Re: Few questions on embedded stuff

From: Alan Cohen (amc79_at_cornell.nojunkplease.edu)
Date: 06/25/04 

Date: Thu, 24 Jun 2004 21:02:05 -0400

> How much do you embedded guys need to know about analog circuit
design?
> I asked one guy and he said most embedded engineers know little about
> analog circuitry. Usually they look at application notes on how to build
> sample circuits. Is this true?

This embedded guy knows a fair amount of analog design, and it's
important for what I do - but the necessity of knowing analog depends on
the task. Pretty much all embedded projects need some analog design.
In larger projects, there may be people who focus purely on the embedded
software, while others deal with analog circuitry.

App notes are handy to get started, but relying on them is not a good
idea; they are often of marginal quality, and sometimes flat-out bad.

> Also what real-time OS do most of u guys use? Is it mostly used on
single
> board computers?

When I've used an OS, I've generally used Windows as a reasonably-real
time system. Since Windows is not hard real time, I also use circuitry
as appropriate to ensure that things are handled on time.

Note that many small embedded systems need no OS.

> Finally, why are there so many different vendors selling single board
> computers. Do they all custom build their stuff, is there no standard?

I don't know why there are so many folks competing, but I like it!
There are some standards, such as PC104 form factor, and so forth. Look
through catalogs, you'll figger it out.