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What does the A mean in PICs

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drrogla

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I`ve been wondering what the fundamental difference between the PICs with and without the A is?I.e.: between 16f628 and 16f628A...
A stupid question to some? :?

I`m fairly new to microcontrollers, I guess I would know if I wasn`t... :roll:
 
The A means it as new beter version of it.Thay may have some bugs fixed and some fetures added.
 
Someone Electro said:
The A means it as new beter version of it.Thay may have some bugs fixed and some fetures added.
Yes, basically yes. But sometimes they are worse than non-A parts (16F628A has lower maximum Timer1 oscilator frequency, somewhere were added comparators that make life worse).
 
Oh thats all? :shock:
So its just a "fresher" version of it.
I thought so... and Jay, now that you mention it I remembered reading on another forum reading about the preformance differences in the differen versions...
 
"preformance differences"

LOL only in case of ADC. All PICs have the same performance
Code:
Instructions per second=Fosc/4
.
 
Not exsactly all.

18Fs run up to 48Mhz while 16Fs only do 20Mhz

btw:
in drroglas avtar Laško je zakon means Laško rules.(Laško is an slovenian beer company)
 
Someone Electro said:
Not exsactly all.

18Fs run up to 48Mhz while 16Fs only do 20Mhz
Yes and DsPIC can run @120Mhz. But we are talking about differences between A and Non-A parts, Not between different families!
 
OK I should refraze that... :oops:
 
Not to mention the big big difference between programming the A part and the non-A part. But that all taken care of by the software.
 
eblc1388 said:
Not to mention the big big difference between programming the A part and the non-A part. But that all taken care of by the software.
Yes, "normal" programmer (the person) doesn't have to care about that (unless he is building his own programmer (SW) :x )
 
Jay.slovak said:
eblc1388 said:
Not to mention the big big difference between programming the A part and the non-A part. But that all taken care of by the software.
Yes, "normal" programmer (the person) doesn't have to care about that (unless he is building his own programmer (SW) :x )

Or the software you are using does not support the "A" part, then you have to care. :D
 
eblc1388 said:
Jay.slovak said:
eblc1388 said:
Not to mention the big big difference between programming the A part and the non-A part. But that all taken care of by the software.
Yes, "normal" programmer (the person) doesn't have to care about that (unless he is building his own programmer (SW) :x )

Or the software you are using does not support the "A" part, then you have to care. :D
In this case Yes! :twisted:
 
drrogla said:
I`ve been wondering what the fundamental difference between the PICs with and without the A is?I.e.: between 16f628 and 16f628A...
A stupid question to some? :?

I`m fairly new to microcontrollers, I guess I would know if I wasn`t... :roll:

The essential difference is that a non A part has no Brown Out Reset while an 'A' part has it. Besides the A version may have some additional features..but the main thing is presence of Brown Out Reset.
 
The definative answer is quite simple:

"The 'A' part is a later silicon revision"

That's it, it means nothing else.

An 'A' part may be a higher spec device?, it may be lower spec?, it may even use different technology? (like the 16F877A, Flash as against EEPROM).

But all it means is "later silicon revision".

Generally it also means it's cheaper, as the later process costs less to manufacture!.
 
...then came Nigel and set the record straight...
 
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