PIC Programming ... wanting to learn, what do I need ...

[lopxtc]

Okay with all the talk of cheater boards and what not I have decided that I need to look into PIC programming since its something I dont know anything about ...

I dont intend to make a controller board, but I would like to learn how to make it print to an LCD screen ... display stuff etc ... you know playing around like some of us did as kids with the kits from Radio Shack ...

So anyone with experience **cough**Miscue**cough** ... care to point me towards the needed hardware and any good references that would be great.

Thanks,

Aaron

[beam]

If you haven't already, Google PIC Programming.

It returns some cool stuff. Now, I may look into it. I assume it is low level like assembly.

[lopxtc]

Yeah I did google it and it had a ton of stuff ... not sure what a good starting basic kit would be to work with.



Aaron

[SlartyBartFast]

I've looked into it without actually doing it. Seems the place to start is www.microchip.com.

Google is your friend for everything else.

I found this which looks interesting:
http://www.electronickits.com/kit/complete/prog/ck1700.htm
With the schematics you could build it yourself without building the kit.
Other DIY programmers seem to abound on the 'net. If you want to pay money for a compiler there are some very good emulators available as well.

[Miscue]

Well, the PIC Micro is one chip among many. The EMag board uses an Atmel. Most programmable chips share similarities.

If you want to work on an EMag board, learn how to program in assembly. If you have a chip with a lot more memory, you can get away with a compiler.

Find the chip you're interested in, learn the instruction set, get programming. :p

[lopxtc]

Yeah not to worried about the language ... or a compiler ... there are several free compilers out there for *nix so no worries there :)

Just gotta find something to play with .... :)

Aaron

[Miscue]

Are you going to build a board or use a pre-existing one?

[lopxtc]

Not sure ... probably start with a "kit" to learn and then move on to making a board.

Back in HS (11 years ago) I work in a basic electronics course ... in that we had to sketch out the circuit layout and then etch the board in a solvent of some kind. Pretty fun stuff ... but yes I do have some experience laying out a board.

Aaron


Originally posted by Miscue
Are you going to build a board or use a pre-existing one?

[Miscue]

Well, if you have an EMag... you can reprogram that board (not unlike other boards), I think it would simplify your project.