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From: mollers.pad@nixpbe.uucp (Moellers)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Subject: Re: Small chip count microprocessor projects
Message-ID: <1360@nixpbe.UUCP>
Date: 15 Mar 90 07:27:08 GMT
References: <1247@swbatl.sbc.com>
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adams@swbatl.sbc.com (745) writes:

>I'ved been reading my new copy of The Art of Electronics (Horowitz & Hill
>Cambridge University Press, 2e 1989) and I'm finding it quite enjoyable.
>One topic it brings to mind is microprocessor based instruments (aka toys!).

>I'm interested in stuff that will fit on one proto-board, has a serial
>port, and provides some ttl level input and output.  Currently I'm 
>collecting information on suitable processors.  The Art of Electronics
>uses a  146805E2 in a low power application and a 68008 in a high 
>power signal averaging instrument.  An excellent recent article here
>mentioned the Motorola 68HC11A2, 68HC11E2, and 68HC11F1. These seem a 
>little high-powered for stuff I'm interested in doing & I wonder 
>what else is in common use.

>I'm curious about what other micro-controller/processors folks out there 
>have used, and how they stack up on:

>	1) Support chip count.
>	2) Assembly language ease of use
>	3) Neat stuff on-chip
>	4) Price/availability

If speed isn't the issue, You might want to consider Zilog's Z8, Intel's
8052AH or NatSemi's INS????, all of which have a version with a built-in BASIC
interpreter which makes programming less tedious.
I've built a tiny BASIC "computer" with the Z8 consisting of 2 chips:
the Z8 and a MAX232 RS232C I/F! (Not that it was of any use, no program
storage, but if You add an external latch (it has a mux'ed A/D-Bus) and
an EPROM You can at least run standalone pgms).

The Z8 has a 16-bit integer BASIC.
The 8052AH has a floating-point BASIC but needs more glue logic (and at
least one RAM chip).
I can't say much about NatSemi's INS????, I haven't used it.

The Z8 leaves one 8-bit port and one 6-bit port free to use (the 6 bit
port is 3 bits in - 3 bits out).
The 8052AH leaves no free pins (as far as I remember), You'll have to
add a 8055 or so.

NB There seems to be a 8052-"like" chip made by Siemens which has a
BASIC interpreter too.

Hope this helps
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