What do I need for big projects?

[freiza]

Hello,
I am completely new to electronic world.
But I want to know what do I need to create a big microcontroller projects.

I want to know which microcontroller should I buy and what are the other things required to create a big hotel management system.

The project includes vdu and audio, door and power handling system.
Please help me by suggesting specific brands of microcontroller and whatever else I would ever need with brand and model.

Please don't suggest me to google.

Thank you.

 

[alexxx]

I am completely new to electronic world.
.......................................................
I want to know which microcontroller should I buy and what are the other things required to create a big hotel management system.

Are you sure this is the correct project to start with? I am not underestimating you in any case. On the contrary I admire your will and determination to start with a big project. But as with all things in life, each thing comes to the right season.

Anyways, it is a bit dangerous to ask questions like that, because most certainly someone will propose the MCU he works with.
I have worked with a couple of MCUs in the past, and the last 2-3 years I use AVR. I think they are ideal for a begginer. Simple architecture and easy to learn. They belong to the 8-bit family.

http://www.atmel.com/products/microcontrollers/avr/default.aspx

Also there is AVR Studio available, a free programming enviroment for AVRs. Both assembler and compiler are included.

http://www.atmel.com/tools/AVRSTUDIO4.aspx
http://www.atmel.com/microsite/avr_studio_5/default.aspx

Please don't suggest me to google.

Actually you need google more that anything right now. As I said you will hear a lot of opinions, but it is almost impossible that someone has worked with all MCUs to have an opinion about all of them. You must investigate by yourself as well.

Finally I would suggest to look into C. Much more easier to use than assembly, especially for a begginer.


Hope it helped,
Alexandros

 

[freiza]

I am a computer engg. So programming is not an issue in any language.
The only concern is hardware. Since I have never got out of microprocessors hence I don't know anything about microcontroller world.
I was thinking about Arduino mega 2650 and other things.
But I don't know that it will suffice my requirements or not. I needed hardware components that can match my requirements.

 

[alexxx]

I am a computer engg. So programming is not an issue in any language.
The only concern is hardware.

I see. Still I will encourage you to AVR. When I was talking about simplicity, I meant hardware. But simplicity is not the issue here. You have to discover a lot of new things whatever MCU you will work with.

I was thinking about Arduino mega 2650 and other things.
But I don't know that it will suffice my requirements or not. I needed hardware components that can match my requirements.

I believe that ATmega2560 is a reasonable choice, Arduino as well. Since you are a software engineer, Arduino will make your life a lot easier, because it offers an application layer (or whatever they call it), escaping from the lowest possible level.

It is obvious by your description that work has to be done in PC programming as well. You mentioned something about vdu and audio. Those tasks are to be done in PC, or in the MCU level as well? If not, then ATmega2560 is suitable. If the MCU is to be involved in those tasks, then maybe you should look into 32-bit architecture, like ARM processors.

http://www.arm.com/products/processors/index.php

I would suggest NXP in this case.

http://ics.nxp.com/microcontrollers/


Hope this helps.