[kragen]

> Now what if you want a medium current PWM output

mmbt2222, 2n7000, uln2003, tip122, irf540/9540, sheesh

its inputs have a schmitt trigger mode. if you can deal with 200mv hysteresis you can maybe use three resistors instead of an analog comparator

[type111]

All options and all costing you more money on top of the 'only $1'.

[kragen]

an mmbt2222 costs 1.6 cents and handles three times the current and six times the voltage of an avr

technically yes it's a chip but not an ic

resistors are under a cent

[type111]

Looks like you've cracked the code. AVR is obselete after all.

[kragen]

has been for ten years

[type111]

Given that's the case, do you have an explanation for Microchip's development of numerous new AVR product lines since their acquisition of Atmel in 2016?

[ComputerGuru]

Comfort and familiarity. They’re comfortable chips you can learn inside and out with a fairly huge ecosystem (importantly one that is approachable because it’s also powered by people in a similar position and with similar priorities/concerns to your own) around the parts/arch/IS and you don’t have to read scary looking 600-page datasheets (then realize there’s a separate datasheet for the core vs the rest), worry about soldering TQFN or TFBGA packages with your (t)rusty old Weller iron, don’t need to learn the distinction between the Cortex Core and the manufacturer-specific everything else around it, worry about things like initializing timers and peripheral buses, concern yourself too much with power states, etc. If the chip can’t do DMA and can’t do hardware-accelerated x, y, or z, it takes a lot of pressure off of things when it comes to nerd-sniping yourself into doing something in a better way or even just deciding “this isn’t possible, might need to pick a different approach/problem/solution altogether.”

[kragen]

people buy them