I'd like to do some data logging, on a long term basis. As in I want to fly an anemometer to get hourly averages and also highs and lows during the time period. Wikipedia tells me microcontrollers have timing functions. Various kinds of memory. I/O's, etc....

Let's face it tho, I didn't know microcontroller's existed until I started hanging around here .... and now I find I need one! LOL!

Bearing in mind I'll want to run 24/7 for months on end, is there any particular device amongst the usual suspects, (Arduino, Basic Stamp, PIC, etc.), that would be more suited to my application?

Thanx for any advice ....

SP

 

What programming experience (if any) do you have?

 

What programming experience (if any) do you have?

It's been awhile. GOTO? IF/NEXT? LOL! Had a TI thing back in the 80's ....

However, I do have this son-in-law that knows one bit from another. He says there's 10 kinds of people in the world. Those who understand binary and those who don't.

SP

 

I would point you in the direction of either the Basic Stamp or the Arduino (http://www.parallax.com and http://www.arduino.cc, respectively). They'll both be suitable for your purposes, though I can't recommend one over the other. I think the Basic Stamp might be more expensive.

 

I would take a look at the Arduino software tools and the Atmel uCs.
Programming is done in C or C++ using a programming environment.
Downloading a program to the microcontroller is done through a USB
port. The software tools are free and run on Linux, MAC and Windows.
There are a variety of boards and peripherals available.

The ATmega168 IC (which a lot of "Arduino" boards use) has three
counter timers, 6ch 10bit ADC, 23 digital I/O lines, 6PWM channels, a
UART (used for USB communication) and two serial peripheral
interfaces. The lines are multifunction so you will not be
able to get all functions at the same time.

I have some Arduino links and some example programs at
http://tinyurl.com/5sl9sn

A great reference book for getting devices to communicate is "Making
Things Talk: Practical Methods for Connecting Physical Objects" by Tom
Igoe (Author) ISBN-10: 0596510519

(* jcl *)

 

Hello,

A nice site about pics is the following one.
http://www.best-microcontroller-projects.com/index.html
Here you can find tutotials, tips and tricks, projects and so on.
An other site with several projects for all kind of microcontrollers is this one.
http://www.kmitl.ac.th/~kswichit/
Here you can for example find the minilogger based on a 8051 family microcontroller.

Greetings,
Bertus