CompuServe Messages

Well… It really depends on what you mean by a "tutorial" What's your level of hardware expertise? Is this your first foray into microproc design? If this is your first attempt… (if not, skip it) To give you an example, at my first job I created several 6805 based consumer electronics devices. Although I was primarily a software designer, the requirements were simple enough that I was also able to do most of the hardware, at least the logic design. Digital hardware design is much like software design in assembly, at least in theory, so I was able to grasp it easily. But designing the analog interfaces to real-world sensors and displays, as well as the power supply, required the help of an experienced hardware designer. This seems to be a big division in the world of hardware design – digital vs analog. In addition, there's the whole issue of target system emulation. Basically, you design and build a prototype with a socket for the processor, then plug an emulator into the socket. This emulator is an adapter card/box that connects your target hardware prototype to your computer. It looks like a processor to your hardware, but looks like a terminal connection to your computer. By running a program on the computer, you control the emulator and effectively "step through" your code on the target hardware. The problem comes in if your hardware needs interaction with the processor at full speed – then you have to set breakpoints at places in the code that will freeze the hardware in a known state so you can examine it. And that assumes that your hardware is reliable, or you won't know whether your problems are hardware or software. Its a very different and messy process, coming from the software world. Where to go… When I was doing this, there was a great magazine called "Embedded Design" or something like that. I think they're out of business, but that's a good buzzword to watch for. I never did find a good source of beginner-intermediate level info – I just learned from coworkers who already had experience. It always seemd a bit of a black art, but there must be info somewhere. Any thoughts, anyone? Will Morse