- #1
diegzumillo
- 173
- 18
Hi all. This is the closest thing I know of a "computery" forum, so here goes nothing.
I know a microcontroller is basically a tiny computer in a chip, so it's possible to make it into a tiny computer, even having a kernel and tiny os. I've seen people do even simple videogames with pic, atmega etc. I personally have little experience with these little things, mostly just arduino projects, but I'm interested in adopting this as a new hobby. I'm not good at it but low level programming has a soothing effect on me. Go figure.
Anyway, before embarking on this I have some burning questions that will take a long time to answer on my own and I'm too curious now.
First, why are microcontrollers so much more popular and cheap than microprocessors? I guess it's a market thing, seeing the need for a microcontroller is larger than a microprocessor, that require more things around it. Still, it's odd that we don't see simple 8 bit cpus, the ones used on old pcs, still being manufactured and sold for simpler applications and enthusiasts, while you can buy an atmega in batches for $2 each.
Being a tiny computer in a chip doesn't mean it's limited to its assigned rom and ram memories, does it? I imagine it isn't, but is this usual? Do people do that? does it have drawbacks?
Still on the subject of expanding a microcontroller, how about communication between microcontrollers? Can this be made to work like all the different boards in my desktop computer, efficiently working together, or would this communication be too slow or limiting to have a similar function?
I know a microcontroller is basically a tiny computer in a chip, so it's possible to make it into a tiny computer, even having a kernel and tiny os. I've seen people do even simple videogames with pic, atmega etc. I personally have little experience with these little things, mostly just arduino projects, but I'm interested in adopting this as a new hobby. I'm not good at it but low level programming has a soothing effect on me. Go figure.
Anyway, before embarking on this I have some burning questions that will take a long time to answer on my own and I'm too curious now.
First, why are microcontrollers so much more popular and cheap than microprocessors? I guess it's a market thing, seeing the need for a microcontroller is larger than a microprocessor, that require more things around it. Still, it's odd that we don't see simple 8 bit cpus, the ones used on old pcs, still being manufactured and sold for simpler applications and enthusiasts, while you can buy an atmega in batches for $2 each.
Being a tiny computer in a chip doesn't mean it's limited to its assigned rom and ram memories, does it? I imagine it isn't, but is this usual? Do people do that? does it have drawbacks?
Still on the subject of expanding a microcontroller, how about communication between microcontrollers? Can this be made to work like all the different boards in my desktop computer, efficiently working together, or would this communication be too slow or limiting to have a similar function?
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