more confused than ever!!

[ghostman11]

i think i will go with a pic for staters but i am finding it hard to choose a programmer, my languages of choice are basic (i want to start with that as i have some experiance) and assembly as i think i can pick that up in a reasonable time frame and it will give me the power i am going to need eventualy.
i want a proggramer that is going to allow me to use serveral size of chips from the start. one of the projects i want to work on will need about 8 inputs and 20ish out puts. the other stuff will prob need just 4.
also a experiment board to start out with would be a big bonus untill i am good enough to make my own. so based on all that i would say a pickit 2 so any ideas what make etc of board????

 

[ghostman11]

i forgot to ask if anyone knew of a reasonable priced source of chips in the uk?? (apart from fleabay)

 

[3v0]

I you are willing to work with a boot loader checkout

USB 32-Bit Whacker - PIC32MX460 Development Board
a kick butt solution for $40.

If you taste is a bit milder the 18F based
USB Bit Whacker - 18F2553 Development Board
for about $25.

These come with UBW software but you can use the boot loader to load your own,

3v0

 

[skyhawk]

i forgot to ask if anyone knew of a reasonable priced source of chips in the uk?? (apart from fleabay)

Farnell United Kingdom | world-leading distributor of electronic and maintenance, repair and operations products.

 

[Russ Hensel]

i think i will go with a pic for staters but i am finding it hard to choose a programmer, my languages of choice are basic (i want to start with that as i have some experiance) and assembly as i think i can pick that up in a reasonable time frame and it will give me the power i am going to need eventualy.
i want a proggramer that is going to allow me to use serveral size of chips from the start. one of the projects i want to work on will need about 8 inputs and 20ish out puts. the other stuff will prob need just 4.
also a experiment board to start out with would be a big bonus untill i am good enough to make my own. so based on all that i would say a pickit 2 so any ideas what make etc of board????

The nice thing about the Arduino is someone has already made good decisions on these issues. This can be true of other development boards as well like the bitwacker. Neither needs a programmer.

20 outputs is a lot. May well not be needed or can be met with a shift register. Many people use 11 or so pins for an lcd, but it can be done with one pin and some shift registers.

I think asm is the wrong choice I would go with C for many reasons. Use asm if you want to learn the inner workings of a particular processor, use C to get things done.

 

[Russ Hensel]

Jason,

before reading your reply, I started writing my reply.

All I can add now is that if everyone would love the
same type of uCs, it would be a problem.
Same goes for women

Even with women you need to ask wife?, girlfiend? or date?

 

[Russ Hensel]

If you need a way to decide then look at how many posts are Pic or Avr related.

Unless you are willing to change forums then Pics win hands down.

Mike.

Yes but if you pick a particular PIC family, and a particular compiler then you see that a lot of the support is fragmented. I am a heavy PIC user but pratically never contribute unless the compiler is C, and normally only BoostC.

 

[be80be]

hmmm i never thought it would be so complicated!!! thanks for all the info. i am goi ng to take the plunge later today and choose one, is good to know there is so much support around on here. cheers

Get you a junebug from bill you can learn a ton with it and farnell has good prices you can buy from Microchip to in the UK or it said you can from the web site Farnell United Kingdom | world-leading distributor of electronic and maintenance, repair and operations products.
The junebug is a Pickit2 clone and with any Pickit2 you can program most any chip that Microchip sells. The real pickit2 can change the voltages levels to program lower volt chips.

You can program using LVP with just a serial cable and 4 resistors and bread board for less then $8.00 if you have the serial cable laying around
here have a look
With junebug
[embed]http://www.youtube.com/v/03iPkFhmw9E&hl=en_US&fs=1&[/embed]
LVP all most free lol
[embed]http://www.youtube.com/v/_4Rtj1x6kGM&hl=en_US&fs=1&[/embed]

 

[3v0]

Yes but if you pick a particular PIC family, and a particular compiler then you see that a lot of the support is fragmented. I am a heavy PIC user but pratically never contribute unless the compiler is C, and normally only BoostC.

AVR users were often told to try asking on AVRfreeks. In general that does not happen with PIC. Maybe we have more AVR users now, and we will see less of that. But I think it indicates our PIC support is good and we have enough people in each fragment to answer needed questions.

3v0

 

[ghostman11]

having had a chat with someone it seems i may have missed something, will all programmers allow me to put a pre-programed chip in then allow me to transfer that program onto another chip? and last question for tonight (with luck anyway ) can the junebug be ordered in the uk?
thanks alot for all the help guys

 

[AtomSoft]

Ok not sure what you mean but do you mean... Can you copy a PIC like in case you lost your code and want to copy the hex back to PC if so then yes. Im not sure if it works if the PIC is code protected... (IS A CONFIG OPTION)....

As for the Junebug.... you can ask Bill on this forum...
Electronic Circuits Projects Diagrams Free - View Profile: blueroomelectronics

 

[ghostman11]

thats exactly what i want to do but i had no idea you could protect it, that could be useful if i ever write anything worth protecting lol. i will contact bill in due course many thanks

 

[AtomSoft]

no problem. Be sure to check out his site for info also.

 

[ghostman11]

ok its come down to the junebug or **broken link removed** anyone got any thoughts on if this is value for the £££££/$$$$$

 

[3v0]

The support for Junebug is very good here.

ZIF sockets are old school. I make a PCB with IC sockets and ICSP cable. If I need to program a chip for a board without ICSP I use that. It is very rarely used.

The junebug is constructed from through hole parts with a socketed processor. If needed it can be repaired much more easily then a SMD unit.

The junebug can be easily converted to a serial analyzer tool by replaced the 18F2550 with one you can program using the junebug. (this is one case where you need an external processor socket)

The junebug has the tutor section.

3v0

 

[ghostman11]

thanks 3v0 thats swung it for me ok now to track down Bill ang get my order in BILL!!!! BILL!!! get one wrapped and packed mate

 

[ghostman11]

where is the best place to buy it from?

 

[AtomSoft]

**broken link removed**

That is assembled.... if you want to solder it yourself then:

**broken link removed**

 

[AtomSoft]

Bill got lazy and forgot to change main title lol

"
Junebug PIC Laboratory PICkit 2 & Tutor Assembled
Unassembled Junebug PICkit2 and Tutor
"

 

[ghostman11]

cheers for that atom i will order one