Joel Rainville
New Member
Since I started playing with PICs, I have assumed that the 12 bit instruction set was limited to the PIC10, while the PIC12 and PIC16 used the 14 bit instruction set.
Now it appears that the **broken link removed**/**broken link removed**/**broken link removed** family is using the the 12 bit instruction set. When I first saw this on the 16F505 product page, which is not yet in production, I thought "oh, there's a typo". Well, it's not, the datasheet clearly states 12 bit instruction set.
While I can see the need for a smaller instruction set in cheaper packages, I am left wondering why call them PIC12s and PIC16 when they actually look like they're just PIC10s with more pins? Not to mention that they are completely software incompatible with other PIC12s and PIC16s? Are there other examples of PIC12s and PIC16s using the 12 bit instruction set? Maybe some older OTP ones?
Now it appears that the **broken link removed**/**broken link removed**/**broken link removed** family is using the the 12 bit instruction set. When I first saw this on the 16F505 product page, which is not yet in production, I thought "oh, there's a typo". Well, it's not, the datasheet clearly states 12 bit instruction set.
While I can see the need for a smaller instruction set in cheaper packages, I am left wondering why call them PIC12s and PIC16 when they actually look like they're just PIC10s with more pins? Not to mention that they are completely software incompatible with other PIC12s and PIC16s? Are there other examples of PIC12s and PIC16s using the 12 bit instruction set? Maybe some older OTP ones?