Getting into Pic programming

[zorbzz]

Hi everyone. I was thinking about getting into PIC Programming and experimenting and was trying to decide what setup to buy to get me started.
I am in Australia and in a rural area so I cant just walk into a shop and start talking about it.
I have 2 options of kits to buy and was asking for input and pros / cons on them
The first one is:

**broken link removed**

And the second one is:
**broken link removed**

Any suggestions or tips to point me in the right direction would be most appreciated.
Thanks alot.

 

[Pommie]

I would avoid both of them. They are expensive serial programmers (AU$75 and AU$140). For US$50 you can get a genuine Pickit2 from Microchip which is a programmer and an in-circuit debugger. Another choice would be a as this is a PicKit2 clone and an experimenter. The advantage with either of the later are that most people on here use them and so lots of help is available.

Mike.

 

[mvs sarma]

Hi everyone. I was thinking about getting into PIC Programming and experimenting and was trying to decide what setup to buy to get me started.
I am in Australia and in a rural area so I cant just walk into a shop and start talking about it.
I have 2 options of kits to buy and was asking for input and pros / cons on them
The first one is:

**broken link removed**

And the second one is:
**broken link removed**

Any suggestions or tips to point me in the right direction would be most appreciated.
Thanks alot.

Hi,

The best would be, to purchase a PICKIT2 from Microchip direct or its distributor. It is cheap at less than US $35/- Try to use a right angle male berg pin set of 6 pins and a bread board.
you can connect the 5 pins and go ahead of programming most of the F series DIP chips barring few. Why spend more?

 

[zorbzz]

Thanks for the advice. I just took a look at the Pickit2 from Microchip and it looks great. I didnt even know about it before now and am greatfull for you guys telling me about it.
I would like to get some chips and anything else I will need to get started right away with this so can you recomend some chips and accesories to buy along with the Pickit2 system?
Thanks again

 

[Wp100]

Hi,

Depends what you already have but would think you will eventually end up with some form of little development board using the Pickit2 as a base.

Some of these may be on your shopping list -

A breadboard and wires
Some StripBoard to solder up projects
Small switches. x 5 - inputs to the pic
LEDs - outputs x 10 , 5v type better - no resistor needed.
2x16 lcd - cheap standard HD4470 type
10k resistors x10
1k resistors x10
10k trimmer x 2
0.1" 6 way 90 deg connector - for the PK2
100nf caps x10
100uf caps x2
ic sockets for the pic

My choice of chip would be from the 18F range the 46LF20 being a good one, it does any voltage from 3 -5v,has enough pins that you can dedicate the 3 pins to the programmmer /debugger without switches and it has a much easier instruction set, but many folk prefer the 16F range and much smaller chips.

 

[zorbzz]

Sounds good.
I have lots of components already but nothing to do with PICs so I might just get a couple of te 46LF20 and some 16F range chips.
Thanks for the help.

 

[mvs sarma]

Sounds good.
I have lots of components already but nothing to do with PICs so I might just get a couple of te 46LF20 and some 16F range chips.
Thanks for the help.

as you are new and young , better start with 16F628A, and /16F877A for more ports etc
you may also use 18F1320 in the 18 pin chips, thereafter better switch to PIC18F2550/4550.

may be you need to learn C for PICs
as an eminent programmer, POMMIE suggested, BOOST C is good and is free as you start.

 

[zorbzz]

Yeah I was just thinking that when I looked at the specs for the different PICs.
I will be doing a lot of basic stuff to learn so I should start off with a popular chip first to learn from.
I am commited to learning as much as possible.
Thanks for the recomendations I will be looking at them next.

 

[yohanevindra]

in university we're goin to use the 18F452. so i want to buy a board so that i can practice at home. is the pickit2 or the junebug a better one?are they compatible with the 18F452. also, do both these boards come with peripherals such as LEDs, LCDs, speakers and ports for other peripherals?

 

[mvs sarma]

in university we're goin to use the 18F452. so i want to buy a board so that i can practice at home. is the pickit2 or the junebug a better one?are they compatible with the 18F452. also, do both these boards come with peripherals such as LEDs, LCDs, speakers and ports for other peripherals?

any one would work, while June bug comes with an added tutor employing 18F1320 if you purchase it as KIT, while pickit2 has many options as it is sold with add on boards or just as a stand alone programmer.

Yes you can use for 18F452.

 

[aljamri]

I've started here:

WinPicProg Page

and found it the best PIC programmer software, and PIC Tutorials.

 

[Pommie]

I've started here:

WinPicProg Page

and found it the best PIC programmer software, and PIC Tutorials.

Whilst Nigel's stuff is good, it was written before in circuit debugging was the norm. There are now much better programmer/ICDs (in circuit debuggers) than the parallel port programmer that Nigel's site promotes.

Look at getting a PicKit2 or a clone.

Mike.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

Whilst Nigel's stuff is good, it was written before in circuit debugging was the norm. There are now much better programmer/ICDs (in circuit debuggers) than the parallel port programmer that Nigel's site promotes.

Look at getting a PicKit2 or a clone.

I would agree, MicroChip programmers were very expensive, and very slow - now the PICKIT2 (and clones) are cheap and fast. With modern PC's no longer having serial or parallel ports the USB based PICKIT2 is the way to go, and new devices are added all the time by MicroChip.

 

[yohanevindra]

is the PICkit2 debug express better or the PICkit2 starter kit?the PICkit2 debug express has a incircuit debugger. I'm guessing that's better?

where can you get the add-on boards with LCDs, LEDs and stuff?

or is the junebug a better buy for a beginner like me?but it has to support PIC18F452. the microchip site doesnt say that the PICkit2's support it. :S:S:S

 

[yohanevindra]

also junebug says that it supports 18F1320...will it support 18F4582??

 

[blueroomelectronics]

The PICkit2 debug express is a standard PICkit2 that includes a target PCB with 16F877A to get you started.

The Junebug and all PICkit2 support the 18F452. Here's the current list
**broken link removed**

Edit:
Although the 18F452 isn't listed MPLAB 8.33 shows it as supported with almost all their programmers except the old PK1

If you can get a 18F4520 use that instead as the 18F452 is an older design.

 

[yohanevindra]

so do you recommend the junebug or the PICkit2?is junebug better cos it has attached peripherals?

 

[blueroomelectronics]

Well the Junebug is my kit so my answer will be biased.

 

[mvs sarma]

The PICkit2 debug express is a standard PICkit2 t..........

If you can get a 18F4520 use that instead as the 18F452 is an older design.

i think their college supports develoment boards that use F452, from what he said

 

[blueroomelectronics]

At least it's not a 16F84