PIC development board advice

[gregmcc]

I've recently been thinking about purchasing/building a pic development board and need a few tips.

1) As a hobbiest is it worth getting one - at the moment I have a inchworm and build my projects on breadboards which is getting a bit messy. I've been tinkering around with PIC's for a good few months without really knowing what I"m doing I would like to really start doing a few fun projects and getting into the nuts and bolts of the pic.

2) Would it be better to buy or build one. I've seen a few posts on some kits - velleman, easypic4, futurelec. The velleman/easypic4 seem a bit expensive - around $100 while the futurelec is $30. Is it the case here that trying to be too cheap you will end up buying junk? Could you build a cost effective DIY dev board yourself?

3) I see blueroomelectronics are going to be releasing a unicorn. From what I've read this is going to be a experimentation board as well. As I already have a inchworm should I just wait for this to come out? Anyone got any idea of prices yet?

Whew - thats about the most I've typed up in a post

Any feedback would be welcome.

 

[mister_e]

i never used any development board before i decide to buy EasyPIC 4. I did everything on bread-board or on home-made PCBs.

For serious or big project, i still build my breadboard/PCBs, but for simple and/or fast project/tests, i use the easypic 4. It's also handy for me to test forum user's and/or customers code ....it save me tons of time. Big advantage to have an on-board ICSP USB programmer compatible with most popular PIC model. I like that board.

Like i said, for much serious job, i still prefer to build it on a breadboard or on a real PCB and work with... at least to decide my own i/o assignment.

I've never look around so much, but assuming what EasyPIC4 give on-board and for the price... it sure worth it's price.

Few months ago, i heard they can sell you the bare PCB with the USB programmer IC.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

You might have a look at my tutorials?, their modular nature means they are more versatile than development boards, and as they don't use PCB's they are easily and cheaply built.

 

[picbits]

I started off with a "Millenium Board" from Bluebird Electronics - I got this back in 2000 (ish) and still use it to date.

I'm seriously tempted by the EasyPic 4 though - looks a lovely bit of kit for the price and with the additional displays still comes in cheaper than the old Millenium board.

For making quick proof of concept designs I find my development board invaluable.

** edit ** found a link to the board I've got:

http://www.bluebird-electronics.co....eHistory=cat&strKeywords=&SearchFor=&PT_ID=73

 

[AllVol]

I've recently been thinking about purchasing/building a pic development board and need a few tips.


2) Would it be better to buy or build one. I've seen a few posts on some kits - velleman, easypic4, futurelec.

Any feedback would be welcome.

From my experience with the Futurlec board, I would advise you to avoid them. I bought one a year ago, and never could get it running. Tech support is a joke.

IMO

 

[gramo]

For $119 the EasyPIC4 is really unbeatable as its both a USB Programmer and a Full development board (the lcd's are a little extra). One look at it and you know its worth it...
**broken link removed**

 

[gregmcc]

Thanks for the feedback - relooking at the easypic, it does look tempting. Everything I need now and a ton of things I haven't even started to explore yet

 

[ericgibbs]

hi greg,
If you have the time, I would suggest you build your own development pcb's.
I would go for the modular board method, providing you plan ahead on your interconnect requirements,
you can mix and match modules to suit the project on the bench.

If you are short of time, the EasyPic4 looks useful piece of hardware, lots of bells and whistles.
IIRC some of the LCD's have to bought seperately??

 

[picbits]

I'm seriously considering investing in an EasyPic4 board at the moment - even with the LCDs it works out at under £100 so if that saves me a few hours a month it will pay for itself.

 

[blueroomelectronics]

3) I see blueroomelectronics are going to be releasing a unicorn. From what I've read this is going to be a experimentation board as well. As I already have a inchworm should I just wait for this to come out? Anyone got any idea of prices yet?

The Unicorn sans LCD display but with a 18F4550 should be the same price as an Inchworm+
You can use it as an experimenter with the Inchworm+ in RS232 mode or it becomes a fast USB upgrade for the Inchworm+ and is still MPLAB ICD2 compatable.
Shown with a 128x64 GLCD (it's bigger than the Unicorn PCB)
Features will include

• 18F4550 @ 20MHz
• USB 2.0 full speed (12Mb)
• a 16x2 LCD connector
• a 128x64 GLCD connector
• 4x4 keypad connector
• 4 pushbuttons on PCB
• USER connector RA0, 1, 2 & 3
• contrast control
• LED
• RS232 (DS275) or RS485 (SN75176 / MAX485)
• Inchworm+ upgrade connector
• ICD2 connector

With some software modifications you should be able to turn it into a simple DSO like the one below.
**broken link removed**
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Of course for very little money the Firefly will teach you most of what the larger more complex demo boards do. (sans the LCD stuff)
Do you really need 30+ pushbuttons (not multiplexed mind you just simply one per pin)
same with 30+ LEDs one per pin... It's a fancy logic probe really.
The A/D stuff is the same, iButton / 1 wire same, comparators, RS232 is all there.
The four digit 7 segment display is fun, might put that on the Cricket design, maybe and LCD segment display.

 

[upand_at_them]

I agree with Nigel. Use his tutorials.

Mike

 

[gregmcc]

I would love to get the easypic, but at this stage it is a bit expensive for my use and probably a bit of an overkill. I could buy a lot of pic's for $119. Maybe after the next salary increase I'll get it

I've got all Nigel's stuff saved already - I'll start building a few of the modules.
The Unicorn also looks good - can't wait for it to be released.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

I would love to get the easypic, but at this stage it is a bit expensive for my use and probably a bit of an overkill. I could buy a lot of pic's for $119.

It certainly looks impressive, but apart from the price it's perhaps rather intimidating as well?.

 

[gramo]

I like the fact it comes built, and guaranteed to work, and a great little manual is comforting too

I could buy a lot of pic's for $119

I find that I only have a couple of PIC's, as you tend not to require most of the little gadgets you make, and if you use ZIF sockets/DIP sockets in your actual projects, then you can always simply re-program a PIC and insert it in...



**broken link removed****broken link removed**

 

[3v0]

hi greg,
If you have the time, I would suggest you build your own development pcb's...

I agree. Building boards is a valuable skill to have and you may as well start with the development system.

If you build the system you will find it much easier to fix should it stop working. Things happen.

If you are not up to that then I would suggest Bill's kits.

 

[gramo]

Just made a custom development board with a 777 Protoboard for $4.54 from www.futurelec.com without any issues;

Here's the complete part list (part #, Description, Price)

PROTO777, Protoboard, $1.50
ICS40, 40 Pin IC Socket, $0.15 (Could use a 40Pin ZIF socket)
HEADS20, 20 Pin Header, $1.50 (For GLCD Connection)
7805T, 5V 1A Positive Regulator $0.25
C010U100E, 10uF Radial Electrolytic Capacitor, $0.12 * 2
CRY20.000, 20Mhz Crystal, $0.30
C022PC, 22pF Ceramic Capacitors, $0.05 * 2
Hook up wire (use single core found in LAN cables for around 50c/Meter, that way you get 5/6 (can't remember) meters of hookup wire), 50c

**broken link removed****broken link removed**
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Cost of mini-development board is $4.54. Add around $5 to $10 for other items that you could 'tac' on.

Total cost = $~15 exl shipping, (that also includes ~$10 worth of other devices like POT's/eeproms/random toys)

Programmer: PICKit2 $34.95 So almost every PIC (16F/18F/24F/dsPIC can be programmed), comes assembled/cased and with many tutorials/examples

Making the board expandable to breadboards/external circuits etc is quite easy with a couple of Polarized Headers, but be sure to buy the crimp connectors with them too
**broken link removed**

 

[gramo]

I left out the power connection as everyone's different. If you still use batteries, then perhaps this will do the job for a 9V battery

**broken link removed**

Personally, I just use a 9VDC plugpack, connected with these

**broken link removed** (40c from futurlec)

 

[Sceadwian]

Not so keen on futurelec right now. A bit more than a week ago I gave them a replacement part for the only unfilled item on my order, about a week ago I asked for a status update on my order. I have received no reply on either message. Yesterday I sent a request for an update on my order and noted that I was worried about my order as it's been a month since I paid 160 dollars for it and my last two e-mails have gone unanswered. Ire is off the list. I'm running out of adjectives that are synonymous with upset.. Lawyer might be the next one.

 

[gramo]

They try to stock some rare/hard to find stuff (including old development boards/IC's etc), but the downside is because they are so rare, if they run out of stock, well, it takes ages to get your order

Simple things like the above components would ship in less than a week.

Just on this, Futurlec will not charge you until your order status displays "Shipped". "Order Entered" simply implies the order is awaiting something/in the pipeline. Their I know from experience that their email service can be slow

Sometimes you win some, some times you loose some

 

[Sceadwian]

I was told in my first e-mail response to an order status request that everything would be packed the next business day. That was two and a half weeks ago. A week later I had to send another e-mail request for status on my order which they replied they didn't have any of a particular Atmel chip I'd ordered in stock, so I sent them a replacement request with something they said they did have in stock, I sent them an order update request 3 days later which was completely ignored. (It's been a week now slow e-mail aside no company should EVER keep a customer waiting that long for a response) That's above and beyond the ultimate low in customer service I have ever received at any company in my entire life, brick building or online.