PIC24FJ64GA002 demo board - ideas

[petrv]

Hi all,
I have seen this micro and I think it is a very cool one - exists in DIP package, powerful and not expensive ($3.18 in MicrochipDirect for 1 piece quantity)
But I don't want to buy the demo board for $80 so I am thinking about designing my own. I am open to suggestions what to put on the board and I'll post the schematics here once I create something

What I want to put there is (except for the MCU itself)

1. ICSP/debug connector - for PICKit 2 etc ...

2. 3.3V LDO (so it can be powered from 5V supply)

3. All ports I/O on headers

4. characted LCD connection (e.g. standard 2x16 LCD)

5. RS-232

other ideas ?

 

[blueroomelectronics]

I've been thinking about one as a kit, nice PIC. The dsPIC30F4013 looks promising too.

 

[donniedj]

My 24F series dev board. Sames as my every think else dev board

 

[Diver300]

If you are using Veroboard, it is very simple to wire some pins for plugging in the PICkit2.

Pins 1, 4 and 5 of both the PICkit2 and the PIC24FJ64GA002 are MCLR, PGD and PGC. It makes wiring them up very simple.

Pin 6 on the PICkit2 isn't used and 2 and 3 are Power and Ground.

You can run small circuits from the PICkit2.

 

[Norlin]

I always like the mikroelektronika dev boards, should look at their stuff at www.mikroe.com and steal some of the ideas for your dev board, some of the features their boards have:
RS232, LED on each i/o pin, 4xseven segment LED, graphic LCD, 2x16 LCD, PS2 keyboard connector, A/D inputs, pullups/downs for each port (configurable), temp sensor and some other stuff, think their newest boards come with a touch graphic LCD

 

[petrv]

I will add some leds, sure and I was also thinking about the PS/2 keyboard connector. No 7-segments I think as there is going to be the LCD display - I like the one from www.dipmicro.com, white on blue with backlight.

 

[zanes]

Sorry for a thread-jack, but donniedj what is your programming cable made of? Standard ribbon cable and some kind of connector? Looks very neat, I wouldn't mind making one like it.