Re: PIC Microcontroller Kit

On 13 Jul 2005 18:17:29 -0700, "Norm3000" <norm.ackroyd@xxxxxxxxx>
wrote:

>> I believe he wants prepackaged hardware that only requires software
>
>That was the idea. I can handle C programming and I'm sure I can figure
>out how to toggle the PIC I/O ports off and on at set intervals.
>Problem I have is how to then get the I/O port to drive a relay to
>switch my 120V devices. From what I've seen/read over the past could
>days it doesn't look like it's as simple as connecting the relay to the
>I/O port of the PIC chip. Advice I've gotten so far includes adding a
>transistor and resitor to drive the relay or using an H-Bridge. I'm
>clueless here, if anyone could provide an example schematic of driving
>a relay off of the I/O port that would help tons
>
>I'm not dead set on PIC. It just looked to me that the chip specs were
>good (16 I/O ports on the chip I was looking at) and there appears to
>be a lot of support/information for PIC processors and compilers on the
>web.

PIC is a good choice. MPLAB is relatively easy to use, the assembler
and linker are quite decent, and it can directly talk to various
programming tools. I've got both a PICSTART+ (with the modification
that allows MPLAB to update its code, automatically, for newer
processors) and an ICE2000, so perhaps I'm a little spoiled though.
But the chips are pretty hardy and I have to say that the technical
support staff, while a few of them may be 'dry', are pretty well
versed folks on the details. And, although I haven't called them in a
few years, it was only the price of the long distance call to get
ahold of them. So worth it, I think.

A lot of folks like the Atmel AVR. I certainly am one of them, though
my attitude has gone through "mood" swings regarding the company,
Atmel. My support is through a local FAE and this is mostly a bad
thing for me, by comparison with Microchip. Funneling questions via a
local FAE who has to support a large number of various products, none
of them perfectly, and having to wait a day or two for responses --
isn't all that great.

The TI MSP430 is enjoyable for me. But for starting out, I wouldn't
recommend it.

All of which gets me back to probably adding my recommendation for
PICs. I think they would be a good choice, given what you've said.

However, I think most of the C compilers for it cost something, but
there may be some code-size-limited versions around for free. You
should research this part of the question, though. Also, if you are
looking for preconfigured boards to play around with, I really am of
little good. I just haven't used any of them.

Jon
.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: PIC Microcontroller Kit
    ... > days it doesn't look like it's as simple as connecting the relay to the ... > I/O port of the PIC chip. ... It just looked to me that the chip specs were ... Although the outputs come from an EPROM, you can connect a PIC output the ...
    (sci.electronics.basics)
  • Re: PIC Microcontroller Kit
    ... out how to toggle the PIC I/O ports off and on at set intervals. ... Problem I have is how to then get the I/O port to drive a relay to ... I/O port of the PIC chip. ...
    (sci.electronics.basics)
  • Re: PIC Microcontroller Kit
    ... Problem I have is how to then get the I/O port to drive a relay to ... days it doesn't look like it's as simple as connecting the relay to the ... I/O port of the PIC chip. ... One good way to achieve this is to use a 12 volt ...
    (sci.electronics.basics)
  • Re: Tiny ARM Development
    ... is my inability to find the sort of documentation that I am used to for ... things like "Data Direction Register for I/O Port A is at memory ... *assuming* are available on the chip, ... run an operating system, run multiple threads, or any such business. ...
    (comp.arch.embedded)
  • Re: Relay usage question
    ... > I'd like to use a microcontroller to switch a data line on ... > relay i need. ... Is this data flow going to you at your processor, ... it with a transistor from the I/O port. ...
    (sci.electronics.design)