Programming small hardware | The Coffeehouse

Joiseystud

I would like to program some very cheap small hardware with relay outputs (PLC style) in c#. Anyone know of a simple solution to this? It would be nice to have a resource to hardware that is just waiting for a .Net developer to put their programming in. Thanks in advance.

Maddus Mattus
Do, or do not. There is no try. - Yoda

Any Windows Mobile device can do that.

They all run a compact version of the .Net framework.

Cupiditas
Chris Hawkins

Sounds like you'd be interested in the Micro Framework.

Joiseystud

In reply to Cupiditas

#Mar 19th @ 5:51 AM

I am interested in that for sure. I am looking for cheap hardware to run it on. With dry contact outputs. An example application would be a sunrise calculator that would control exterior lighting (maybe 120V). Any 12 or 24V dry contact would do though, since I can implement a pilot relay to get the voltage up.

Ion Todirel
buuu

In reply to Cupiditas

#Mar 19th @ 5:51 AM

actually .NET Micro Framework is a very bad solution to most of the stuff, very bad. If you want small and cheap parts, Atmel AVR is a way better device than any .NET MF chips pretty much in every way. Sure it sounds like fun, but the boards are too general when you need something very specific, it would be very stupid to control a motor using a board that eats lots of W's and have FAT support which you don't need, .NET Micro Framework has no place in the embedded world, not until it will target devices with 1K of program space and 8K of RAM, that means they need to make a compiler that outputs micro code directly.

as for the PLC relay... wouldn't a thyristor be a better solution?

magicalclick

In reply to Ion Todirel

#Mar 19th @ 8:05 AM

Couldn't we just use better hardware instead? Sure .Net uses more resources, but, you get a lot more flexibility. I would rather spend 10 bucks more on the hardware to make the hardware more flexible to deal with less sepcific stuff.

evildictaitor
if( !succeed( try() ) ) { while(true) try(); }

In reply to magicalclick

#Mar 19th @ 11:32 AM

It's not just more expensive - it's also more power hungry, which makes it more expensive to run, and if it runs off battery it will have a lower life. The .NET micro-framework really isn't very good. If you want that kind of flexibility FPGAs are still substantially better.

figuerres
???

some things to look at:

http://www.phidgets.com/ -- USB based stuff you can get that you can use with a pc and the .net framework.
example:
PhidgetInterfaceKit 8/8/8 w/6 Port Hub cost is $125.00 CAD -- having a problem getting the page to do USD prices.

www.cubloc.com -- they have some non .net hardware you can hit from a version of basic they use
or they have some CE devices with touch screens.

Ion Todirel
buuu

In reply to figuerres

#Mar 19th @ 12:55 PM

why would you want to use that crap? you can make USB based stuff with a budged under 1$, of course excluding the development tools

Joiseystud

In reply to figuerres

#Mar 19th @ 12:55 PM

Yes.

http://www.phidgets.com/products.php?product_id=1019

This is kind of what I am looking for but this appears to need a PC attached via USB as the brains. I am looking for a self contained processor with IO that can be programmed with C# in .NET. Java is another option...

Ion Todirel
buuu

In reply to Joiseystud

#Mar 19th @ 2:29 PM

You are using the wrong tool for the job! Again, if you are looking for cheap parts, and by cheap I mean 1 - 5$ range, very low power consumption, the best language you'll get is C, to program the microcontroller. From the PC side you can interface with it in any language you want, in any way you want: USB, RF whatever. If you are going to the .NET Micro Framework way (which btw != .NET Framework) you'll end with a ARM processor at best, which if I'm not mistaken drains a lot of power and is 16 or 32 bit, a lot of processing power you don't need, and the chip is pretty big also. If you need to control some motors and use some sensors, I'll go with a 8-bit micro, but is your choice in the end...

> If you want that kind of flexibility FPGAs are still substantially better.

That's a bit too much Smiley

Maddus Mattus
Do, or do not. There is no try. - Yoda

In reply to Ion Todirel

#Mar 19th @ 3:04 PM

He wants to write in c#

Money and power consumption, are not part of the scope Smiley

Dodo
I'm your creativity creator™ :)

In reply to Maddus Mattus

#Mar 20th @ 12:58 AM

Money has to be part of the scope in some way. Otherwise he could just hire someone solving the problem, or if it is for a hobby project, hire someone to make an interface compiler for C# (a total waste by the way) Smiley

figuerres
???

In reply to Ion Todirel

#Mar 19th @ 1:43 PM

WOW....
crap you say?

and what can you make for less than a buck??

show us something you have made please?

andy_hanger18

As has been mentioned already C# is not the best thing to use for a cheap project as you requested.

Could I suggest the PIC Microcontroller from Microchip. You can get free (Lite) C compilers. You'll pick up C quickly if you know C#. Microchip do little demo boards which have a microcontroller and prototype area on them. Maybe something like a PicKit will do.

Again, I know its not a C# suggestion.

I use these devices for little projects myself. Almost everything on one chip. Useful little chips.

Andy