Hello again,

I think I am ready to look at microcontrollers to simplify my tinkering. I was wondering if you could point me in the right direction...
I enjoy making stand alone gadgets like solar pool heater pump controllers, and several unfinished projects like a trail camera timer.
Is there a system out there that allows me to prototype and test the circuit, then move the programmed chip to a circuit board? I don't mind $10-$20 to buy a pre-made board with i/o , jack and chip sockets all ready there. I'd rather not spend a hundred bucks a pop for every gadget I dream up... How about Arduino Uno? Do they have this type of system? I have several Radio Shacks nearby.....

I took a class in assembly language, as well as visual basic, so I have a little knowledge about loops and such. Thanks!

 

$4.30 for a MSP430 LaunchPad is hard to pass up.

 

Thanks! would you be willing to give me a quick tutorial start to finish steps for what happens here? 1) plug it into your laptop. 2) program the sequence. 3) test and debug...

I'm really a newbie in this area, do you buy the board, download the software, program the chip on the board? I have no Idea how this works...

 

http://www.ti.com/ww/en/launchpad/overview_head.html

1) Purchase the MSP430 LaunchPad.
2) Download IAR Embedded Workbench (free Kickstart Version).
3) Plug the LaunchPad into your laptop via USB cable supplied. Start learning to program in C or ASM.

 

I am partial to the Pic from Microchip because tthat is where I got my start. They are cheap but you pretty much have to build any external circuits yourself.

There is also the Arduino. Very easy to use with lots of plug in modules but expensive.

 

Thanks fellas, got some research to do...

 

Thanks fellas, got some research to do...

Opps I had a typo in my post. It si Pic not Oic. I fixed it.