Orderes a new(first) programmer, what d u think?

Hi I'm a beginner, a noob =P But I've had computer architecture classes and am/where quite used to x86 assembly languge(we also did mips assembly initially). But we eventually passes to more user friendly C code, but pretty much stayed in the basics(teaching sucks here in portugal). We used a costume mounted devboard with a intel188 microprocessor. Anyway we used interrupts, timers,dma,adc chip, and latelly(in a scrappy matter) USART to communicate rs232. First of all i'd like to know if it's ok to start right away with C language, and give a passage through the PIC's assembly code. From what I've read it's completely different from x86.. based in the accumulator and the instruction set it a bit awkward. If so is there any recommended literature. The suggested tutorials for beginners only refere assembly material.

I was to buy the inchworm+ as recommended by Nigel Goodwin and other members but end up buying this one because i only have a laptop and it doesn't have a serial port. **broken link removed**
From what I understant it seems pretty good for the price, is there any drawback compared to the inchworm+?

Thanks!

serj.t.s said:

Hi I'm a beginner, a noob =P But I've had computer architecture classes and am/where quite used to x86 assembly languge(we also did mips assembly initially). But we eventually passes to more user friendly C code, but pretty much stayed in the basics(teaching sucks here in portugal). We used a costume mounted devboard with a intel188 microprocessor. Anyway we used interrupts, timers,dma,adc chip, and latelly(in a scrappy matter) USART to communicate rs232. First of all i'd like to know if it's ok to start right away with C language, and give a passage through the PIC's assembly code. From what I've read it's completely different from x86.. based in the accumulator and the instruction set it a bit awkward. If so is there any recommended literature. The suggested tutorials for beginners only refere assembly material.

Click to expand...

It's best to get a reasonable understanding of assembler first, this forces you to understand the hardware - which you will need to know to effectively use C (or any other high level language). You 'could' learn the hardware while using C, but almost all the help on the net is for assembler, and it doesn't force it on you like assembler does.

I was to buy the inchworm+ as recommended by Nigel Goodwin and other members but end up buying this one because i only have a laptop and it doesn't have a serial port. **broken link removed**
From what I understant it seems pretty good for the price, is there any drawback compared to the inchworm+?

Click to expand...

It's just another ICD2 clone, like the Inchworm - and BTW, the Inchworm+ can be used as a USB programmer as well!.

serj.t.s, I bought that programmer as well. So far, I have been having difficulties getting the programmer to program a 16f628a chip. I keep getting a 0161 error, where the programmer cannot verify the chip. The power levels the programmer supplies are correct. I feel as though I may not have set the configuration bits correctly. Please let me know if you can get your programmer to successfully program.

Will do. I'm hoping to recieve it this week. So I'll test the chips I've got (16f59 and 16f917) and reply.

Stay well.

It seems as though your reply will be unnecessary. I resolved the problem last night. It turned out that I that the chips I were using were damaged, possibly from allowing them to overheat earlier. I tested a new chip and it worked fine. The programmer is great, I'm sure you will be pleased.

Actually, have you programmed any 16F628a's with it yet? I can't seem to program them at all, yet I can program 16F685's without problem. I might have the configuration bits incorrect, I'm not sure.