Mapuia
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How do I start learning about microcontrollers? Which platform do you suggest?
I can hear experienced regulars and old-timers groaning
and I don't blame them. These questions must have been asked and answered in this and other forums over and over again. However, my situation is probably a bit different from that of most other beginners. So please bear with me while I explain the circumstances.
I live in one of the most remote corners of a developing country and started teaching myself electronics during the transition from vacuum tubes to solid-state (Yes, I am an old guy). With the help of whatever outdated books and magazines I could get my hands on, it became a profession but I still treat it as a hobby too.
I've worked in the fields of consumer, medical, communications and industrial electronics. I've successfully designed and built fairly complex analog and digital systems from scratch. But these were all with non-programmable devices. Partly due to constraints imposed by my location, I never got around to learning about programming, microprocessors, microcontrollers, EEPROMs, PALs, FPGAs, etc.
Now I want to take the plunge and I'll really appreciate it if you could help me get a good start by suggesting where and how. To the oft-asked question of what I want to do with microcontrollers, my answer would be: "Eventually, just about everything". I mention this because I know that this question often puts off raw beginners in any field.
For example, when asked for suggestions about a first camera, more experienced photographers often pounce with "What kind of photography do you want to do?". The fact is that a novice usually doesn't know until he/she has spent some time in the field.
Same thing with budgets. The question "What's your budget?", blindly asked, can be tough to answer for a novice. Budgets can often be stretched as needed (within limits).
I'm no longer young and the old grey cells are not ticking as efficiently as they used to. But I can be quite tenacious. I just don't want to waste a lot of time floundering around by myself.
I apologize for the long post and thank you for your patience.
I can hear experienced regulars and old-timers groaning
and I don't blame them. These questions must have been asked and answered in this and other forums over and over again. However, my situation is probably a bit different from that of most other beginners. So please bear with me while I explain the circumstances.I live in one of the most remote corners of a developing country and started teaching myself electronics during the transition from vacuum tubes to solid-state (Yes, I am an old guy). With the help of whatever outdated books and magazines I could get my hands on, it became a profession but I still treat it as a hobby too.
I've worked in the fields of consumer, medical, communications and industrial electronics. I've successfully designed and built fairly complex analog and digital systems from scratch. But these were all with non-programmable devices. Partly due to constraints imposed by my location, I never got around to learning about programming, microprocessors, microcontrollers, EEPROMs, PALs, FPGAs, etc.
Now I want to take the plunge and I'll really appreciate it if you could help me get a good start by suggesting where and how. To the oft-asked question of what I want to do with microcontrollers, my answer would be: "Eventually, just about everything". I mention this because I know that this question often puts off raw beginners in any field.
For example, when asked for suggestions about a first camera, more experienced photographers often pounce with "What kind of photography do you want to do?". The fact is that a novice usually doesn't know until he/she has spent some time in the field.
Same thing with budgets. The question "What's your budget?", blindly asked, can be tough to answer for a novice. Budgets can often be stretched as needed (within limits).
I'm no longer young and the old grey cells are not ticking as efficiently as they used to. But I can be quite tenacious. I just don't want to waste a lot of time floundering around by myself.
I apologize for the long post and thank you for your patience.
