Electronics Newbie needs help.

I have just a very basic understanding on electronics, but I need to learn more in order to complete a project that I am working on for a consumer product I am building.

This is what I am looking to do:

I will have three "black box" electronic circuits/devices. I'll call them BB1, BB2, and BB3.

BB1 is an electronic device that I already have. This device puts out a number between 20 and 100. It sends this number to BB2. BB2 does some calculations using the number from BB1, and then sends a new number to BB3. BB3 is an LCD screen, composed of a grid of pixels, which will turn on different pixels depending on the number sent to it from BB2.

Assume device BB1 and BB3 are already made. What I want to know is if there is some kind of chip programming kit I can buy, which would include a programmable chip, a connection for hooking that chip up to my computer, and a software package that will allow me to program the chip. This chip would essentially be BB2 in the scenario I described above. This would allow me to program different mathematical algorithms into BB2, so I could test how the whole system works using different algorithms.


Is what I am asking possible? Or should I be going about this a different way?

Thanks.

You need a microcontroller.
Look at the "Microcontroller" section of this forum.
You probably won't need those BB1 or BB3 parts anymore, but you will spend a lot of time and effort making the PIC programmer behave, and choosing, understanding and programming the PIC or AVR.
That is why there are so many messages there :|

divideby0 said:

You need a microcontroller.
Look at the "Microcontroller" section of this forum.
You probably won't need those BB1 or BB3 parts anymore, but you will spend a lot of time and effort making the PIC programmer behave, and choosing, understanding and programming the PIC or AVR.
That is why there are so many messages there :|

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Ok, thanks. I wasn't sure where to post this because all of the acronyms and terms people were using were confusing. I'm a total newbie to this stuff.

I wish there was some kind of FAQ or forum for beginners to learn how to program the microcontrollers. I was looking at the microchip.com website and saw their products, like Mplabs, and figured that is what I need.

I have experience programming in C++ and other languages on the PC, but I've never programmed any microchips before. Does the Mplaps products come with good tutorials on learning how to program their chips? Thank you!

if you have a good idea of C, then it will be easy. Try reading some books, like Mazidi

RollingEEE said:

if you have a good idea of C, then it will be easy. Try reading some books, like Mazidi

Click to expand...

Thank you. I will see if I can find that book.

Will something like the MPLAB Real ICE In Circuit Emulator allow me to program microcontrollers?

It would probably help if I explained that this project is for a device my company is designing for the consumer market. We plan on applying for a patent with this device, so I am trying to figure out a way to make a prototype in house, so nobody copies our idea.

ETA: By the way. I apologize because I realize now that this is probably the wrong forum. Maybe a moderator can move it to the appropriate place? Thank you.

Hi,

I think Mazidi's book is much dedicated towards microprocessors and assimbly language, it's better to read tutorials and/or application notes made by either Atmel or Microchip, depending on which microcontroller u will choose.

Best Wishes,
Ahmad,

sadams said:

RollingEEE said:

if you have a good idea of C, then it will be easy. Try reading some books, like Mazidi

Click to expand...

Thank you. I will see if I can find that book.

Will something like the MPLAB Real ICE In Circuit Emulator allow me to program microcontrollers?

It would probably help if I explained that this project is for a device my company is designing for the consumer market. We plan on applying for a patent with this device, so I am trying to figure out a way to make a prototype in house, so nobody copies our idea.

ETA: By the way. I apologize because I realize now that this is probably the wrong forum. Maybe a moderator can move it to the appropriate place? Thank you.

Click to expand...

Yes. I think you should try Proteus. It is the best simulation program I have ever seen

Do you have a link to the Proteus software? Thanks.

go to h**p://www.labcenter.co.uk/

you can download the demo version, that does not allow you to save. If you like it you can buy it