New to PIC... What should I use?

[Souper man]

I am very new to PIC, and I want to start a simple project using the biggest PIC chip (40 Pins to make it look cool). I was wondering what simple to use chip should I use and where I should go for demos? (sorry Nigel, dont rly like your site )

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

I am very new to PIC, and I want to start a simple project using the biggest PIC chip (40 Pins to make it look cool). I was wondering what simple to use chip should I use and where I should go for demos? (sorry Nigel, dont rly like your site )

The classic 40 pin chip is the 16F877, or if you like C there are a number of 40 pin 18F series chips.

 

[Souper man]

Ok, now that I chose my chip (the 16F877, thank you nigel and no hard feelings right?), all i need now is to learn how to program it and what to build. If anybody could point me in the right direction of how to program it (say a website with a tutorial, cept nigels LOL), I would appreciate it very much.

Note: Would I use a 9pin serial port? if so, would it be possible to change it with a USB?

 

[Leftyretro]

I am very new to PIC, and I want to start a simple project using the biggest PIC chip (40 Pins to make it look cool). I was wondering what simple to use chip should I use and where I should go for demos? (sorry Nigel, dont rly like your site )

Well there is probably no cheaper or simpler PIC route to start then the PICAXE series of chips which span from 8 to 40 pin devices. Free PC editor/basic/programmer software, simple 2 resistor seriel PC interface and no hardware burner required...good luck



Lefty

 

[donniedj]

Coolness Aspect:
Use a 44-pin TQFN package. Much cooler than a 40-pin dip anyday. Use a 16F914 for now until the votes are counted.

 

[Souper man]

No surface mount peices, besides, I want a huge chip!

 

[Souper man]

Also, I dont want to buy a kit or anything like that. Money isnt the issue, just not the rabbit kits, those cost like 600$.

I like building things from seprate components. if you could point me in the direction of a tutorial site, except nigels, that would be sweet.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

Ok, now that I chose my chip (the 16F877, thank you nigel and no hard feelings right?), all i need now is to learn how to program it and what to build. If anybody could point me in the right direction of how to program it (say a website with a tutorial, cept nigels LOL), I would appreciate it very much.

What are you wanting to do?, my tutorials aren't an "idiots guide", they require you to put some work in to it - but provide a solid set of useful routines that you can use over and over again. They also provide easy to build, proven working, practical building examples - that don't require any PCB's.

Note: Would I use a 9pin serial port? if so, would it be possible to change it with a USB?

You could use a 9 pin serial port, but to do what? - forget about USB though!.

 

[Souper man]

plug the 9 pin into the computer? I mean how would i program it? I dont really like the PICAXE site, and I have spent 20 hours nonstop of soldering to create 3 spagetti bots, so i am definately willing to work for it (search spagetti 2.0 in the search box for my robot, which is my favorite one). I was thinking of doing simple LED flashers and some other stuff. This is all leading up to create a sumo bot to enter in teh chibot sumo wrestling contest. BUT! i must do simple experiments to test how i am going to approach this. My first experiment is to create the classic talking car, KITT, where his "eye" is a bargraph LED going back and forth. I want to use a PIC for this.

Any tutorial would be helpful cept nigels! te he
(Nigel i am joking about your site, its good, but not how i want to start my PIC projects)

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

plug the 9 pin into the computer? I mean how would i program it? I dont really like the PICAXE site, and I have spent 20 hours nonstop of soldering to create 3 spagetti bots,

If you've spent 20 hours soldering, either you're VERY slow at soldering, or Michigan has disappeared under a mountain of solder!

so i am definately willing to work for it (search spagetti 2.0 in the search box for my robot, which is my favorite one). I was thinking of doing simple LED flashers and some other stuff. This is all leading up to create a sumo bot to enter in teh chibot sumo wrestling contest. BUT! i must do simple experiments to test how i am going to approach this. My first experiment is to create the classic talking car, KITT, where his "eye" is a bargraph LED going back and forth. I want to use a PIC for this.

Any tutorial would be helpful cept nigels! te he
(Nigel i am joking about your site, its good, but not how i want to start my PIC projects)

To program PIC's you need a programmer - but if you use PICAXE's these are pre-programmed PIC's containing a BASIC interpreter - and use a VERY simple serial connection to upload the tokenised code. They might be simple, but they are also cheap, and MUCH more than capable of doing your KITT requirement.

Incidently - my first tutorial contains that exact same project!

 

[Souper man]

perhaps i will do your tutorial, but any others would be cool.

Did you even look at my bot? I had to cut wires, create body, and everything. also 3 ADDITIONAL bots for teachers and friends.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

Did you even look at my bot? I had to cut wires, create body, and everything. also 3 ADDITIONAL bots for teachers and friends.

So it wasn't "20 hours nonstop of soldering " like you said?

 

[Souper man]

LOL!!!

no, 20 hrs of nonstop magic...

 

[3v0]

To program PIC's you need a programmer...

Or a bootloader but then you need a programmer to program the boot loader.

For PICs I would suggest an ICD2 clone (In Circuit Debugger) or some other unit with ICD.

 

[Souper man]

What would you suggest? I am using a 40 pin PIC, specifically a 16F877. Do you know any ICD2 clones i could build?

 

[bananasiong]

First thing you need to do is building the programmer. It is available in Nigel's site. A programmer can usually program many types of PICs (12F, 16F and some 18F).
I've learned a lot from his site, even I'm not using the same programmer board and the programming software.

 

[Souper man]

So basically build nigels crappy little programmer that will probably melt?

 

[Souper man]

Nigel, How do i connect your "programmer" to the computer? through the rs232?

(man nigel, you are taking some verbal abuse today rofl)

 

[3v0]

What would you suggest? I am using a 40 pin PIC, specifically a 16F877. Do you know any ICD2 clones i could build?

Why yes I do. The inchworm is a good choice.

The problem is that the inchworm uses a 16F877 too! So you need a programer to build it. Chicken .. egg

DIP micro sell the inchworm kit for about $36. That would get you everything including a programmed 16F877 to use with it. Bill has a newer version called the inchworm+ MSRP $45. Check www.blueroomelectronics.com. Both have nicely done PCBs.

I have an inchworm that I built from a kit as well as several similar units that I built for scratch for my students. If you do not count the shipping they ran about 10 or 20 bucks. The kit prices are not unreasonable.

It should be pointed out that you can get a PICKIT2 for 35 or 40 from microchip but where is the fun in that?

 

[Souper man]

I was actually thinking of building nigels programmer, but I dont know how it connects to the computer.

Go to his PIC demo site