I would like to know what µcontroller you peaple use, home made solutions,
I do not use anything for "home made solutions" but prototyping should qualify
solutions with a real monitor on board...
forget the monitor, it is - if you take my suggestion - an anachronism.

run under unixes (linux prolly but well what about messing a little bit with commercial unixes)
forget that, the tools for '51 developemnt sell in so small quantities tha nobody cannafford to develop for anything but the most pop... nah, no way - most widespread operating system.


waht would be your advice to get a fair amount of hardware and documentation to get started. I need this kit not to be the limiting factor of this project but price is an important factor

Get a SILabs development kit ($99-$149) and you will have all you need including full emulation (do not confuse with simulation).

documentation to get started
here are the links to "the bible"
Chapter 1
http://www.semiconductors.philips.com/acrobat/v...ARCH_1.pdf

chapter 2
http://www.semiconductors.philips.com/acrobat/v...UIDE_1.pdf


chapter 3
http://www.semiconductors.philips.com/acrobat/v...WARE_1.pdf





The best (and most) IIC appnotes including the bus specification:
http://www.semiconductors.philips.com/buses/i2c...index.html


The PCA cookbook
http://www.intel.com/design/MC...085101.PDF


Erik