Re: Cheap/Complete Development System

John Carter wrote:

So my washing machine's (SpeedQueen) mechanical timer has died (again) and
they want a silly amount of money for a new one.

I'm sure it wouldn't take me long to knock up the same functionality on a
microcontroller.

The "Make:" controller
http://store.makezine.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=MKCONTRLLR
would be ideal, except it is not much cheaper than the timer and way more
powerful / featureful than I need.

What suggestions for a cheap / easy to program / electrically robust
microcontroller complete development board that would do the job without
having to muck about much with the hardware?


Honestly, I wouldn't do that. A local junk yard might be the easier path to obtain a timer. Also, it would be kind of embarrassing when the insurance adjuster stands there in his rubber galoshes one day and asks "How'd that mess happen?" "Oh, must have been some power supply glitch."

If you want to learn uC stuff on a budget look at the Texas EZ430. Mine was $20 and you can get MSP430F2x series devices in DIP packages.

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com
.

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