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Need 8051 soup-to-nuts recommendation please

A few years ago, I inherited dozens of tubes of 8051 MCUs, specifically the Atmel AT89C51ED2-IM. I know they're old - and clearly tons of much better MCUs exist - but they'd be useful. (Plus, it just feels wrong discarding 100+ good chips.) 

Any suggestions what Keil (or other) product to use, which programming gizmo, and possibly a dev board? I'd like to spend as little as possible as this is hobby stuff.  8051 assembler or C is fine.

So far, I've found these but am uncertain if they'll work:

  • PK51 pro kit - might be too costly(?) --- is there a set up that just does 8051 cores?
  • Mikroe-1382 programmer --- backordered, less than $75
  • Mikroe-257 dev board --- in my price range of $25 :) ...

I understand that Arduino's can be used for the programmer / loader, but apparently the "C" type Atmel's I have need a more sophisticated programming device than the "S" types (or is that incorrect?)

Any assistance is greatly appreciated. thanks!

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  • There are lots of new 8051's with modern debugging, compared to these parts you have. The ones you have might be worth a pretty penny on eBay and someone may desperately need them, but that's a guess. If you can sell them you can buy SILabs parts or Nuvoton, both if which have excellent development boards with real debugging and great C language support (as well as assembler).  My $0.02.

    If you want to start from scratch with your existing parts then look for simulator support or a monitor program.

    Lots of chip vendors have full licenses for the Keil tools for free, including, but not limited to, SILabs and Nuvoton. I personally hate the tools from Atmel and/or Microchip.

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  • There are lots of new 8051's with modern debugging, compared to these parts you have. The ones you have might be worth a pretty penny on eBay and someone may desperately need them, but that's a guess. If you can sell them you can buy SILabs parts or Nuvoton, both if which have excellent development boards with real debugging and great C language support (as well as assembler).  My $0.02.

    If you want to start from scratch with your existing parts then look for simulator support or a monitor program.

    Lots of chip vendors have full licenses for the Keil tools for free, including, but not limited to, SILabs and Nuvoton. I personally hate the tools from Atmel and/or Microchip.

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