Though I love tinkering with PICs, I sometimes hate that they're missing stuff I've come to take for granted when programming the MCUs I started out with (lovely Motorolas). No real stack (oh ya, it's there, but there's no instructions to use it properly on a 16F886). No proper 16-bit instructions or registers. Indirect addressing is limited to one register instead of being useable anywhere and everywhere. No index registers. Snivel snivel snivel! RISC machines can be a bear to program sometimes.
What's bugging me today is that I need indirect addressing badly in a subroutine, but my FSR is tied up in the ISR. I can't use it or of course the program crashes harshly the instant the ISR gets triggered while the PC is inside the subroutine.
Hmm... Maybe if I stack and unstack the FSR register inside the ISR so it's available outside the ISR... Hey! I just answered my own question!
For more robust registers and addressing use the 18F or the overkill 24F series.
As for the 16F series, I use multiple FSRs regularly. FSR, FSR2, FSRtemp. I just push FSR into FSRtemp and copy FSR2 into FSR. Then when fished copy FSR into FSR2 and pop FSRtemp back into FSR. If FSR will be used unexpectedly, add another FSRtemp2 to the mix.
There are many other aspects I hate having to CODE AROUND. But I learn to get it done and push product out because the customer cares not for the inner workings at the end of the day.
I have dozens of different PICs, including quite a few various 18F's. The 18F's are really nice to code for. Not nearly so funky as the 16F's.
As for the 16F series, I use multiple FSRs regularly. FSR, FSR2, FSRtemp. I just push FSR into FSRtemp and copy FSR2 into FSR. Then when fished copy FSR into FSR2 and pop FSRtemp back into FSR. If FSR will be used unexpectedly, add another FSRtemp2 to the mix.
You could! What's stopping you? Can program those with the Inchworm+, right?
If it's surface mount that's worrying you, I have no fear of soldering them. I've built several surface mount kits and they all work fine. They're not for newb solderers though. You'd have to offer a pre-soldered version for them.
You could! What's stopping you? Can program those with the Inchworm+, right?
If it's surface mount that's worrying you, I have no fear of soldering them. I've built several surface mount kits and they all work fine. They're not for newb solderers though. You'd have to offer a pre-soldered version for them.
Some dsPIC30F have DIP packages and they are compatible with the 5V Inchworm / Junebug. I just don't know what sort of things you'd specifically need them for.
Some dsPIC30F have DIP packages and they are compatible with the 5V Inchworm / Junebug. I just don't know what sort of things you'd specifically need them for.
I like Marks site, been there before. Mark really like lasers and Nixie tubes.
I personally wouldn't use a 16bit dsPIC to decode IR is a bit of overkill. It's also easy to do that with a lowly 12F508 and I doubt any dsp instructions are really required for IR decoding.
As for the flat-panel that's cool but not really kit material. **broken link removed**