Lately it have turned up some interesting PIC projects here on bit, and I want to try some of them out myself (i'm weak... i know it.. )... i tried it before sometime, but i couldn't wever get it to work because of that damn JDM programmer wouldn't work (the PIC needs 13v programming.. i had only 5)... So i gave up i found this kit (gotta' love Velleman kit... Just plain soldering together.. no thinking ) http://www.elfa.se/elfa/produkter/no/9007.htm and wanted to get stardet again (it's pretty cheap )... is it any good? (just for basic learning) I'm thinking of buying some extra PIC's at the same time just in case one if them gets destroyed or i use one for a "permanet application"... Anyone have tips for wich ones to get?
Dunno about the kit. All I would suggest is since you cant use the JDM programmer, any programmer with external power supply would do fine as long as it supports a pretty fair amount of PICs. Nothing is worse than getting a programmer that cant program the PIC you want to use. As for extra PICs: 16F876A is a good 28 pin PIC. Has pretty much all the features in the 16F family, with the exception of internal oscillator. It has 2 8bit ports, very useful to have and often overlooked when chosing a smaller packaged PIC. 16F877A: The 40pin workhorse of the 16F family. For doing some serious projects. 16F628: Has USART, CCP, and internal osc. Great for a 14pin small project. 16F88: 18pin universal PIC. Has all features, I2C, UART, CCP, ADC, and even internal osc. Fairly new chip, so make sure your programmer can program it.
18 Pins on the 628 As for a programmer, I love my Kit-128 because it has a great programmer interface, the ZIF is perfect, and the USB connectivity lets me use it with my laptop and my desktop with ease. Highly recommended! -special [k]
12F675 and about 10 12f629. oh how i love the 12f629, means more than any person ever could. 10 should cost no more than £7. They are just gods.
thnaks guys I think i'll go for a couple of 16F84 (used in many projects around... great if i just want to make the exact same circuit) and a couple of 16F628 ( PWM Should be nice for different LED projects ) And one 16F876 (nice allround-thing ) i couldn't find the 16F88 though... TheAnimus: i expected you to show up here ... i don't think i'll go for any of those fron the 12 series... too few pins... they are cheap though... Now i just have to find something to use them for
You can't get 16F876's any more very easily, and the Velleman programmer cannot program 876A's or 877A's. Nor can it program the 16F88. However the kit works well and a lot of my friends use it with no problems. PIC12F675 is the best PIC IMO. And who needs all those pins? It's still a powerful PIC. You can use the A/D converter, some resistors and one input on the PIC for a matrix keypad One benefit of using the 8 pin PIC's is that it teaches you how to be efficient with your design 16F871 and 16F870/872 are good alternatives to the 16F876A and 16F877A and the Velleman kit can program those properly. I'd recommend you get: 12F675's 16F648A or 16F628A 16F870 16F871 16F872 Shame you don't live in the UK, I'd send you some 16F84A's for free since I have so many but never use those type anymore... edit: If you buy the Velleman kit, buy a 5-way 0.1" housing & pins and also some solid cored cable to make use of the ISP header on the board. You need this to program 40-pin PICs btw.
ok... new list: That Velleman programmer 2x 12F675 1x 16F84A (this one looks cind off useless.. hehe) 2x 16F870 2x 16F628 the more i look at all the models of the pic, the harder it gets do decide... i guess i'll have to buy most of the pics for the particular projects and the needs... BTW: SteveyG: What PIC(s) did you use in that fancontroller thing you made? i want to make someting similar (not that advanced though...) edit: how can i tell wich PIC's i can program with that programmer?.. and can i program 20MHz PIC's as wll as 4MHz? the programmer is 4MHz..
The Velleman programmer can program all the variants (i.e. LF, 4Mhz, 20MHz etc) of the following (flash) PICs: 16F629 16F675 16F627 16F627A 16F628 16F628A 16F630 16F648A 16F676 16F83 16F84 16F84A 16F870 16F871 16F872 16F873 16F874 16F876 16F877 The programmer has a 4MHz crystal built in so that you can simulate some simple programs without needing to breadboard anything using the 6 LED's and 6 buttons. I used 16F870's in my fan controller, but you can really use most types for something like that. In general people tend to have 'favourite' PIC's which you'll find you use a lot more than other types, it's just a case of finding the one that has all the peripherals you're going to use. Note that the only difference between the 12F629 and 675 is that the 675 has an A/D converter, so it may be worthwhile you get 4 or 5 of the same type if they offer bulk discounts for quantities greater then 3 for example. Though when first starting out, you may find you'll prefer working with larger PIC's than the 8-pin types, since you can first learn how to use the basic features of the PIC rather than starting straight in with multiplexed displays and multiple buttons on a single input, so maybe less 8-pin PICs and one or two 628A's or a 40-pin 871.
Indeed most people have favourate pic's but its mostly whats in the draw, i would advise getting no fewer than 3 of each type. They are mostly cheap and spending £30 to get started should be worthwhile when postage n packing on a £2 PIC is £5! Ic when stevey says get a 12 series u listen!!! See the Tips n Tricks document on the microchip website for the 12f627 / 12f675 it realy does remind you how much u can get in a small package. Also don't forget to get two double throw, double pole switches, this will make ICSP much easier, as you can iscolate the programmer or the circuit at the touch of two switches.
Thanks alot to both of you guys unfortuately the place i'm buying from don't give discounts before i buy like 60 PIC's or something.. and THAT is expensive... I'm going to start easy and make a few wery simple circuits (a steppermotorcontroller among others (This is where the 12F series comes in (theAnimus: i DO llisten to you )) as for the ammount. i'll start out easy and rather buy some more later on... i think my dad is ordering some more later on (i'm ordering a luxeon LED to test, he might want some for hes boat )... I have discovered that the PICs are pretty expensive here in norway compared to the UK and USA... they seem to come later here aswell (haven't seen the newest models yet) BTW: i want parallell crystalls for the oscillators, right?
you tried http://buy.microchip.com ? edit: lol nope they do most of scandinavia but not norway, i was about to re-order some PICs, if you want to buy them at the UK rates, i can find out how much it would cost to post them to you (no more than £4), there should be no import dutey.
oh! thanks! , but i'm ordering some other stuff aswell, so it will be cheaper anyway... for now atleast... i'll order before 12 local time, så mabye they'll send my stuff today /me wonders about why they don't ship to norway... ( /me adds Microchip to the conspiartion theory about EU )
