SparkFun Electronics Commentsurn:uuid:214d0e4e-f1b1-d287-ce26-ac5b4c9f82492024-03-29T08:31:49-06:00SparkFun ElectronicsMattTheGeek on New Tutorials For the WeekMattTheGeekurn:uuid:dcf6d9a5-45ac-227c-6c50-c0bb07bf6d022010-10-07T20:04:49-06:00<p>Your idea of a microcontroller is correct. CPU, Control, RAM, ROM, and peripherals are integrated into one chip.<br>
And then there's SoC (System on a Chip) in which CPU, Control, peripherals are included on chip. RAM and ROM are usually present on the chip, however in small amounts. Consequently SoC require external memories to be actually useful.<br>
And finally, the last device is the Microprocessor. Microprocessors have no ROM or peripherals except for memory controllers, although they do have on-chip RAM in the form of registers and cache. Most Microprocessors can run with just a ROM and clock connected.<br>
-MattTheGeek</p>
jdiwnab on New Tutorials For the Weekjdiwnaburn:uuid:d97d1021-ac86-b789-eee8-78ed27e906e02010-10-05T07:41:15-06:00<p>Thank you for the ISP tutorial. I've looked into this a few times a while back (having AVRs and no programmer), but instructions typically involved buying a shield to do it, or a very old, hacked sketch. This is just what I was looking for. Now to go make use of these spare AVRs.</p>
adel95 on New Tutorials For the Weekadel95urn:uuid:b2b2f95a-e05b-10f2-7261-7463b5a4602c2010-10-05T05:38:42-06:00<p>somehow I agree whit you :)<br>
a micro-controller is a base chip that has all major components integrated (flash, ram, cpu, etc.)<br>
a microprocessor is a chip that is just the CPU and requires components like the flash, ram that aren't included in the chip itself :D<br>
thats what I think... not sure if this is true but I kinda think thats the difference :D</p>
nanimo on New Tutorials For the Weeknanimourn:uuid:1038321f-f88b-a2b7-c6b4-2428bc5103f52010-10-05T00:45:55-06:00<p>"ATmega328, as a microprocessor"<br>
actually its a microcontroller<br>
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microcontroller" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microcontroller</a><br>
^_^</p>
BB on New Tutorials For the WeekBBurn:uuid:4fce0512-7e30-1c11-d3e7-fa0a6f1371b92010-10-04T16:52:09-06:00<p>That's a good idea. Stomaching $480 just to print out an 8-character "Sparkfun" is a bit on the expensive side.</p>
RobertC. on New Tutorials For the WeekRobertC.urn:uuid:7d1b1a03-e1ac-743d-ac03-09935c432a812010-10-04T16:23:33-06:00<p>Thanks. It's just a lot of work and a lot of typos sometimes.</p>
Nakor on New Tutorials For the WeekNakorurn:uuid:3ba10805-ea1b-1122-e127-2218304e7fd32010-10-04T16:20:16-06:00<p>I check Sparkfun at least once a day. I am amazed at how often you update your site with actually useful content.<br>
Is there an award for the best store on the internet? If there is, you guys win hands down.</p>
Coyote on New Tutorials For the WeekCoyoteurn:uuid:dcf688f8-78b0-1cda-f5bf-8540f4b3d2c82010-10-04T10:33:17-06:00<p>Will v5 firmware source code be posted? :D<br>
Thx</p>
madsci1016 on New Tutorials For the Weekmadsci1016urn:uuid:a32dcb74-b824-fbd5-a030-5884c6b63d032010-10-04T10:22:16-06:00<p>For those interested, I've been working on a similar LED matrix project with a radically different design that will result in a much cheaper backpack driven LED matrix. Currently designing around the 3mm red/green matrix, and the price in parts is around $8-10 including the matrix itself.<br>
Have a look:<br>
<a href="http://www.billporter.info/?p=374" rel="nofollow">http://www.billporter.info/?p=374</a><br>
I plan on scaling up to the large RGB matrix when I finish, and open-sourcing the design; maybe even sell kits if there is enough interest.</p>