Embedded Controllers

I first became aware of Embedded Controllers reading about the 8052AH-BASIC chip in the August, 1985
issue of BYTE magazine. What a neat chip! I ordered a chip, built my first board, and have been using and
designing with 8051-based systems ever since.

What is an embedded controller?

Usually a Microcontroller-based, board or system, standalone or built into another device,
to perform a specific task, or tasks. Kind of a generic answer, isn't it? I still haven't seen an
answer that covers all of the bases, and I probably won't.

Do you have a 3D video card? A VCR? An AM/FM CD player? A hard disk? A floppy disk?
They all contain embedded controllers, often more than one. Embedded controllers are part of the
reason many things we buy, and use every day, are becoming less expensive, and in most cases,
more reliable.

Why are there Embedded Controllers?

Replacing larger amounts of complex circuitry, with a microcontroller and software, can cost much less
to manufacture. Initial development costs are likely to be higher, but product updates, or additional
features, may only require software changes, which extend product life.

Some devices or products could not even be developed or marketed-because of costs, or current
hardware technology.

Money! Profits! And most of all to provide income to engineers and programmers :-)

Links to Embedded and Micro Controller sites

These are in no particular order, but most of them have links to other sites,
and they are good sites on their own!

Embedded Systems Glossary  Nice reference and some good books here too.
 Embedded Controller FAQ   Good FAQ.
Microcontrollers in Embedded Systems A nice site with good links.
Jan Axelson's Lakeview Research She is the author of The Microcontroller Idea Book,
                                                     Parallel Port Complete,and Serial Port Complete,
                                                     and lots of good info and links.
Circuit Cellar Home    A very good site, and a great mag.
Dontronics Atmel Products and 8051 Links   Some good links, and downloads-commercial...
 Iguana Labs  Another site with good info, and a Serial 8051-Family programmer.
                      You've got to be able to program devices to build things...
MicroMint  Commercial Embedded boards and single chip modules which can replace entire
                   boards such as my 3X1.
                   Their modules may seem expensive, but add up the cost of a board and the
                   chips required to replace a module, and then figure the relability of multiple
                   components and sockets V.S. a single chip.
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