Mac user needs info/help...

[GrayFox]

Hi, I am a macintosh sort of person :lol: . I have recently retired and am becoming interested in electronics.

Unfortunately there is a shortage of electronics related software/hardware available for the Mac. I have found McSpice and MI-Sugar. Regrettably these do not appear to be as fully developed as some of the PC software simulators I have seen advertised.

I have not be able to find any way to use a Mac to program a PIC device. The only "out" ports I have are USB and FireWire.

Does anyone have any experience using Virtual PC and PC circuit simulation software?

Do there exist inexpensive PIC programmers that use USB and might work work in a Virtual PC environment on a Macintosh?

Thanks for any pointers...

--Jerry

 

[Exo]

Just get yourself an old PC, a pentium 200 or something (even much less will work) will do fine for programming pic's. They are so cheap second hand, just drink one less cola and you can afford one :lol:

 

[TheAnimus]

i think i speak on behalf of the rest of the world when i say.

HAHA YOU BOUGHT A MAC!
:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[GrayFox]

Yada, Yada...

i think i speak on behalf of the rest of the world when i say.

HAHA YOU BOUGHT A MAC!
:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Jeez, I was hoping that this would be a helpful forum for information.

--Jerry

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

Re: Yada, Yada...

Jeez, I was hoping that this would be a helpful forum for information.

Well he did add a load of 'smilies'.

But presumably you are aware that the MAC is fairly poorly supported, when the vast majority of the world uses PC's running Windows, and Mac's are particularly unfriendly for interfacing (having dropped the easiest ports to use).

MicroChip sell a very cheap FLASH USB programmer, the PICKit1, you can download all the circuits and source code for it from the MicroChip website - including the PC side.

You could use that on a MAC, but would have to write the MAC interface yourself - but as least you have all the PC details.

But as Exo said, get yourself a cheap PC to play with PIC's (and it doesn't matter if you blow it up) - I threw 4 or 5 out last year, all of which would have been enough for PIC programming - I'm sure I'm not the only one!.

 

[Trini]

Hi Jerry,
I am a newbie to this forum.
Maybe you can get a bit of encouragement from what I have to say here.
I am a Macintosh man myself and retired from gainful employment about 8 yrs ago. I have a MacPlus and SE still in working condition. Up until recently we had at home here 6 Macs networked together. At the present time two are down, an iMac DV and a G3. I am trying to revive a Quadra 605.
Now to your problem. I have used Real PC in the past but recently switched to Virtual PC. If I have a zipped up application I use Stuffit Expander to unzip it, open up Virtual PC, run Windows 98 and drag the application folder on to theWindows desktop and Voila!

For PIC programming, (I am still a learner) I use MacPic which runs on the Quadra or Performer 475 here. However the newer PICs are not handled by MacPic. I have not tried it over USB port, but I read somewhere that the timing on the USB link up doesn't allow it to work.Check

http://www.macrobotics.com/MacPIC/MacPIC.html

for the latest on MacPic.

By the way you did not mention which Mac model you bought. You probably will need to run OS.X for the new MacPIc when it comes.

Never mind doze laughs by the windoze guys. The Mac functions like two computers in one.

I have downloaded several limited versions of PC circuit simulation programs but am still to learn how to use them and interperet the results.

Drop me a private message with your e-mail address and I may be able to send you something(s) of interest.

In the meantime I say to you "illigitimi non carborandi" don't let the bastards wear you down.

 

[Trini]

Hi Jerry,
I am a newbie to this forum.
Maybe you can get a bit of encouragement from what I have to say here.
I am a Macintosh man myself and retired from gainful employment about 8 yrs ago. I have a MacPlus and SE still in working condition. Up until recently we had at home here 6 Macs networked together. At the present time two are down, an iMac DV and a G3. I am trying to revive a Quadra 605.
Now to your problem. I have used Real PC in the past but recently switched to Virtual PC. If I have a zipped up application I use Stuffit Expander to unzip it, open up Virtual PC, run Windows 98 and drag the application folder on to theWindows desktop and Voila!

For PIC programming, (I am still a learner) I use MacPic which runs on the Quadra or Performer 475 here. However the newer PICs are not handled by MacPic. I have not tried it over USB port, but I read somewhere that the timing on the USB link up doesn't allow it to work.Check

http://www.macrobotics.com/MacPIC/MacPIC.html

for the latest on MacPic.

By the way you did not mention which Mac model you bought. You probably will need to run OS.X for the new MacPIc when it comes.

Never mind doze laughs by the windoze guys. The Mac functions like two computers in one.

I have downloaded several limited versions of PC circuit simulation programs but am still to learn how to use them and interperet the results.

Drop me a private message with your e-mail address and I may be able to send you something(s) of interest.

In the meantime I say to you "illigitimi non carborandi" don't let the bastards wear you down.

 

[GrayFox]

I guess I was a bit grumpy...

Hi,

Sorry about being snappish .

I may ultimately have to get a refurbished PC but I want to examine the Mac possiblities first, we have been an all mac family since '84 and the computer room is close to capacity.

I am running a 933MHZ G4 with MacOS X 10.3.2. It would be cool if VPC worked well enough to use a programmer. FTDI appears to have a USB to serial port driver for mac os x.

I am guessing the the circuit simulation software would do fine. ( I had an earlier version of VPC that ran windows 98 and it was able to run Office on my 300MHZ old mac.)

--Jerry

 

[kentken]

Love Mac to, but

I also love my mac, I use it for everything, but what is win9x Only.
Just find a friend that has a old pc, find one that has USB and support for a large HD.

I have a smart media reader that I use to transfer files back and forth(PC+Internet(bugs)=Bad News)
I have had good luck using Microchip MPLAB and other Pic software.

I've used PC Pci cards in the past, but I didn't have the Ports. Mabe USB to Serial??? but will the software reconize the hardware????

A pc will also give you the right ports and less fuss.

Good Luck

 

[kentken]

Love Mac to, but

I also love my mac, I use it for everything, but what is win9x Only.
Just find a friend that has a old pc, find one that has USB and support for a large HD.

I have a smart media reader that I use to transfer files back and forth(PC+Internet(bugs)=Bad News)
I have had good luck using Microchip MPLAB and other Pic software.

I've used PC Pci cards in the past, but I didn't have the Ports. Mabe USB to Serial??? but will the software reconize the hardware????

A pc will also give you the right ports and less fuss.

Good Luck

 

[Dingo Binkelmaier]

mac/PC

Hi Jerry,

I use Macs all the time for everything, except for programming PICS. I even teach a course on that uses the mac platform. For graphics there is very little better.

But for Pic programming, take the advice above, just get yourself a little old pentium machine. Most PIC programming software is a few steps above the functionality of a VT100 terminal. Nothing special required- you could even get a cheap old laptop with a serial port and use that.

As to using USB-serial converters on a MAC, it isn't worth the hassle. There is a Basic stamp sharware program for programming them from a mac, but you need the Keyspan converter, and you are stuck with those horrendous $50 stamps.

D.