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Questions on the PIC16f84 and at90s2313

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jtsao22

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Hello, I'm new to microcontrollers, but am very interested in using them to do many different tasks. Okay, so right now i have a PIC16f84 and a couple atmel at90s2313 microcontrollers and was wondering if you guys knew any easy, cheap programmers that i could make given a schematic. I have a couple parallel port um adapters? i guess you could call it that as well as a db9 adapter to connect to the computer. Oh and well...i guess some diodes, resistors, transistors, etc. However, this computer only has a parallel port so hopefully the programmer can stick to using that. Okay and the other thing is..once i have made the programmer, I was wondering what software i should use to program the microcontroller. Also, i was wondering how to know if the microcontroller is actually talking to the computer or not...like how do i verify if it is working correctly? Also, i do not know assembly and well i've learned a little C++, but I don't know how far off that is from the C you have to use to program these microcontrollers. I have tried making some programmers but have failed because i had no idea how to use IC-prog (err one of those programs err i found online) . Um...at this point the happiest thing in the world for me (ok not the happiest, buttt yeahh) would just be able to see like "Helloworld" output coming back from the microcontroller on the computer. (Or like even the blinking LEDs). So, any help would be great and it can be on either of the microcontrollers i bought. Thanks for the help! OH..and also if you're wondering why i got these microcontrollers even though now they have better counterparts for probably the same or better price...its because I bought it a while back, tried it, got extremely frustrated when trying to get it to work for a long time, and pretty much stopped. And now...i'm interested againnn....and hope i won't have to wait anotherr few yrs..THANKS!
 
There are low cost programmers for the PIC and AVR chips. And you can make a unit as long as you are sure the adapter looks like a parallel port.

Google for "homemade programmer for pic" and same for atmel or AVR.

There is software as well. Did you see:

PIC programmer software, and PIC Tutorials at:
 
Try looking at the PPWIN programmer for the PIC, (if you had a serial port the uJDM programmer for just the 16F84 is great!) it's a nice parallel programmer.
Software, well I have been very happy using IC-Prog.

The PPWIN circuit can be found at :**broken link removed**

Good Luck
 
I was exactly in your shoes 4 weeks ago!!

If I could start all over again with the knowledge I have now ... (everyones life dream) ... I would do this:

1) Stop getting fustrated with your PIC.. your PIC is your friend!.. it works in 1's and 0's - yes and no's.. if it is not working it is YOUR fault.. not the PICs!.. DONT GET MAD! GET BETTER INFORMED! You will laugh at how simple most of your problems really are!

2)For me.. and I bet alot of others.. It looks hella hard at first.. Interrupts, HEX, Stacks ect... trust me.. it gets VERY easy VERY fast.. if you are detemined to learn!

3) I bought my programmer for $10. It is a JDM programmer I believe..
In hindsight, I would have made my own.. alot cheaper and a better way to understand how the PIC 'talks' to the computer.

4) For the PIC16F84 (I also am using this) (I can't help you w/ the other chip) Go to to the Microchip website and download the MPLAB IDE (Integrated Development Environment).

This thing will make your life 100x easier!

This is an ASSEMBLY based coding program... if I were you I would learn assembly.. yeah.. it looks harder but you will have a better understanding of how the PIC works.

First things first.. go through the MPLAB tutorial to get a good understanding of the environment.

5) Complete this **broken link removed**

6)Complete tutorials

7) Ask questions when you get stuck.

8) Welcome to an expensive hobby.

But then again I could be wrong about all of this.. and that would be no good would it.. :|
 
Have you consider separating the paragraphs while writing?

If you search in this forum, educated contributors do that all the time.

I never take the pain of reading such a type of text like yours.
 
Thankss

Wow this is greattt thanks guys! and sorry for writing in one big blob.

So far i have downloaded MPLAB IDE (due to Wadley's 100x easier advice), and will soon try following the tutorials as well as make my programmer, which i have not decided upon, but will soon.

Wow this is a great forum, I didn't think i would get so many responses after just one day. Thanks again! If i have questions later I definitely will come back here.
 
As much as the assembler learning curve helps you to construct functional and efficient programs, I'd really recommend getting hold of a higher language programming development suit such as **broken link removed**

If your using 18F pics (they are actually a lot easier to use then 16F's), then do not go past Swordfish, its simply unbelievably powerful and stable.

Both programs have dedicated forums for Q/A's, and make life extremely easy for programming your PIC's - allowing your circuit complexity to build on the outside
 
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