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Arduino Uno with a 32-bit ARM Cortex-M0, LPC111X NXP microcontroller in 28 pin DIL package instead of Atmega328p

The nice thing about Arduino Uno is that not only it introduces you quickly in the world of 8 bit AVRs (Atmega328p) but after running a few programs, mostly already available examples, you quickly realize you can develop you own boards using stand alone Atmega328ps chips and you no longer need the Arduino Uno, excepting as an ordinary ISP programmer.

Arduino Due is not the same affair.  Migrating from it to a stand alone SMD ARM with many pins, like the one installed on Due, is not an easy endeavor. You need serious skills in crafting PCBs to have your own ARM powered controller board, all this because of the hobbyist unfriendly chip package.

However, there is, at least in theory, a 32-bit ARM Cortex-M0, LPC111X NXP microcontroller in 28 pin DIL capsule that is as easy to use as an Atmega328p.
See: http://www.nxp.com/documents/data_sheet/LPC111X.pdf

If it is worth replacing the Atmega328p on Uno with an LPC111X it remains to be seen. There will be a gain in speed, for sure, at least for code requiring many multiplications of 16 bit values integers that can come from the DAC.

What other advantages, disadvantages such a Uno with LPC111X could have?

[Reply #1 on:]

However, there is, at least in theory, a 32-bit ARM Cortex-M0, LPC111X NXP microcontroller in 28 pin DIL capsule that is as easy to use as an Atmega328p.

Do you know if that is a 'skinny' (.3") or 'fat' (.6") 28 pin DIP package?

Lefty

[Reply #2 on:]

Unfortunately, it is a fat DIL (page 92 in the datasheet).

[Reply #3 on:]

Unfortunately, it is a fat DIL (page 92 in the datasheet).

Yes, too bad. But still a yea for being a DIP!

[Reply #4 on:]

I have searched for LPC1114FN28/102 DIP but Digikey does not have it in stock. However, it can be found at Mouser.
It means that LPC1114FN28/102 DIP has gained some market.

[Reply #5 on:]

One can only imaging why it's a fat DIP in this day and age, .3" DIPs have been out for decades.

Still, kudos for having a DIP at all.

BTW, there's another one now (or at least next year)

http://arduino.cc/forum/index.php?topic=132494.new;topicseen#new

______
Rob

[Reply #6 on:]

It is hard to imagine a modern production run with dip devices.

[Reply #7 on:]

Personally I never use DIPs these days, but people still like them for prototyping.

______
Rob

[Reply #8 on:]

Personally I never use DIPs these days, but people still like them for prototyping.

There's a lot of people (including me ) that "play" with Arduino and MCUs for hobby at a very early stage, that: are not able to do a home-made PCB; can not solder SMD cases. So DIPs are fantastics because you can use them with breadboards or classic stripboards easily 

[Reply #9 on:]

Somebody has already tried LPC1114FN28/102 DIP28 on a breadboard with a "blink a led" test code.
See: http://www.meatandnetworking.com/tutorials/lpc1114fn28-with-open-source-tools/ for all details.

The test just says that this ARM is relatively easy to use by hobbyists. However, it does not prove anything about the performance of LPC1114FN28/102 as compared with an Atmega328p, for example. If it is not 10 times faster, likely AVR funs will not abandon so easily their favorite microcontroller for it.

[Reply #10 on:]

If it is not 10 times faster, likely AVR funs will not abandon so easily their favorite microcontroller for it.

It wouldn't be even remotely close to being 10x faster.

You use those chips not for speed, or costs, but for lower software costs, a non-factor for the hobbyist markets.

[Reply #11 on:]

nxp just announced a CM0 chip in 8pdip.

[Reply #12 on:]

It wouldn't be even remotely close to being 10x faster.

how do you figure?  It could easily be 10x faster for SOME purposes.
Say: 32bit integer math.   A 32bit add on AVR takes at least 4 instructions at 16MHz, or 250ns.  a 32bit add on an LPC1114 takes 1 instruction at 50MHz, or 20ns.  More than 10x faster.
Of course, your program will never be all 32bit math, but...

[Reply #13 on:]

That kind of comparison makes sense if all you do with your mcu is to add 32-bit numbers.
 Even in that comparison, what if you wanted to process char or short?

More importantly, for those of us using those chips for a variety of different tasks, you would be hard-pressed to show the cmx chips are 10x faster than a comparable avr (or any other 8-bit mcu).

[Reply #14 on:]

There is a comparison between ARM Cortex M0 and other controllers including AVR.
see: http://ics.nxp.com/literature/presentations/microcontrollers/pdf/cortex.m0.code.density.pdf
especially pages 41, 42, 43.