Frequently Asked Questions Add to FAQ 8052 Background Questions What is an 8052 Microcontroller? What is a derivative microcontroller / derivative chip? What hardware do I need to do 8052 development? What software do I need to do 8052 development? Can I use Microsoft Visual Basic/Microsoft Visual C++/Borland C++/etc. to develop 8052 applications? I'm a Windows 'C' programmer. Will it be hard for me to program the 8052? I'm a Windows Visual Basic programmer. Will it be hard for me to program the 8052? I prefer C++. Can I program using C++ for the 8052? I prefer Java. Can I program using Java for the 8052? Can I run Linux on the 8052? Where can I find documentation and FAQs for the 8051 family? What are the most common pitfalls for a 8052 newbie? Glossary of terms and abbreviations commonly used on this website? Compiler/Tool Questions What is the difference between an interpreter, assembler, and compiler? Should I program the 8052 in assembler, 'C', or some other language? What 'C' cross-compilers exist for the 8052? Are there any free assemblers or 'C' compilers for the 8052? I prefer to program in Pascal. Can I do it on the 8052? What is the difference between a simulator and emulator? Timers/Counting Questions How can I count something with high frequency? How can I use a timer to count 5 seconds? Serial Communications Questions How do I set the serial port baud rate? I used the formula to calculate a baud rate, but I get a fractional value for TH1. What should I do? When should I set and/or clear TI bit of SCON? My program is writing garbage to the serial port. Why? My program uses the serial port but doesn't seem to send any data. Why? I'm trying to receive data with the serial port but never receive anything. Why? I send one byte to the 8052 and I'm receiving that byte over and over indefinitely. Why? Is there some basic RS232 guide for 8052 users? How to make a software UART? Why does my RS-485 not work ? Can I mix Tx in "main" and Rx in interrupt? Interrupt Questions What are interrupts? Does an interrupt provide multitasking? My program uses interrupts, but my interrupt only executes once. Why? What is meant by "high level" and "low level" interrupts? What can edge-triggered interrupts be used for? Once in an interrupt, and then in a high-level interrupt, can both interrupts be cancelled? When would I use level triggered interrupts, not edge ? why should i not just reenable the interrupt? How (not to) shoot yourself in the foot, using interrupts? Input/Output Questions How can I read a value from an I/O line of the 8052? What value do the I/O output latches default to? How can I bring an I/O line high? How can I bring an I/O line low? How to set the '51 port pin into input (output) mode? How to drive a +12V load (e.g. a relay) from 8051 port pin? How do Quasi-Bidirectional I/O ports work? Does output logic "low" represent 0V? What variations are there in accessing external memories (MOVC, MOVX)? I ran out of I/O pins on my microcontroller. How can I get more? What is input (e.g. pushbutton) debouncing? When I set port pin to 1, there is much lower voltage than 5V on it, why? Software Questions I get an assemble error when I try to PUSH/POP the accumulator. Why? Is there a floating point (FP) package available for the 8052? Is there a way to read the value of the Program Counter (PC)? How do I convert HEX to ASCII code in assembler? How are lookup tables implemented in 8052 assembler? what is all this atomicity stuff anyhow? What is a software State Machine all about? How shall I end my program? Hardware Questions Can 8052 be used with Smart Cards? Why do I need a Latch for external memory? How can I resolve noise problems? How do I interface an 8255 to an 8052? What alternatives are there to using an 8255? How can I improve EMC in my design? What are some good PCB layout tips? What is a reset generator? How can I reduce EMI in my design? How to program (burn) the code inside my 8051-derivative microcontroller? What are FPGAs and CPLDs and how are they used? why should I use a 'strange' crystal frequency ? what about analog to digital converter ? how do I mix 3.3V and 5V ? Other Misc. Questions Can TCP/IP be implemented with the 8052? Can I decode a barcode with an 8052? Can the 8052 dial a phone? Can I decode DTMF dial tones with the 8052? How can an 8052 determine temperature? Is there an IrDA stack for the 8052? What is the difference between a ucontroller, PLC and DSP ? My code does not work. Any help? Any good school (final year) project? Message Forum Questions Who are the moderators of the forum? Why are message threads occasionally closed? Why are messages or entire threads occasionally deleted completely? Do I need to be a registered user to post? How can I post formatted code? How can I make "My Home Page" visible in the User Pages list? Can you delete my account or posts? 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