Selecting a Microcontroller

[Alan]

"A microcontroller uses the same techniques to shrink the entire computer to a single chip (or very small module.) CPU, Memory, and I/O all in a little package as small as a grain of rice. Just connect up power and it starts doing its thing; computing and talking to the world. Usually the I/O on a microcontroller is aimed at "low level" hardware like talking to individual switches and LEDs instead of keyboards, internets, and displays (like your desktop computer.) A microcontroller is just the thing you want, if you want to talk to individual switches and LEDs..."


http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-choose-a-MicroController/

[friendlyzookeeper]

There are other ways to hack an existing microcontroller in a device like
ipod, nintendo, irriver, ect...

You can change the firmware of the microcontroller for example these sites:

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-run-Homebrew-on-your-Nintendo-DS/

http://forums.rockbox.org/

This will need a computer, downloaded file, sd card, sd card writer/reader, and for the nintendo a special adapter for the sd card. There are other sites on the internet for other devices with microcontrollers, I have change the firmware of my table top dvd player from this site:

http://www.videohelp.com/

under dvd hack. Good luck, just remember this can brick your device.

Thanks,
Friendlyzookeeper
_________________
There aren't any mistakes, just a learning curve.