[peppercorn (OP)]

As a trumped-up Sparky (A BEng who went into software), I've never used my electronics knowledge in anger.  .... Now I would like to change that!

One thing I can readily do is come up with bespoke project ideas that could, I think, be fairly easily implemented with PIC-style devices, and without going into too much detail I believe might be commercially worthy on a low production-count basis.

There are several levels of complexity for such devices, but I would like to get going on a programmer that can handle the simplest onwards - then building up over time.

Additionally there are also several other flavours of microcontrollers, that may be better over the longterm for a software bod like myself! - The ARM uP spring to mind...

So.... what are you 'leccy peeps personal fave's?  What would you recomend and why? Is there a favoured programmer (under £50 ideally) to get going on, or are they all much of a muchness?

BTW - 'm not so interested in development (all-in-one type) boards - as they don;t appear to be interchangeable (1-PIC for life!)...

Thanks!

[Geezer]

PIC is pretty good if your product is really cost sensitive. I think some of the Zilog variants are interesting too, but that's just because I'm familiar with them.

[peppercorn (OP)]

Zilog - like the Z80? I remember those from college []

What about ARMs? They are popular too, but the development start up costs are a bit higher I believe.

I'd like to develop a security device - one that can use a 'missing-tooth' wheel to signal the movement of a rotary combination lock.
I have several other ideas in the pipeline, but I thought this might be a good one to start with...

Any further suggestions, from those with SoC experience, would be greatly appreciated!

[Geezer]

I think they have a Zilog Z800 version these days. ARM is very powerful, but the core is a bit on the big side.

Probably all depends on what you are most familiar with, and how much code you'll have to support. Personally, I always thought the best approach was to compress the crap out of everything on the basis that the fewer lines of code, the fewer bugs to contend with.

Related Story: I was a tech in a computer science department and we were messing around with the 8080. The prof of the department made a great hullabaloo about how he had written the ultimate manual bootstrap program that only occupied ten bytes. He even had bets going with the undergrads that they couldn't shrink it.

He was really pissed when I found a way to knock it down to eight bytes!

[peppercorn (OP)]

He was really pissed when I found a way to knock it down to eight bytes!

Ha! I know who to come to for code optimisation []