July 30, 2023
Assembly Language - the Pi Pico
I don't think there is much benefit to learning assembly language
without being able to run code from the "get go".
I don't much like simulators, though they have their advantages.
So I am recommending the Raspberry Pi Pico (RP2040) for several reasons:
I can already hear the angry hordes gathering outside with torches and
pitchforks. But consider. Once upon a time, people used Z80 processors
(or even 6502) to learn assembly. If you were lucky, these ran at 4 Mhz
and came with 64K of ram. With the Pico you get a well documented 32 bit
processor running at 133 Mhz with 264K of ram. What is not to like?
- It is cheap and available (only $4 at the present time).
- You can download code without anything more than a USB cable.
- It is popular and well documented.
- Pico at Adafruit - $4.00 each
A runner up would be the STM32F103 "blue pill". I see these selling two for $10 on
Amazon. You would also need a ST-Link V2 gadget (also on Amazon for $10).
But the "Pico" wins on the basis of price and sheer simplicity.
On top of that, everything you learn about the Pico will be useful for all the
projects you will think of using it for. You don't have to stick with assembly
language either.
Feedback? Questions?
Drop me a line!
Tom's Computer Info / tom@mmto.org