Re: A couple basic questions regarding ARMs and DSPs


"Michael Noone" <mnoone.uiuc.edu@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:Xns963FF00E42D5Emnooneuiucedu127001@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Hi - I just have a couple pretty simple questions regarding ARMs and DSPs.
> I should preface this by saying that I'm coming from the world of AVRs (8
> bit uCs).
>
> First of all - when researching options that go beyond the power of AVRs
> I've run into DSPs alot. I can't tell exactly what a DSP is though, and
> how
> it is different from a microprocessor/microcontroller. From what I can
> tell, a DSP is essentially a microprocessor that has been specifically
> designed for performing complex mathematics in real time. Is that fairly
> close to being accurate?
>
> But anyways - the main reason for my post - is I'm planning on getting
> into
> the world of ARMs. Being a poor college student I'm hoping to not have to
> spend too horridly much - so my current plan is to use GNU ARM for code
> development. But the one thing that I still haven't figured out yet is how
> exactly to move code onto the ARM. With AVRs there was, in my mind at
> least, a very clear choice: an AVR ISP. For $30 I had a device that could
> program just about any AVR out there. But with the complexity and the
> range
> of manufacturers of ARMs there doesn't seem to be any clear choice. I've
> seen JTAG programmers mentioned quite a bit. I've been looking at this one
> in particular: http://olimex.com/dev/arm-jtag.html. From what I've read
> these devices are able to program all ARMs out there except for a specific
> series of Philips ARMs. For $20 it doesn't seem like a bad choice.
>
> But what about boot-loading? I've heard this talked about some - but I
> can't find any mention of it in the couple ARM datasheets I've looked
> through. Maybe it has a different name? Is boot-loading a viable option
> for
> getting code onto an ARM, or is it best to have an actual programmer?
>
> Lastly - can anybody reccomend a specific ARM chip to me? Hopefully one
> that a ARM beginner can get up and running fairly quickly. I really don't
> have a specific set of features I'm looking for in one right now.
>
> Thanks so much for your help,
>
> -Michael J. Noone

Look on www.circuitcellar.com on the 25th.
Philips lpc213x contest starting.

www.gnuarm.com
http://www.newmicros.com/download/appnotes/ARM/TiniARM_Dev_Eclipse.pdf

Most of the philips chips can be programmed by a simple jtag programmer or
via serial bootloader.


Also the lpc2000 chips have a great yahoo user group

Sparkfun.com sell the olimex boards etc in the US.

A nice article from circuit cellar
http://www.circuitcellar.com/library/print/0405/Pride177/index.htm

http://www.circuitcellar.com/library/print/0405/Pride177/2504018-Pride.pdf

code
ftp.circuitcellar.com/pub/Circuit_Cellar/2005/177

few other links

http://www.open-research.org.uk/ARMuC/

http://www.semiconductors.philips.com/markets/mms/products/microcontrollers/key_solutions/32bit/index.html

lpc2131
http://www.semiconductors.philips.com/cgi-bin/pldb/pip/LPC2131FBD64.html

isp flash util - program over serial
http://www.semiconductors.philips.com/files/products/standard/microcontrollers/utilities/lpc2000_flash_utility.zip

Software options

not free / limited size commerical compilers

keil arm
http://www.keil.com/demo/eval/arm.htm
nice ide and debugger


book on getting started (writen to promote keil compiler)
http://www.hitex.co.uk/arm/lpc2000book/index.html
http://www.keil.com/download/docs/lpc21xx_insidersguide.zip

iar
kickstart versions
http://www.iar.com/Products?name=KSDKLPC2106

Rowely
crossworks - commerical ide + gcc
http://www.rowley.co.uk/crossworks/Evaluating.htm

gcc + eclipse
http://www.newmicros.com/download/appnotes/ARM/TiniARM_Dev_Eclipse.pdf
just follow instructions in pdf to get nice ide + gcc

http://www.gnuarm.com/

docs
http://www.arm.com/documentation/

http://www.techonline.com/community/ed_resource/course/14612

Alex


.

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