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Pic programing, where to start ? — Parallax Forums

Pic programing, where to start ?

ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
edited 2002-12-03 18:50 in General Discussion
Hey guys.
I've been thinking about making the switch to pic programing.
I need more reliability and cheaper chips.
The problem, Where to start ?
so many pic types/programmers/books/sites.
Any recommendations ?
Reading list ?
Pointers ?

Thanks,
Shachar Weis
holopoint@r...

Comments

  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2002-12-03 17:34
    For a programmer, I just bought the kit from www.voti.nl Wouter's Wisp628
    programmer and software. It works like a charm.

    If you are coming from Stamps, there is a Basic compiler from
    MicroEngineering Labs (www.melabs.com) that is
    Stamp compatible - there are two, actually - PicBasic for $100 and PicBasic
    Pro for $250. Picbasic supports the Stamp I language and features, while
    the Pro version supports the BS2 language and features. Both have some
    extensions.

    For example, the Pro version has commands to support the A/D converters,
    USARTs, I2C, etc on the PIC 16F877 series chips.

    I have both (just got the Pro version - looking to sell the standard version).

    I've been putting together a rather large 16F877 project - it is about 1300
    lines of PicBasic code at present, and even uses the floating point package
    that MEL provides.

    I've not played with any of the "C" compilers yet - I really hate "C" as a
    programming language.

    Also on Wouter's site, above, you can find his JAL compiler. JAL (Just
    Another Language) is a Pascal-like language for the PICs - I've played with
    it a bit.

    And of course, there is always assembler.

    As to chips - check the Microchip site (www.microchip.com) for all the gory
    details. The 16F628 is a good basic chip with no A/D or UARTs, etc. But
    cheap and very useful

    The 16F877 is a 40 pin chip with 8 channels of 10 bit A/D, comparators,
    UART, I2C/SPI - if you really want to learn all the things that can be
    done, that's the chip (or it's smaller 28 pin relative the 16F876). The
    '877 has 8k oc program code memory and about 380 bytes of data memory (RAM)
    - you can do a lot with it.

    Have fun!

    Larry

    At 03:02 PM 12/3/2002 +0000, you wrote:
    >Hey guys.
    >I've been thinking about making the switch to pic programing.
    >I need more reliability and cheaper chips.
    >The problem, Where to start ?
    >so many pic types/programmers/books/sites.
    >Any recommendations ?
    >Reading list ?
    >Pointers ?
    >
    >Thanks,
    >Shachar Weis
    >holopoint@r...
    >
    >
    >To UNSUBSCRIBE, just send mail to:
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    >
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    Larry Bradley
    Orleans (Ottawa), Ontario, CANADA
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2002-12-03 17:35
    Try the rat ring user group.
    They do PIC programming.
    rat_ring@yahoogroups.com
    "holopoint.rm" <holopoint@r...> wrote:Hey guys.
    I've been thinking about making the switch to pic programing.
    I need more reliability and cheaper chips.
    The problem, Where to start ?
    so many pic types/programmers/books/sites.
    Any recommendations ?
    Reading list ?
    Pointers ?

    Thanks,
    Shachar Weis
    holopoint@r...


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  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2002-12-03 18:50
    #1 figure out what you ultimatly want to do.
    inputs ADC ??
    Speed ?
    Pin counts etc

    Then find a chip that will do that an a little more.
    then find what is needed for that chip. typically, everything less
    can be done on smaller chips, but if you try to go up in features,
    you may find your software/programmer also need to be upgraded.

    Dave






    --- In basicstamps@y..., "holopoint.rm" <holopoint@r...> wrote:
    > Hey guys.
    > I've been thinking about making the switch to pic programing.
    > I need more reliability and cheaper chips.
    > The problem, Where to start ?
    > so many pic types/programmers/books/sites.
    > Any recommendations ?
    > Reading list ?
    > Pointers ?
    >
    > Thanks,
    > Shachar Weis
    > holopoint@r...
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