PIC Replacement Module For Basic Stamp 2 Module

microcontrolleruser

Was looking at some old Basic Atom modules and boards.

Got an idea like any tinkerer would.

How about a PIC 28 pin dip socket on pcb that would plug into

Basic Stamp 2 module socket.

Anybody know which PIC to look at first?

microcontrolleruser

Here' link to Basic Stamp 2 dip.

https://www.parallax.com/product/pbasic2_p

Good thing I took a second look at it.

It's an F not a C type Pic device.

16F57.

I was reading dated articles saying Basic Stamp 2 was a 16C57.

I'm getting a couple.

See what it's like.

Anyhow. PIC for module should have TX and RX pins.

I think that means onboard UART or USART.

Beau Schwabe

A 16F57 by itself won't work, you need an appropriate EEPROM, and the 16F57 or 16C57 needs to be pre-programmed with the appropriate interpreter code from Parallax. The difference between the "F" version and the "C" version is that the "F" version is a FLASH memory device that can be programmed over and over, where the "C" version is only one time programmable. Since the interpreter code comes from Parallax and is proprietary the "F" version really doesn't benefit you from the "C" version in this case.

microcontrolleruser

Mr Schwabe

Sorry you wasted your time working on 16F57 as the actual chip

to be used in new board.

Idea is to insert new PIC board in anywhere a Basic Stamp is used.

"needs to be pre-programmed with the appropriate interpreter code"

No. New board would be programmed in Assembler PIC Basic or embedded C.

Found out it is quite doable.

Waiting for my hardware guy to surface and knock out a prototype.

If nothing else a pcb with pins that we can jumper over to breadboard and

build new circuitry.

jmg

microcontrolleruser wrote: »

...16F57.

I was reading dated articles saying Basic Stamp 2 was a 16C57.

I'm getting a couple.

See what it's like.

Anyhow. PIC for module should have TX and RX pins.

I think that means onboard UART or USART.

Whilst it does makes sense to match pin-out form-factor to what is already out there (eg ardunio is another industry pinout)
The PIC16F57 is truly ancient and somewhat brain-dead device.

If you want a DIP master device, that will constrain your choices, but something may exist...

First, get the reference point
PIC16F57-I/P Microchip 3KB FLASH 72 Bytes RAM 28DIP $0.83430 @ 1000

then, find alternatives...

Cheapest Small but capable MCUs 16-20 pins
STM8S003F3P6	8KB FLASH 1kR 20TSSOP	$0.39 @ 1000 I²C, IrDA, LIN, SPI, UART/USART	Brown-out Detect/Reset, POR, PWM, WDT	2.95 V ~ 5.5 V	20-TSSOP
N76E003AT20 1000 $0.40 18kF, 1kR, I²C, 2 UART, SPI, ADC, PWM, WDT 2.4V to 5.5V. 	20-TSSOP
EFM8BB10F8G-A-SOIC16	8BIT 8KB FLASH 512R 16SOIC	0.44440 @ 1000 AEC-Q100, 25MHz	I²C, SMBus, SPI, UART/USART	BOD, POR, PWM, WDT	16-SOIC
Cheapest Small but capable MCUs 28-32 pins
N76E885AT28 1000 $0.46 18kF, 1kR, I²C, 2 UART, SPI, ADC, PWM, WDT 2.4V to 5.5V. 	28-TSSOP
EFM8BB31F16G-B-QFN32 16KB FLASH 2.25kR  32QFN $0.676 @ 1000 50MHz	I²C, SMBus, SPI, UART/USART	BOD, POR, PWM, WDT 2.2 V ~ 3.6 V	A/D 20x12b, D/A 2x12b


Cheapest Small but capable MCUs DIP28
PIC16F15356-E/SP  28KB FLASH 2KR 28SDIP  $1.339 @ 1000 32MHz	I²C, LIN, SPI, UART/USART	BOD POR, PWM, WDT	25	2.3 V ~ 5.5 V	A/D 24x10b 
PIC18F25K40-I/SP  32KB FLASH 2kR 28SDIP $1.349 @ 1000 64MHz	I²C, LIN, SPI, UART/USART	BOD, LVD, POR, PWM, WDT	 2.3 V ~ 5.5 V
PIC32MM0064GPL028-I/SP	 32BIT 64KB 8kR FLASH $1.359 @ 1000	25MHz	IrDA, LIN, SPI, UART/USART	BOD, HLVD, I²S, POR, PWM, WDT 2 V ~ 3.6 V
Largest-Code  DIP28 
3V~3.6V dsPIC33,dsPIC24 have 512kF, 48kR, 70Mhz, ~ $3.75
Wide Vcc PIC18F27K40-I/SP-ND 128KB 3.6kR FLASH 28SDIP	$1.668 @ 1000 64MHz	I²C, LIN, SPI, UART/USART	BOD, LVD, POR, PWM, WDT	25	A/D 24x10b, D/A 1x5b

decent modern MCUs start under half the price of that PIC16F57, and for still less than PIC16F57 you can get EFM8BB31F16G-B-QFN32 with 12b ADC & DACS - ( but that one is not DIP or wide Vcc)

If you want DIP28 and Wide VCC, the price elevates as the volumes are smaller and competition less, in this sub-group, the PIC18F27K40 looks good.

If you relax that DIP28, (Stamps do not use DIP MCUs) many more parts come into focus... you can even get Cortex ARM M4F in WideVCC.

Addit:
Here are some 2.7V – 5.5V TQFP32 options.. that's an easy to manage 0.8mm package

Product         Pins    Flash   RAM     Price5K
ATSAMC20E15A    32      32      4,096   $1.41    
ATSAMC20E16A    32      64      8,192   $1.42    
ATSAMC20E17A    32      128     16,384  $1.51    
ATSAMC20E18A    32      256     32,768  $2.11

microcontrolleruser

Keep in mind we're working against the $80 asking price for

Stamp modules higher than BS2.

Highest Pic I've seen is $8-9.

Thank you for doing all that work.

microcontrolleruser

" match pin-out form-factor"

That's the whole idea.

Some details to work out.

When I picked Stamp 2 dip to research this that is a little off.

More important to look at 'what is' on Stamp boards and 'what is' on modules.

Then add in 'parameters' of new chip.

Example: most pic's are 5v. That 'matches up' with Stamp(Duh! It is a PIC!)

Module has eeprom. Would have to duplicate that for new pic 'if necessary'.

Can't just connect pins and fire it up.:)

There 'are some details to work out'.

microcontrolleruser

Project is 'taking recognizable form' here.

Figured out we can 'jumper out' of Homework board empty module socket to breadboard.

Plop a PIC on the breadboard and start in.

That will delineate the situation nicely.

Can see what the Homework provides/what needs to be built.

My hardware guy surfaced. I was getting the jitters.:)

This will firm up some parameters to give him.

Well. That's 'all the news that's fit to print'.