the usual beginer

[Thunderchild]

ok you will probably screem at me for asking the aame questions but:

I would like to start in pics I think the 16F88 of which I already have samples is a good starting one as I think it is as simple to work on as the now superseeded 16F84 and has many useful addtional features.

I don't mind buying a programmer board a kit is fine as wellits just that I can't make my own PCB and don't know where to get them made and by the time I di I might as well buy a kit, I did start my own on matrix board but I would rather leave out the "faulty programmer" possibility in the variables of a faulty pic programing/project.

I am interested in doing it in assembly or basic I don't have any programing knowledge that would help I did basic and pascal long time ago but never c+

any advice ? the microchip site is full of gear and I don't know where to start from but I'm checking it out as well, the last time I looked at their IDE thing it looked rather complicated and more than I need.

thanks all for your patience

 

[simrantogether]

Well simonds...

Well simonds... see Nigel's tutorials...

or Go to this following site..

www.best-microcontroller-projects.com where you can sign for good tutorial guide for beginners...

regards

Simran..

 

[3v0]

From microchip Pickit2 or if you want a kit Bill's Junebug is very nice and icludes an 18F1320 tutor/targert.

I would pick a higher level language based on the best tutorials you can find. FWIW the is C and there is C++. C is most often used on uC's.

 

[Thunderchild]

simrantogether I don't think you read further than the first line in my post: I want to BUY a ready made programmer board or a kit. making my own from scratch will just set me back more

3v0 where do I find bill's junebug ? what is the 18F1320 compared to the 16F88 ? more / less powerfull more / less ports or something like that ?

 

[Shax]

As a nooby, you cant go too far wrong with the PicKit2 programmer...

As for a language, while assembly will produce fast code, it can be a swine to learn. PicBasic is simple, and easy to learn. You can always include assembly routines at a later date when you get more proficient.
I have yet to use any version of C for programming pics...
Swordfish is getting good comments, but from what I read, is limited to the 18F series pics.
I use Proton Picbasic, and while not the cheapest, current pricing around £99, it does have great support and it works for the 10F - 12F- 16F - 18F series, new device support comes all the time too.

I like picbasic, as i find it is easier to add, change and hack the program than using assembly.. (sorry Nigel!!)

 

[Thunderchild]

yes from what I saw of picbasic its good I can more easily relate to the language and it looks easier to mod later in assembly so my issues are buying a programer and making sure I have a simple to use program that will be compatible. so where do I find the pickit2 programmer ?

 

[Thunderchild]

https://www.microchipdirect.com/productsearch.aspx?Keywords=DV164120

so is the second kit what I am after ? (the one for 24.59 £)

 

[blueroomelectronics]

If it's BASIC you want then you can't really beat Swordfish BASIC. It's free SE edition never expires but has a 256byte RAM limit (which is all the 18F1320 has so it's a perfect match). It's full version sells for $149
https://www.sfcompiler.co.uk/swordfish/
IMO it's far superior to PIC BASIC Pro which sells for $249 and its free edition which supports only 40 lines of code.

As for the hardware...
The PICkit 2 is a teriffic little programmer, I've put a compatible version of it on a little tutor board I call the Junebug which as 3V0 pointed out has a PIC18F1320 tutor which is more or less the 18F series version of the 16F88
Much to 3V0 chagrin I've been working with BASIC on it and it's a breeze to use. I've also got a very simple but working module for it (free of course) and here's a look at a simple LED light sequence in Swordfish BASIC

{
*  Name    : BLINK_1.BAS                            
*  Author  : BR blueroomelectronics 2008                                                                                                     
*  Notes   : Blinks Junebugs LEDs from left to right at 0.3sec intervals                                                              
}
Device = 18F1320
Clock = 4               // 4MHz clock
Include "Junebug.bas"
Dim Count As Byte
While True
    For Count = 1 To 6
        LED(Count)      // turns on LED 
    DelayMS(300)        // delay in 1000s of a second
    Next
Wend        // repeat forever
End

They're are several Junebug owners here, you can do a search for "Junebug" and can read their comments and see some sample code.

 

[Thunderchild]

ok does it ship to the uk ?

 

[Thunderchild]

what do you mean by tutor board ? it works as a programer and basic project board ?
I'd rather have a separate programer I've got a spare zif socket so I can make my own proto board I'm jst not sure how the pickit programmer connects to the pic the cheaper option is just the programer without the protoboard but I might give it second thoughts

 

[blueroomelectronics]

ok does it ship to the uk ?

You can contact me directly from the contact link on the site, we take PayPal for direct sales and ship around the world. It's $45 + $10 for international shipping via Canada Post Airmail. (prices is US dollars)

The Junebug is two kits in one, they can be completely seperated by a simple switch (the big red dip switch in the picture below) The top half is the PICkit 2 compatible part and the bottom half is a tutor so you can start learning programming right away. The entire kit is very portable and the 18F is actually a modern version of the old 16F series. More instructions and hardly any bank switching and a solution to the dreaded RMW found on 16F chips.

It's shown connected to another kit (a PIC18F2525 on a robot chassis) and in this mode functions like any other programmer / debugger.
**broken link removed**
Junebug Left / Mongoose Right

 

[Thunderchild]

so you would suggesrt i use 18F pics ? thats fine I can start right out on 18F pics if they are as simple to handle. I see no zif socket but I do have one of my own can I get it into your kit and then use it to easily put in and out pics ?

 

[Funny NYPD]

the 18Fs price wide are similiar with the 16Fs, and with higher performance. Would recommend for higher performance.

If you are interested on doing it yourself, we have a SMD-based DIY kits for PICKit2:
**broken link removed**

 

[Thunderchild]

you mean the link is a pickit2 clone ? my pickit 2 has already arrived