Hello, im new to robotics, not necessarily electronics considering my dad is a technician. Anyway, im curious about building robots from our own design, with an equally interested friend of mine, but the thing is, neither of us know how to code a microcontroller 
, i was wondering if you could tell me where you learned how to code and if there is any easy way to learn how to do it. Also is there any place i could have the code written for me.
Thank you in advance
Depending on who you talk to, you will get several opinions. I am new to micro controllers also. I knew absolutely nothing about microcontrollers six months ago. I did have prior programming experience using Microsoft’s Qbasic, and then Visual Basic 4, so I had the basic understanding of the programming structure.
With Microcontrollers, there are two popular languages: Mbasic (Basic Atom, and PIC micros) and Pbasic (Basic Stamp). If you are looking to go from absolutely no knowledge to learning how to program a microcontroller, I think the book “What’s a microcontroller” from Radioshack is the best. Its about $65 and it comes with a microcontroller board with a built in stamp and a servo with a few electronic components to build simple circuits on the board’s bread board area. It’s a really good deal that is hard to beat considering it comes with all this with a fantastic book that teaches exactly what you need to know when starting out.
I have bought this book and have no regrets what so ever, in fact I was able to design with the help of Pete on this forum, a circuit that works with the stamp that detects audio. I would never been able to do this without first getting the “What’s a microcontroller” book.
Hands down, that book is the best starting point in my opinion.
Much thanks SN96 
i’ll look into that and my friend and i will see how we can do 
My programming background was in Java and C/C++ both of which I learnt at Uni, therefore I like to programme in C/C++ since this is a language I know. I have never used Basic, or PIC micros for that matter
Once you have selected your language you can then select your microcontroller (based upon whether you can get a compiler for it - the program that turns your written code into machine code (ones and zeros))
I use Atmel Mega AVR microcontrollers since there is a free compiler suite (AVR-GCC, based upon the GNU compiler and available from AVRFreaks.net) and the IO is pretty good on these devices. I get them from www.dontronics.com in Australia as they also have motherboards, software, development kits etc - a good beginners development kit would be the DT006
Here is the link for the Radio shack book and kit on micro controllers, I think this is a great start for myself as well as anyone wanting to get a firm beginning in programming. Since I lack any programming knowledge I was worried about really building something that I could make function. I plan on ordering this today I will be glad to let everyone know how it goes.
The test crash dummy is on the job, stand by
Here’s the link radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2117994&cp=&kw=microcontroller&parentPage=search
James
Very good choice Tinnman,
This book will definitely teach you the basics, as well as simple circuits. That’s what I like about it, you get to build simple circuits and then program the microcontroller to use those circuits.
I recommend reading the book from cover to cover. Don’t skip around and do every exercise in the order the book provides. If you do this, you will get the max benefit from the book.
I have a number of books on electronics and circuits which I bought at uni for my degree, the only one I use however is “The Art of Electronics” by Horowitz and Hill
This has examples and do’s and don’t’s in it, and should be on everyone’s bookshlef!
Thanks for the info and suggestions guys 
The art of electronics? I’ll look for it online.
As probably everyone here is familiar with, has or is experiencing in a technology so new to many of us, I am hungry for info to get me started and doing this right.
I don’t plan on jumping in half cocked, but with knowledge based enthusiasm (but all be it lean funds!)(sound familiar?) If anyone has suggestions for good source info for the beginner, I would be greatly interested to find it.
Thanks, James
Don’t worry, you’re not the only newbie here.
Everyone here is at different levels.
Your comment about jumping in half cocked is probably a good one, but I wouldn’t take it too far.
Take it from a person who’s read 80,000 (ok, maybe not that many) tutorials… there’s nothing like jumping into the water to find out just how warm it is.
There’s a point that research and books can take you too, but after that, you’ll find that you really have to get your hands dirty to learn.
I agree with Mike that the Stamp book looks nice (I’ve read the pdf of it).
I wouldn’t suggest taking the route that I did, as just reading the pdf didn’t make me truly understand much.
Im on the same page as Nick. Im pretty new to programming as well. I do have some expiriance in ABEL programming Xilinx chips but who uses those stupid things anymore? I have read a lot of tutorials and parts of books and stuff but all that means nothing to me until I actually do it hands on.
Thanks for the words of encouragement. I build aircraft for a living, (real ones), I guess its been imprinted on me for so long to learn first, then do (they tend to fall from the sky if not approached in this manner!) that I sometimes forget all endeavors are not soooo life or death, especially hobbies!
This stuff just gets me so jazzed I want to be able to understand what the heck you guys are talking about.
Oh BTW, I got the book today “whats a microcontroller”, good stuff its really geared to help those of us not familiar with all those electron thingies (see some of the technical jargon is started to filter in 
)
Can’t wait to get my hands dirty!
I’m going to second this recommendation. It’s a truely excellent book. It’s a bit out of date when it comes to stuff like microcontrollers, but it is one of the best resources there is when it comes to anything analog. Just like jdpuddy, of the books I had to buy in college, it’s the only one that I still use.
I’m going to start a books thread in the general forum so we don’t get this topic too far off thread
