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PIC Microcontrollers

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Microchip PIC Page

Contents:

Hardware Required
Software Required
Documentation Required
Development Hardware/Electronics
Costings

Hi All, Obviously it's now 2006 and most of this page is quite out of date...
But is still of interest to me and seems to be a popularly visited page (As a mater of interest I'd like feedback from anyone who finds this page of interest and where it is used/linked from/indexed at etc.)
I have started to draw the schematic of the circuit prototyped as best I recall it... See below...
Thanks Fred Houweling, now onto the mostly original content...

Please note, All price's quoted are a guide only, Suppliers prices may vary. Prices in Australian Dollars Inc GST current as at 11/7/2001.
It is assumed the reader has some electronics knowledge and access to basic tools e.g. Suitable Soldering Iron, Multi Meter, Logic Probe.
If you have never soldered purchase a cheaper kit to build first.

Hardware Required

Item	Qty	Value	Total	Supplier	Comment
Serial PIC Programmer	1	$42.50	$42.50	Jaycar KD-6062	This is the programmer I chose, It was cheap, parralel port connected, large device support range and software for DOS/Win98& NT exists. It is based on a Davit Tate design.
ZIF Socket	1	$48.71	$48.71	RS Components 403-831	Not mandatory but highly recomended, It will save you wear and tear on the PIC Programmers as well as your PIC chips. Highly recomend machined pins for the programmer so you don't solder the expensive ZIF socked into PIC board. Chose a socked that can take both the 8 pin PIC's as well as the 40 pin ones.
32 Pin Machined Pins	2	$2.80	$5.60	Jaycar PI-6470	Not mandatory but provides a better quality contact to the PIC chip or ZIF socked
Total			$98.81

Software Required

Item	Qty	Value	Total	Supplier	Comment
Picall for Windows	1	$73.00	$73.00	Dontronics	This is the full version DOS and Windows, You could get only the platform you need.
MPLAB	1	$0.00	$0.00	Microchip	This is a hudge development suit, Assembler Simulator Debuging tools all integrated into an IDE, A serious must have.
Total			$73.00

Documentation Required

Item	Qty	Value	Total	Supplier	Comment
PIC Chip Data PDF	1	$0.00	$0.00	Microchip	All data sheets can be found on there site, At the bare minimum print out the full manual for your target chip.

Total

Development Hardware/Electronics

Item	Qty	Value	Total	Supplier	Comment
PIC Chip 16F84A	1	$11.95	$11.95	Jaycar ZZ-8500	20Mhz Flash PIC chip, Look after it and it should let you prototype many project's..
4Mhz Crystal	1	$3.95	$3.95	Jaycar RQ-5274	Needed if clock accuracy is of importance.
Prototypeing bread board	1	$40.95	$40.95	Jaycar PB-8816	Very important if you wish to design your own circuit's, This will allow you to make additions/alterations to your circuit quickly.
+5 Volt Voltage Regulator 7805	1	$1.20	$1.20	Jaycar ZV-1505	Use this to regulate you poversupply so your chip won't end up toast.
Bridge rectifier	1	$0.50	$0.50	Jaycar ZR-1304	Use this in your power supply circuit on your prototyping board.
Total

This page is still a bit mumbo jumbo, Once again time is the issue.
Finally I have done some PIC development, It's taken a lot of reading and a fair amount of thinking and even a PIC casualty (Yes they can die, But that story later), But my first test project finally works. It's based on the PIC16F84 my test goal was to flash two leds, On controlled by interrupt, The other controlled by the main code. I will soon include source code and a schematic (If I can find a decent capture program that does not cost anything).

My current prototype is pictured above, Including 8 Pin serial ADC connected to a thermal sensor.
Finaly I have found a program that sort of does what I need but it still very clunky, the schematic as I can remember it so far is dipicted.

A data sheet for the TLC548 chip is located at http://focus.ti.com/lit/ds/symlink/tlc548.pdf
Local copy here
Follow this link for the current code.
Use this link to download the current HEX code.
RS232 and the PIC
I'm interested in making the little PIC chip talk RS232 for a number of potential projects, In this quest I found a few sites that mentioned to just use a high enough value resistor to limit the current into the PIC, They did not go into detail and I did not know enough of the RS232 spec. Well I guess I picked too low a value because my poor 20Mhz chip (Cost me about $18) blew up.

I will be placing a number of home made projects here, Once I do some more development on them.
I have 16F84's, 16F877's and 12C209's (JW) and from time to time will be performing experiments on them.
My first project will be to do with a Power up and down delay timer for use in UPS systems where boot order and shutdown (Load shedding) is critical.
I will post more information as it is presentable.
I have PIC code that displays strings to a LCD screen over a 2 wire interface, I'm willing to share, but am out of time right now, if interested send me encouragment/reminders using the feedback link.

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