Hi dears.
I am looking for a book explained how to make a computer by using Arm core processors?
I'd have to second peterharris, this is almost a job in itself, and enough material for several books. Today, there is a huge difference between the software and hardware sides of development. In my youth (ouch, I feel old), I whacked up a 6809 processor with some external components, including memory, interrupt controllers, EPROM, etc. on a breadboard. Today, not a chance. As Pete said, boards using this kind of processor (and in general, anything 32-bit or even worse, 64-bits) tend to be horrendously complicated. Even the memory controller; I've spent weeks integrating a DDR-II controller, because the hardware team spend days figuring out the length of a particular lane; every 10th of a millimetre was a change, and a few lines of code for us, because we needed to adjust DDR-II timings. I don't want to try and frighten you; the subject is fascinating, but very difficult. I'm not too sure how long it took to create the Raspberry Pi, but it was probably months of work. If you do want to try and create your own devices, try small. You won't create anything as powerful as a Raspberry Pi with a Cortex-M, but they are nice and small, and simple. Some can even be put on a breadboard, and are an excellent way to learn. Even if they are "small" and "simple", they are still very capable devices, and you can do a lot with them.
Don't let me put you off, but please understand that if you want to go through with this, it will take a lot; lots of time, lots of money, lots of equipment, and probably lots of help, but you will learn from a project like this.
Thank you James, but how can I learn from a built board? I can learn about designing the software but how can I learn about designing the hardware? My purpose is hardware side, and I wish to learn how can I build my own devices?If begining from a small and simple computer is to hard, I'll start with something simpler than like building header boards for using of a microcontroller abilities. If I exampled Raspberry PI, It was my goal noting for start(although if a book was founded about how can we build a board like it, it would be great!).
However, I am seeking a way to reaching my goal, I wanna be a hardware designer at least in a family of Arm processors! Nowadays I see many boards that built with Arm processors by many companies that if you do a search on them, you will find them in a garage in china or many other countries.
Are they many intelligent with most of knowledge and experiment or building these boards are easy? This is a serious question that I want to know! Is it possible for me to make a board like them or not? If it is, with what knowledge? How can achieve that knowledge?
Regards
How can you learn from a build board? With great difficulty, I'll grant you that. In that case, start with something small, like an Arduino. No, don't worry, the Arduino Due is based on a Cortex-M. The Arduino Tre should come out soon, and that is based on a Cortex-A8. The advantage to Arduinos is their Open Source side; you can get the full schematics easily. That will give you an idea on how they did it, how to connect the components, etc.
Designing an Arm-based computer is relatively easy. Get the processor, slap on some DDR-II, some peripherals, and there you go. Things are much easier today than they were a few years ago. While designing a system might be easy, optimizing it, and making it a viable solution is much harder. You cite the Raspberry Pi for this, but have a look at the board; it isn't actually all that "complicated". Don't get me wrong, they did a great job, and routing that board must have been a nightmare, but the components on the board are fairly basic; apart from the CPU and GPU, there are very few ICs, a few resistors and a few capacitors. The goal for Raspberry Pi was to make a low-cost board, balancing purchases, reliability and general awesomeness.
So, back to business. If you want to create your own systems, go for it! Don't let anyone tell you it can't be done; that is exactly how I started electronics. The only difference for me is that 6809s and 68000s were DIPs, and the boards were easy to route. I'm not too sue how you would start; SMCs are hard to solder, and honestly I have no idea how a BGA component is soldered. To start "easily", I think the only DIP packages are Cortex-M devices. However, I'm pretty sure I saw a breadboardable Arm7TDMI. It isn't latest gen, but it might be an excellent way to start off, playing with peripherals, before using Cortex-A devices, and creating your own multiple-layer cards.
You've given me a new idea for a book, but this is a huge field; there is probably enough for several books.
My advice is to start off "small"; play with Cortex-M devices on breadboards to start, maybe even an Arm Classic (the Arm7TDMI was an awesome chip, and in ways, it still is). Don't let anyone tell you what you can't do. My career is full of people who told me what I couldn't do, and I did it anyway. I really hope to see your project soon :-)
I hope I can build my board and you write your book(s). Your comprehensive guide was very helpful. I thank you again and I'll ask more question later, when I'll designing my board.Good lock my teacher, James!
> and honestly I have no idea how a BGA component is soldered.
You need some form a reflow oven (basically heat the whole board until the solder balls which are part of the BGA package melt). There are some quite fun tutorials using an old household kitchen oven or even a toaster for doing this on the web - but I wouldn't recommend cooking food in the thing afterwards =)
My DIY attempts in the past tended to struggle with boards which are double-sided - things on the bottom of the board have a nasty habit of dropping off. Pesky gravity
> My advice is to start off "small"; play with Cortex-M devices on breadboards to start,
Yep - this is the best advice I've seen. Start small, learn the basics, and then make something a bit more complex for your next project, etc. ... but definitely have a go!
If you have a particular Arm SoC in mind it is always worth checking with the manufacturer of that device - they may be able to share some schematics for a reference board based on their parts.
Pete
They might like to look at some of these breakouts for surface mount devices
SMT Breakout PCB for SOIC-8, MSOP-8 or TSSOP-8 - 6 Pack! ID: 1212 - $4.95 : Adafruit Industries, Unique & fun DIY electr…
Can you make web site, where you present your activity on developing AVR board? You can use free site hosting, if you want.