PIC microcontroller books/websites for a newbie - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: McPete
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 27, 2010, 03:21:10 am
content: G'day all,My name is Peter, and I'm a 3rd year apprentice instrument fitter/calibration/electronics tech. I've recently been studying digital electronics as part of my trade course, and I wanted to start to introduce some more advanced components to things I'm designing and building. One of my supervising tradesmen has just finished a filtered voltmeter project, and I'd like to (down the line) modify the design to get a bit more functionality out of it.To that end, I asked my supervisor to purchase for me, a Microchip PICKit2 with the low pin-count demo board. I'm a bit overwhelmed by the included manual that seems to be written for someone who isn't entirely new to the game.I've picked up a copy ofthis book, and I'm starting to read through it, but I was wonder if anyone could suggest other reading material to get me started on my way. Any help would be much appreciated!Thanks folks!Peter

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 27, 2010, 06:08:27 am
content: well you need to decide early what language your planning on. I gave up with assembler and now use basic although I'm told C is trhe way to go. It gets you a level higher and make life much easier while not really loosing on performance. check outwww.mikroe.comalso any book about the 16F84 if outdated, that chip is only still around because it was popular, it has since been surpassed many times, for small stuff try the 12F615 for bigger stuff the 16F88.

author: McPete
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 27, 2010, 09:15:31 am
content: Thanks guys!Most of the information I'm reading seems to suggest that C is the way to go- it looks as though it applies across most makes and models of Microcontrollers, with some adaptions here and there. I started looking at an assembly language tutorial and it seemed a bit arcane- C looks (to my limited knowledge) to be the good code to get a foothold with.I'll let you know how I get on!

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 27, 2010, 10:51:53 am
content: you can learn one language that's not assembly and then apply it to any micro, thats how the software mokroe.com supplies works

author: wd5gnr
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 27, 2010, 03:45:58 pm
content: http://www.awce.com/classroom-- some PIC material there as well as other things. Also some older stuff athttp://tutor.al-williams.com/.Depending on the PIC you choose, Forth is a viable choice and there is a tutorial on that last link about it. Not nearly as popular as I would have supposed though (the language, not the tutorial).

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 27, 2010, 03:47:54 pm
content: what sort of thing is it ?

author: 74HC04
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: June 28, 2010, 06:38:58 am
content: I foundhttp://www.gooligum.com.au/tutorials.htmlto be very good.

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 28, 2010, 06:56:10 am
content: do microchip offer a C compiler with maplab ? what is the best way to get into C (I know some basic)

author: ThunderSqueak
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 28, 2010, 08:00:37 am
content: Quote from: Simon on June 28, 2010, 06:56:10 amtake a look athttp://www.microchip.com/stellent/idcplg?IdcService=SS_GET_PAGE&nodeId=1406&dDocName=en535448andhttp://www.htsoft.com/downloads/demos.phpthere are links at the bottom for the lite version of the compiler.

author: djsb
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 29, 2010, 10:40:50 am
content: Hi,Peter anderson has some useful info herehttp://www.phanderson.com/I'm using Lucio Di Jasio's book to learn Microchips C compiler on PIC24 chips on an explorer 16 board.http://flyingpic24.com/For a very good set of tutorials try reading some of the back issues (available on cdrom) of EPE mag.http://www.epemag3.com/HTH,David.

author: McPete
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 01, 2010, 06:19:17 am
content: Hey all,I've been working through the Gooligum tutorial, and I picked up some PIC12C509s- These are what Jaycar had, rather than the flash version recommended.The first one I put in the programmer, worked as described- send MCLR high, the LED came on. Send it low, it went out.Then I tried erasing it and re-writing the program, and I got an error- something about a value not being as expected?Would swapping the C and F versions be detrimental to the C series PICs?Thanks!P.

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 01, 2010, 06:56:27 am
content: err really I can't see the point of "C" pics: you cannot erase them ! once written thats it, they are use and chuck parts. you should use the "F" series, they are identical but are reusable. The only reason for "C" types is if your worried that the code could be lost/erased maybe for a military application ? Really I can't see the point of the "C" series in the comercial/hobbiest environment other than lower costs at a price of never upgrading code

author: McPete
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 01, 2010, 08:55:25 am
content: Well there you go! Lesson learnt, no more buying PICs from Jaycar.

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 01, 2010, 11:41:17 am
content: any supplier will sell "C" and "F" it's up to you to know what you need. I'vwe bought from Jaycar and I'm in the UK

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 01, 2010, 12:43:26 pm
content: i forgot to mention, that mostly of my valueable reference to program the pic is the datasheet itself. i'll flip it hundrends of time during programming certain pic chip, even right now! on this very time.for me, i will use F series for development stage, when the firmware is proven correct, the production line will be fitted with the C series, maybe they are cheaper. is it? not sure, just my 2 cnts.

author: McPete
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 02, 2010, 12:25:54 pm
content: Quote from: Simon on July 01, 2010, 11:41:17 amMy trouble was I read from the printed catalogue, which had the listed ZZ8600 as an F version. The on-line catalogue and the item itself was a C series.Regardless, my next batch will be coming from RS or Farnell.

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 02, 2010, 12:31:31 pm
content: ZZ8600 is not a microchip pic ? you need to check the datasheets before buying

author: McPete
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 02, 2010, 12:34:51 pm
content: Quote from: Simon on July 02, 2010, 12:31:31 pmSorry, should have said, that's a Jaycar Australia stock codeIt is in fact for a PIC12C509,according to the website... and an SO SMD one at that. They gave me a DIP one when I quoted that number. Curious and curiouser.

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 02, 2010, 02:02:56 pm
content: check you read the description correctly, not all suppliers use the exact picture sometimes this goes for RS and Farnell