Regarding ARM micro controllers

[garvind25]

Hi,

I am interested in learning ARM micro controllers. I did some internet search and this has raised a few questions in my mind. Requesting anyone who is working with ARM uCs to pls. address these queries.

1. I was told that a majority of the modern day embedded system work in the industry is done with ARM uCs. Is it true?

2. What is meant by ARM7/ARM Cortex M3/M4 etc? Specifically what is the difference between ARMX and ARM Cortex X?

3. Are ARM uCs available in DIP packaging? Which DIP part number of ARM uC do you suggest to start off with?

4. Also which programming cable can I use to program an ARM DIP? Basically, I am looking forward to plug in an ARM uC in a bredboard and program it though a serial port interface
(mentioning serial port as usually serial port programmers are cheaper). Also I am ready to make one if anyone can point me to an appropriate resource :grin:

5. There are several ARM programming software utilities. Which one is a simple software to use pls?

6. Can you recommend any book for programming ARM micro controllers in C? I am looking for a step by step guide to do so. Kindly note that this query is most important.


Since I am planning to start learning the ARM uCs, any additional comments are also welcome. Just for your information, I have previously worked with 8051 uCs.
Looking forward to your responses.

Thanks,
Arvind Gupta.

 

[KlausST]

Hi,

I have only some minor experience with ARM.

Generally:
ARM is just an IP, this means people designed ARM and sold the design, they did not focus in selling silicon chips.
Thus there are many IC manufacturers that bought that ARM design and put it on their own silicon chips.

ARM became popular, because it is designed to consume low power while providing a lot of processing power.
They are widely used.
I assume every device (dellular phone, set top boxes, smart TV, IoT, printers, tablets, ....) that runs on Android has buit in ARM.
And there are even more ARM devices not running with Android.

***

Now you say you want DIP package and use it on breadboard.
I recommend not to do so. There are many pitfalls.
ARM processors are running on high frequency clock, you need stable clock, stable power supply and wiring that is suitable for that fast signals. A breadboard is not made for high frequency signals.
--> better use an ARM breakout board (which has installed the sensible circuit like: clock generator, all power supply capacitors, maybe memory and usually the programming interface) ... and use this on a breadboard.
You will avoid a lot of trouble. Like: one time it works, next time not. If you bend a wire it works otherwise not. If you come close with your finger it works otherwise not....

Do search for: "AVR breakout board", "ARM arduino", "Adafruit", "Sparkfun", "Raspberry"....


Klaus

 

[garvind25]

ARM processors are running on high frequency clock, you need stable clock, stable power supply and wiring that is suitable for that fast signals. A breadboard is not made for high frequency signals.
--> better use an ARM breakout board (which has installed the sensible circuit like: clock generator, all power supply capacitors, maybe memory and usually the programming interface) ... and use this on a breadboard.

Is it possible to suggest any low cost ARM breakout boards. I dont have any experience with these devices. I suppose these boards have USB programmability where I can directly plug the breakout board to the PC and program its flash memory. Also any answers to the other questions pls?

Thanks,
Arvind Gupta.

 

[KlausST]

Hi,

I can´t give a suggestion.

Generally:
If you ask for a suggestion without providing any information what you want to do with it.... leads to random suggestions.
Every member will give another suggestion.

I/O count, periferals like UART, I2C, SPI, but also ethernet, ADC, DAC, WiFi, USB device/OTG/Host, display port,

Klaus

 

[garvind25]

If you ask for a suggestion without providing any information what you want to do with it.... leads to random suggestions.

As mentioned I am planning to learn the usage of ARM uCs.

Regards,
Arvind Gupta

 

[KlausST]

Hi,

... it´s like: "I´m planning to learn sports" ... A wide range: from chess, referee, athletics ... to MMA.
Where to start? Don´t say: ballet ;-)


Klaus

 

[std_match]

Get an evaluation kit. It is very easy to get started.
This is just an example from one manufacturer:
https://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/STM32F411E-DISCO/497-15211-ND/5131480

 

[garvind25]

And can you recommend any book to read along with. I need a step by step guide.

Regards,
Arvind Gupta

 

[srizbf]

And can you recommend any book to read along with. I need a step by step guide.

Regards,
Arvind Gupta

Get "The insider's guide to the philips ARM7 Based controllers " -Trevor Martin(Author)

Though it is for the old Philips (changed to NXP and then to .?..)ARM based controllers it will give you the insight to ARM7 architecture in a simple way.

 

[garvind25]

OK. Thanks for your reply. BTW how is "STM32 Arm Programming for Embedded Systems" by Muhammad Ali Mazidi, Shujen Chen, Eshragh Ghaemi. Asking as Mazidi's 8051 book is a standard book.

Regards,
Arvind Gupta

 

[Electronics_chaitanya]

1.yes many of devices uses arm due to less power and higher speed.

2.its different versions of arm cores. As mentioned in post arm dnt make physical chips they only sell ip to other manufacturers. So you may find arm 7 with more or less peripherals. Like some chip having arm 7 may have 10 bit adc while other similar arm7 may have 12 bit adc inbuilt.

3.i m not sure about dip package but you may find breakout or development board for it. You can use STM32 board in India in less price.

4. Different manufacturers have diffrant programming cable so first of all you need to select chip you want to use. Then select cable for it.

5. Again you need to select chip first then move to software as software of ARM chip made by TI can not be used to program ARM Chip of NXP.

6. YouTube or you can use datasheet and application notes provided by manufacturer.

In short use Google or Bing or duckduck go and do some research then select the chip.... Step by step go ahead.

 

[doraemon]

Hello!

You may consider ST microelectronics boards. They have a very large lineup, including very
cheap boards. I recently bought a Nucleo H7 something, and it's around 20 ~ 30 USD
(If I remember correctly). But at that price, you get a processor which is awfully fast
(400 MHz) which gives you a great sandbox to play with for a few years.
Now this is a complex device and I would recommend to start with one in the low end.

NB: with the nucleo series, the programming interface is on board, you just need a USB
cable which comes with the board, so basically you buy one board, period. No extra fee.
It's not like a PIC where you have to buy the pic interface, about 40 USD or so.

Dora.

As mentioned I am planning to learn the usage of ARM uCs.

Regards,
Arvind Gupta

 

[ZASto]

For ~$2 you can buy "Blue Pill".
**broken link removed**
Not a beast, but ARM core. You can use GCC, Arduini IDE, ... for programming it.
Download datasheet http://www.st.com/resource/en/datasheet/cd00161566.pdf and study it.
If you change the uC anyway the first thing is to study it's datasheet to familiarize yourself with it's organization, registers, possibilities, ...

 

[doraemon]

Hello!
Not sure of what it is, but the link you provided talks about a "sketch". Let's face it, it's not the
way a student can learn the subtleties of embedded programming. Well, that will depend of
what he wants to do.
Dora.

For ~$2 you can buy "Blue Pill".
**broken link removed**
Not a beast, but ARM core. You can use GCC, Arduini IDE, ... for programming it.
Download datasheet http://www.st.com/resource/en/datasheet/cd00161566.pdf and study it.
If you change the uC anyway the first thing is to study it's datasheet to familiarize yourself with it's organization, registers, possibilities, ...