for the Parallax PIC programmer hardware
- Details the Parallax PIC instruction set
PIC 16Cxx Applications Handbook
- Parallax, Inc.
- Contains condensed data sheets for '5x, '64, '71, and '84
controllers
- Contains 14 application notes showing circuits and code for
common projects using the PIC series of microcontrollers.
Posix.4: Programming for the Real World
- Bill O. Gallmeister
- O'Reilly and Associates, 1995
- ISBN 1-56592-074-0
- Part I of the book describes the Posix standard (what it is,
what it isn't, and what it's for), and explains the principles
of real time programming (tasking, messages, scheduling, I/O,
and performance) and why Unix isn't fit for real-time
programming. Part II is a reference on the Posix functions and
header files. Part III contains much of the code for the
exercises in the book.
Programmer's Guide to the 1802
- Tom Swan
- Hayden Book Company, Inc., 1981
- ISBN 0-8104-5183-2
- good introduction to assembly language progamming and an
thorough tutorial on the 1802
Programming Microcontrollers in C
- Ted Van Sickle
- HighText Publications, 1994
- 394 pages, $29.95
- ISBN 1-878707-14-0
- thorough tutorial on C programming, covers aspects of C
programming specific to embedded systems
- covers the Motorola line of microcontrollers (small to large)
- book review in Dr. Dobb's Journal, November 1994, page 121
The Real-Time Kernel
- Jean Labrosse
- R&D Publications, Inc.
Suite 200 1601 W 23rd St., Lawrence, KS 66046
- (913)841-1631 Fax: (913)841-2624
- Based on the article "A Portable Real Time Kernel in C"
in Embedded Systems Programming (Part 1: vol 5 no 5
May 1992, Part 2: vol 5 no 6 June 1992)
- originally written for the Intel 186 but ported to HC11
source code for UCOS11
Single- and Multiple-Chip Microcomputer Interfacing
- G.J. Lipovski
- Copyright 1988
- 478 pages
- ISBN 0-13-810557-X (Prentice-Hall Edition)
ISBN 0-13-810573-1 (Motorola Edition)
- Based around the 68HC11 it covers both hardware and
software at undergraduate level, but the emphasis is on
interfacing.
- Chapter titles:
1 Microcomputer Architecture
2 Programming Microprocessors
3 Bus Hardware and Signals
4 Parallel and Serial I/O
5 Interrupts and Alternatives
6 Analog Interfacing
7 Counters and Timers
8 Communications Systems
9 Storage and Display Systems
Single- and Multiple- Chip Microcomputer Interfacing (Lab Manual)
- Peter Song and G. Jack Lipovski
- Prentice-Hall, 1988
- ISBN 0-13-811605-9
- Support for the above book. Examples based around the Motorola
EVB and the BUFFALO monitor or the EVBU (or 3-chip micro) and
PC-Bug11.
User Manual for the CDP1802 COSMAC Microprocessor
- RCA, 1977
- contains useful hardware and software techniques
Motorola
- M68hc11 Reference Manual, ref # M68HC11RM/AD
this document is the "bible" of the 6811 and is a must-have
for any serious 6811 programmer
contact Motorola at 800-521-6274 (in the U.S.) to get a free
copy of this manual
- MC68hc811E2 Programming Reference Guide, ref # M68HC811E2RG
a pocket-sized guide to the version of the 6811 used on the
Mini Board, "ownership of this handy reference is proof of
being a true 6811 nerd" - by Fred Martin
National Semiconductor - (800)272-9959 for copies
- COP8 Databook, ref # 400007
- COP8 Selection Guide, ref # 630006
- COP8 Designers Information Kit, ref # 6300007-005
contains: - COP8 Databook (1994 Edition)
- COP8 Selection Guide (1994 Edition)
- Independent 8-bit Instruction Set Analysis
- Independently prepared software analysis of
National's COP8, Motorola's M68Hc05, Intel's
80X51, and Microchip's PIC16C5X
- Utility and Overview Disks
- Self-lead overview on COP8, includes electronic
selection guide and sample application code
- COP8 Utility Disk, Mac ref # 6300000, Windows ref # 630001
typical microcontroller applications and sample code
available by ftp nscmicro.nsc.com in/pub/COP8
- COP8 Overview Disk, Mac ref # 630004, Windows ref # 630005
self-lead COP8 overview, shows product features/benifits
and includes a electronic selection guide (2 disks)
available by ftp nscmicro.nsc.com in /pub/COP8
Various magazines and journals (journals seems to be THE popular name
for magazines these days) provide articles from time to time on
microcontrollers. If you are just starting out learning, pick those
magazines that feature construction articles.
The Computer Applications Journal (Circuit Cellar Ink)
- programming and construction articles
- POB 7694, Riverton, NJ 08077-8784
- Fax: (203)872-2204
- Voice orders: (609) 786-0409
- On-line orders (BBS): (203) 871-1988
- Email orders: ken.davidson@circellar.com
- $21.95, $31.95 surface Canada and Mexico,
$49.95 air all other countries
Computer Design
- industry announcements and trends
- One Technology Park Drive, P.O. Box 990, Westford, MA 01886
- (508)692-0700
The Computer Journal
- programming and construction articles
- P.O. Box 3900, Citrus Heights, CA 95611-3900
- (800)424-8825 or (916) 722-4970 FAX: (916) 722-7480
- BBS: (916) 722-5799
- WWW: http://www.psyber.com/~tcj
- Email: tcj@psyber.com
Dave Baldwin: dibald@netcom.com
Bill Kibler: kibler@psyber.com
- USENET newsgroup alt.tcj
Control Engineering
- industry outlook on control, instrumentation, and automation
systems
- Cahners Publishing
- Circulation:
8773 S. Ridgeway Blvd., Highlands Ranch, CO 80126-2329
(303)470-4000
- Editorial/Executive Offices:
1350 E. Touhy Ave, P.O. Box 5080, Des Plaines, IL 60017-5080
(708)635-8800
Dr. Dobbs Journal
- programming articles, concepts, and designs
- 411 Borel Ave., San Mateo, CA 94402
- (415)358-9500
Electronic Engineering Times
- industry announcements and trends
- 500-B Bi-County Boulevard, Farmingdale, NY 11735
- (516)293-3000
Electronics Now
- construction articles
- Box 55115, Boulder, CO 80321-5115
- $19.97 one year
Elektor Electronics
- programming and construction articles
- World Wide Subscription Service Ltd
Unit 4, Gibbs Reed Farm, Pashley Road
Ticehurst TN5 7HE, England
- 27 UK pounds
or
- Old Colony Sound Lab, P.O. Box 243, Peterborough, NH 03458
- Tel. (603) 924-6371, 924-6526
- Fax: (603) 924-9467
- $57 USA and Canada per year
Embedded Systems Programming
- programming and systems design articles
- Miller Freeman Publications
- 500 Howard St., San Francisco, CA 94105
- Miller Freeman: (415)905-2200
Embedded Systems Programming phone: (800)829-5537
Forth Dimensions
- monthly magazine on Forth
- Forth Interest Group, P.O. Box 2154, Oakland, California 94621
- (510)893-6784 Fax: (510)535-1295
- Email: johnhall@aol.com
- Forth Interest Group home page:
http://taygeta.oc.nps.navy.mil/fig_home.html
Inquisitor Magazine
- If you're the type that watched Gilligan's Island for its
socio-political insights, then you'll love a new 'zine that
just crossed my desk - Inquisitor Magazine. It's general
philosophy seems to be ... well, it seems to be ... uh, yeah!
Technical in nature, bizarre, tongue in cheek, eclectic,
electric, did I mention bizarre(?), and lots of fun. Worth
looking at if you like the out of the ordinary. The moving
force behind this magazine is Daniel Drennan, who seems to have
suffered from an overdose of radiation from his computer
monitor ;-).
- Planetarium Station, P.O.Box 132
New York, NY 10024-0132
- (212)595-8370
- Email: inquisitor@echonyc.com
- $16 per year (4 issues)
Microcomputer Journal (formerly Computer Craft)
- programming and construction articles
- 76 N. Broadway, Hicksville, NY 11801
- $18.95 one year, foreign $23.00, foreign air mail $76.00
Midnight Engineering
- 1700 Washington Ave., Rocky Road, CO 81067
- (719)254-4553
MW Media - Product Directories
- Motorola Microcontroller Tools Directory
('94 edition out in 3 weeks)
- Motorola 68K Source ('94 edition available now)
- Intel Development Tools Handbook ('95 edition just beginning)
(survey of commercial development tools for the 8051, 8096,
and 80186 lines of Intel microprocessors)
- Embedded Intel 386 Directory (released in Aug '94)
- Intel 486/Pentium directory (forthcoming in '95)
- 8051 Product Directory ('94 edition out in 4 weeks)
(survey of various 8051 products)
- Hitachi Microcontroller Development Tools Directory
(out in '95)
- AMD FusionE86 Directory (out in '95)
(186,386,486)
- AMD 29K Directory (pending in '95)
- Low Power Product Directory (out in '95)
(3.3. volts and lower)
- DSP Directory (released in May '94)
- Multimedia CD (hopefully out in '95)
- These documents could very well be a "must" if you're into
serious development using any of these chips. If you are
"just" a hobbyist, see how the "other half" lives.
- FREE to qualified developers
- MW Media
- Fairmont Plaza, 50 W. San Fernando, #675, San Jose, CA 95113
- (408)288-4721 (408)286-4200 FAX: (408)288-4728
Nuts & Volts Magazine
- A National Publication for the Buying and Selling of
Electronic Equipment
- 430 Princeland Court, Corona, CA 91719
- Mailed third class, USA only: $17.00 one year
$31.00 two years
- Mailed first class, one year only: $34.00-USA
$35.00-Canada/Mexico
- Foreign/Air Mail - $70.00; Foreign/Surface - $39.00
- (800)783-4624
- Email: 74262.3664@Compuserve.com
Various newsgroups frequently have discussions or information on
various microcontrollers. Among some of the more useful (especially
the first 3 newsgroups):
comp.robotics
Microcontrollers figure heavily in robotics projects. You will
find a lot of information about the subject in this newsgroup.
Even if you aren't building a robot, check this newsgroup out.
Lots of 68hc11 activity, too.
comp.arch.embedded (great!)
This is a great newsgroup. Well targetted discussions on aspects
of embedded systems and microcontrollers.
sci.electronics (lots of traffic, but good)
alt.comp.hardware.homebuilt (too much nonsense on PCs)
Some good places to find [mostly technical] discussions on
microcontroller use and implementation. Most of the participants
are crazy about "rolling their own", and are eager to share their
knowledge. These groups aren't well focused, and many subjects
that aren't relevant to embedded control are covered here.
comp.realtime
Since embedded systems (controllers/processors) are almost always
used in real time applications, this group could prove to be
useful. Occasional discussions about various microcontroller
topics.
alt.tcj
This newsgroup, although not well populated, contains discussions
on various projects featured in The Computer Journal (see the
section on periodicals).
comp.sys.m68k
The full line of Motorola 68000 microprocessors is discussed in
this newsgroup, including the very powerful and advanced embedded
processors and microcontrollers based on this family.
comp.sys.6809
This newsgroup covers an old-time favorite, the 6809
microprocessor, which is commonly used for control applications.
Motorola 8 bit microprocessors and microcontrollers (6805, 6811,
etc.) are also discussed in this newsgroup.
comp.sys.intel
Mostly trends and development are discussed in this newsgroup.
From time to time you will find a discussion on some technical
problem or feature. This newsgroup is usually fairly useless.
For a while the participants spent most of their time whining
about the Pentium bug. Now they're all moaning about Microsoft,
PowerPCs, and everything else BUT Intel parts. I propose changing
the name of this group to alt.crybabies.boo.hoo.hoo.
comp.lang.misc
Sometimes questions or discussions on different microcontroller
topics pop up here. I guess it's the ".misc" that attracts these
questions.
comp.ai.fuzzy
Fuzzy logic is rapidly becoming an increasingly important aspect
of [embedded] control systems. This group might very well become
an important forum for those involved in developing control
systems.
comp.dsp
Discussions on Digital Signal Processsing
comp.sys.ti
Texas Instruments products discussed here
sci.engr.control
This forum is for the discussion of control and embedded systems.
sci.engr.semiconductors
If you are interested in finding sources of information on a specific
microcontroller, check out the really fine FAQs ;-) that have been
compiled for the more popular microcontrollers.
Subject: PIC microcontrollers
Newsgroups: comp.realtime
comp.robotics
sci.electronics
sci.electronics.repair
Archive: rtfm.mit.edu :
/pub/usenet/comp.answers/microcontroller-faq/PIC
/pub/usenet/sci.answers/microcontroller-faq/PIC
/pub/usenet/news.answers/microcontroller-faq/PIC
Maintainer: Tom Kellett
Email: Tom@takdsign.demon.co.uk
Subject: 8051 microcontrollers
Newsgroups: comp.sys.intel
comp.realtime
comp.robotics
comp.lang.forth
sci.electronics
Archive: rtfm.mit.edu :
/pub/usenet/comp.answers/microcontroller-faq/8051
/pub/usenet/sci.answers/microcontroller-faq/8051
/pub/usenet/news.answers/microcontroller-faq/8051
Maintainer: Russ Hersch
Email: russ@silicom.co.il
Subject: 68hc11 microcontrollers
Newsgroups: comp.realtime
comp.robotics
sci.electronics
Archive: rtfm.mit.edu :
/pub/usenet/comp.answers/microcontroller-faq/68hc11
/pub/usenet/sci.answers/microcontroller-faq/68hc11
/pub/usenet/news.answers/microcontroller-faq/68hc11
Maintainer: Russ Hersch
Email: russ@silicom.co.il
Subject: Motorola 68K microprocessor line
Newsgroups: comp.sys.m68k
Archive: ftp.ee.ualberta.ca : pub/motorola/general
ftp.luth.se : /pub/misc/motorola/faq
file name of archive is m68kfaq?.zip (? is version)
Comments: - also includes information on the 683xxx and 68hc16
- without a doubt, one of the finest FAQs ever written
(well, of course Bob paid me to say this ;-)
Maintainer: Robert Boys - Ontario, Canada
Email: r.boys@genie.geis.com
or
fboys@uoguelph.ca
Subject: ST6 microcontroller FAQ
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
comp.arch.embedded
comp.robotics
comp.realtime
Maintainer: Emilio Caggiano - caggiano@vm.csata.it
Jerry van Kampen - ersicjer@er.ele.tue.nl
Leonhard Schneider - ubie@rz.uni-karlsruhe.de
Several other FAQs have been compiled that address various aspects of
microcontroller design and implementation.
Subject: I2C protocol
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
alt.hardware.homebuilt
comp.robotics
comp.protocols.misc.
Comments: The I2C bus is a simple 2 wire serial interface
developed by Philips. A number of 8051 variants as
well as several peripherals include I2C support.
Maintainer: Vincent Himpe
Email: Vincent.Himpe@ping.be
Subject: Robotics
Newsgroups: comp.robotics
Maintainer: Kevin Dowling
(412)268-8830
Email: nivek@ri.cmu.edu
Smail: Carnegie Mellon University
The Robotics Institute
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
Subject: Electronics
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Comments: There are a number of FAQs available in this newsgroup
on various subjects. Among some of the subjects covered
are: LCDs, stepper motors, suppliers, etc.
Subject: Real-time
Newsgroups: comp.realtime, comp.answers, news.answers
Archive: rtfm.mit.edu : pub/usenet/comp.realtime
Maintainer: Mark Linimon
Lonesome Dove Computing Services
Roanoke, Virginia
Email: linimon@nominil.lonesome.com.
Subject: Neural Networks
Newsgroups: comp.ai.neural-nets,comp.answers,news.answers
Archive: rtfm.mit.edu : pub/usenet/neural-net-faq
Maintainer: Lutz Prechelt
Email: prechelt@ira.uka.de
Subject: Fuzzy Logic
Newsgroups: comp.ai.fuzzy,comp.answers,news.answers
Archive: rtfm.mit.edu : pub/usenet/fuzzy-logic/
Maintainer: Mark Kantrowitz
Email: mkant+@cs.cmu.edu
Subject: Embedded Systems FAQ Roadmap
Comments: Lists various sources of information on embedded systems
found on the Internet
Archive: email cera@netcom.com
send EMBFAQ in SUBJECT line
Maintainer: CERA Research
Subject: alt.comp.hardware.homebuilt FAQ
Newsgroups: alt.comp.hardware.homebuilt
Comments: This file contains frequently asked questions (FAQ) and
general information pertaining to the newsgroup
alt.comp.hardware.homebuilt.
Maintainer: Mark Sokos (msokos1@gl.umbc.edu)