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Frequently Asked Questions
- What tools and supplies do I need to put together the kit and get it operational?
You'll need a basic set of tools for electronic assembly and maintenance:
- fine-tip soldering iron
- side cutters
- needle nosed pliers
- wire stripper
- bench vise or IDC connector tool
- rosin-core solder
You will also need a DB9 to DB9 (modem) cable and a PC to develop the software. If you are working in assembly language, almost any PC will do (see below). The development software and example code can be downloaded from web sites shown here .
- What happens if it doesn't work?
Most kits work when they are assembled and the assembly manual includes a list of common problems and how to fix them. But if you're stuck, contact us (preferably by email), describing the problem. If it's obvious to us we'll advise you how to fix it. If that doesn't solve the problem, you can bring or mail the assembled kit back to us. If it's a bad component problem, we'll replace it and fix the board at no cost and tear up your cheque. If it's a problem with your assembly technique, we will fix it. If the fix is simple, there will also be no charge. If the fix is difficult and time consuming there may be some nominal charge. In the over 400 units sold to date, we have never seen a board that we couldn't fix.
- Can I learn to program a microprocessor with this kit?
Working with the MPP Board is an excellent way to learn how to program and apply a microprocessor. If you are starting without a background in microprocessors, you'll need a textbook (such as 'M68HC11: An Introduction, Software and Hardware Interfacing, by Han-Way Huang).
- What's in your 'Technical Manual'?
The 100-page MPP Board Technical Manual from Syscomp lists sources of information and provides information that is not readily available from other sources. It also includes material on more advanced topics. (As mentioned above, if you're starting out, you'll need a basic text as well.) The full Technical Manual is on the CDROM included with the kit.
- Where can I find information about manuals and technical information for the 68HC11?
Technical information for the 68HC11E1FN microprocessor currently used in the MPP board is available free of charge from the Motorola Literature centre at phone number 1-800-441-2447. Request the 68HC11 Reference Manual, part number MC68HC11RM/AD and the 68HC11E1FN data book, part number M68HC11E/D.
- Is the MPP Board suitable for controlling my design for an anti-gravity machine?
It depends on the number of inputs and outputs you will need. The board itself has 8 general purpose digital inputs, 8 general purpose digital outputs, 8 analog input channels (which can also be used as digital inputs). There are 5 possible interrupt input sources, three timer input capture channels and 5 timer output compare channels. If this is sufficient, you're all set.
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More inputs and outputs may be added by mapping devices into memory the address space or using the processor SPI interface. Both these methods are described in the Syscomp MPP Technical Manual included on the CDROM included with the kit.
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How much of a computer do I need to do development of software?
For development in assembly language, just about anything will do. We've done a lot of software development on old 486 class machines. The file sizes are small and assembly language files compile very quickly on any modern computer. Your operating system can be DOS, Windows or Linux. (We're told that it can be done on a Mac, but have no direct experience of this.)
The software for doing assembly language development is on the CDROM that is included with the kit. The kit EPROM is pre-programmed with a monitor program to support debugging.
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Should I write my programs in C or assembly language?
We've tried both C and assembler in a teaching environment. When we used C, we found that the extra layer of magic tended to obscure some important ideas, so we returned to assembly language. Based on that experience we recommend that students first learn to program in assembly language. This provides the tools to debug at the bit level and understand the assembly language code that a C compiler generates.
The 68HC11 is a CISC (Complex Instruction Set Computer) and so it has a rich set of instructions and addressing modes. This makes assembly language code relatively easy to read compared to some RISC machines.
Industry practice for embedded computers is to write as much code in a high level language, usually compiled C code, so that it can be ported to new hardware at a reasonable cost. If you are experienced in microprocessor systems and this is a consideration, you may want to use a C compiler.
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What C compilers are available for your board?
The Imagecraft compiler has been used successfully with the MPP Board and is reasonably priced. A variety of software development tools are listed at reasonable prices on at Dunfield Systems . The NQC (Not Quite C) compiler commonly used in mobile robotics applications will not work without modification on the MPP board. (It expects to download its operating system into memory where the MPP board has EPROM.)
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All rights reserved.
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