RE: pic -> avr?

Comments below.

-----Original Message-----
From: Mark J. Dulcey [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Sunday, August 28, 2005 9:43 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [gnupic] pic -> avr?

>> What are the practical pros and cons of AVR versus PIC?
...
>Cons of AVR:

>Tends to be a bit more expensive than PIC for the same functionality

Is it really true? AVR seems to be quite cheap now, especailly the
AtTiny2313, the old AtMega8/16 and the new AtMega48/88/168
are all quite cheap. Our Berlin counterparts were pushing us
to use them simple because of chip cost of AVR were lower
than PICs last year. Anyway we resisted the request and now it is
our turn to ask them to switch to PIC. Our component managers 
in the headquarter (Mannheim Germany) just issued a
warning not to use Atmel MCUs in new designs because of delivery
problem. Our Germany colleagues like AVR much more than PICs but 
now they need to switch to a different MCUs like PIC or Silicon 
Labs C8051 or others.

>Most MegaAVR parts only come in SMD packages (disadvantage for 
>prototyping and for small quantity home builders)

Not true. Those below 40pins like AtMega 8/16/8515/48/88/168/162/... 
do have DIP packages. Maybe you are talking about those really
higher end chips. It is the same for PIC. There is no DIP
package for >40-pin parts. Anyway TQFP packages can be
soldered with an adapter PCB as well.

>Fewer good commercial development tools

Not true. There are very good commercial tools from various ISVs.
The softwares from IAR(got free 4k kickstart edition)/VMLABS/
ImageCraft/... are all very good. The JTAG debuggers are also
quite cheap for high-end chips. The STK500 is as well not
expensive. We do not have the ICE here (only an obsoleted
ICE200 and a STK500) and they are collecting dust since we
decide not to use AVRs here in Singapore.

>Availability of parts in medium quantities (thousands) can be a problem 
>(evaluation quantities and huge production volumes are not)

That is the biggest problem with Atmel. Actually the medium quanities
can mean anything below 100k. Even for evaluation quantity, it is not 
so easy as Microchip.