Beginner Question

[Erikc]

Hello.
I've just recently begun playing around in robotics as a hobby, so I'm very new to just about everything. I'm building a room exploring robot out of this book: http://www.robotroom.com/IRB.html; I find it quite helpful. I have a question, though: what is the cheapest programming board I can use for a MC68HC908KX8 microcontroller? This is the chip he uses; while he does show you how to select a microcontroller on your own, I'm not sure that another chip will fit into the PCBs he's created, and because of my inexperience I don't want to have to modify them (also they're much cheaper if I don't have to go custom).
Any help at all is appreciated; thank you for your time,
-Erik

[eckhard]

Hello,

you should search for AN2317, Low cost programming and debugging options for M68HC08 MCUs or you can take a look here : http://www.eckhard-gosch.de/eng/controller/mon08.htm

You can find a programmer shematic here : http://www.eckhard-gosch.de/eng/controller/controll.htm

Eckhard

[UcTechnoGeek]

I suggest you look at the HCS08 family for a similar device.  The BDM debugger  built into the S08 family is much better than the HC08 MON08 debug.

I recently bought a HCS08 debugger from Witztronics ($49), and it works great.  It works with the FREE special edition of CodeWarrior from Freescale, so working with any processor with <16K of flash is almost free.

http://www.witztronics.com/product_info.php?products_id=31

uCTechnoGeek

[Geezer]

Is there some advantage (besides the lower price) to the Wiztronics unit over the P&E BDM unit?