Compare microcontrollers

This is the most controversial and disputed question. PIC users will swear by PIC, AVR users will always rant about AVR and then there will be people who will vote for ARM. You cannot compare microcontrollers, it all depends on our need. Learning and implementing projects on different microcontrollers is fun, but when a real setup needs to be formed, then the choice of microcontroller will depend on the requirement. If the requirement is of large no. of I/O lines but not many peripherals are required then the basic 8051 is the  best as it cuts down the cost , maybe OTP version can be used.

It always comes down to requirement, cost,reliability and other factors.

All are equal

Still 8051 stands nowhere in front of AVRs and PIC..... I think PIC consume more power in comparison with AVRs.. and there is lot of variety in AVR...

If 8051 do not stand anywhere infront of the AVR's they should have been obsolete by now, but they aren't, People still use them in their applications. PIC or AVR, this has been another great battle , but it all comes down to requirement. Do you  know that some variants of 8051 can provide 33MIPS, not even AVR or PIC can do that.

Microchip has a huge data base of PIC Microcontroller with lots of support and every day the 8 bit port folio is growing.

So who is the winner then ?

None actually, it all depends on what best fits your requirement

Which AVR Atmega8 or Atmega16 or Atmega32 should i use to start with AVR 

The atmega16 will be the better one you can struggle a bit with the datasheet of Atmega16.. otherwisw go with Atmega8 the simplest member of AVR family..

U r right shobhitkukreti , i have worked on MCS51, PIC and ARM. Each has its own properties and positive side. they cannot be compared......

Thank you Hari

Well 80 51 are generally for the beginners who are new to it , but generally .. every microcontrollr have its own value.. it depends on our requirement whether wht we need for our aim . We can use PIC ,ARm Atmega ..  so many ... Cypruss..etc...

Can anybody tell me the use of capacitors connected with crystal oscillator in any general microcontroller circuit.. ..

The positive feedback transistor (npn generally) is used for generating pulses. The capacitor are parallel with an inductance, (that is being replaced by a crystal/resonator to build the oscillator....)

This is an internal part for  itz functioning...

Sorry ankit i couldn't get your point... 

hey folks.. lets hav a vote for da uC u use... the uC hving most votes can b declareed da best...

me voting for AVR

voting should be done by persons who have worked on all these families.. I have worked on AVR and 8051 but not on PICs so just can't vote blindly... 

I too have worked on AVR n 8051..not on ne other .. lik PIC... if u asked among these I prefer AVR.. but cypruss and ..others r too gud...!!!

Lets discuss on the actuall points on which they differ rather then repeting the same point again and again.. If AVR is better please site the reason why it is... same for others as well..