Beginnig PIC Advices

[Vitasset]

Hello guys I want to learn PIC mcu's but I dont know where to start(books,circuits briefly basics..) What are your advices ? Thanks. 

[dannyf]

1. get a device and read its datasheet
2. get a pickit2 and start coding
3. google gooligum pic tutorial - the best, bar none.

[picandmix]

3. google gooligum pic tutorial - the best, bar none.

Seems not the case any more  - most tutorial areas seem blocked for free viewing / only for fee payers
( should have downloaded them long ago, as they were a good reference)


Some alternative free sites to view.

Also see the Stickys at the top of the Microprocessors forum

http://www.mikroe.com/chapters/view/14/chapter-1-world-of-microcontrollers/

http://www.winpicprog.co.uk/pic_tutorial.htm

[url=http://www.electro-tech-online.com/articles/nigel-goodwins-tutorials-in-c.467/]http://www.electro-tech-online.com/articles/nigel-goodwins-tutorials-in-c.467/[/url]

[amyk]

1. get a device and read its datasheet

This cannot be emphasised enough. Almost everything you'll need to know about an MCU will be in the datasheet and supporting documentation. Don't forget to read the errata too! The memory programming specification isn't quite as important but it can clarify a few things about how the memory is laid out, so read that too...

In other words, where to start with PICs is microchip.com

[Meshka7]

Wrong. I don't think reading a 500 page reference is a good way to start. If you are short on money, buy a PICkit and want to learn assembly, check online tutorials. If you have some money to spare and like to program in C, buy a demo board and one of the "Flying with" books.

[picandmix]

1. get a device and read its datasheet

This cannot be emphasised enough. Almost everything you'll need to know about an MCU will be in the datasheet and supporting documentation. Don't forget to read the errata too! The memory programming specification isn't quite as important but it can clarify a few things about how the memory is laid out, so read that too...

A newbie to Read all the Datasheet,     that should be qualified ; you need to be a member of Mensa or similar and have an IQ of at least 148 !

Wrong. I don't think reading a 500 page reference is a good way to start. If you are short on money, buy a PICkit and want to learn assembly, check online tutorials. If you have some money to spare and like to program in C, buy a demo board and one of the "Flying with" books.

Agree with Meska , but there are free versions of C for Pics like XC8 which are more than capable of taking you to a good level.

Seems like Pic Assembly is making a comeback -  quite a few of us still use it,  will have to start a new sub-forum

[BloodyCactus]

get a pickit3, get a PIC32MX220 in DIP28 and go here

http://umassamherstm5.org/tech-tutorials/pic32-tutorials/pic32mx220-tutorials

[katzohki]

I'm surprised there's so much variation in opinion here. Pickit 3, Gooligum and PIC10F320 would be my suggestion. Any 8-bit PIC to start really.

[johnboxall]

1. get a device and read its datasheet
2. get a pickit2 and start coding
3. google gooligum pic tutorial - the best, bar none.

+1 for the Gooligum system. David keeps updating and adding to the included material.
http://www.gooligum.com.au/shop/PIC-tutorials

[c4757p]

PIC32 isn't even PIC, it's MIPS - why would you suggest it when someone asks about PIC?

Also... I don't see the benefit in restricting yourself to something like a PIC10F320 with 448 bytes of ROM. I mean, it's cool if you like to see what you can squeeze into that - I do too - but come on, the new millennium came a few days ago, we can upgrade now...

[22swg]

I would suggest you walk before you run... get hold of a 'Pickit 3 Debug express ' includes  44 pin demo board with  PIC18F45K20 .  download MPLABX data sheet and examples ... load of fun 

Edit ... what OS are you running , some issues with win 8 and pk3

[dannyf]

David keeps updating and adding to the included material.

I am glad that he is doing that. I suggested to him years ago that his stuff is so good that he should figure out a way to monetize it. Good to hear that he's charging for them now.

[dannyf]

If you want to pick specific chips, you want to pick a bigger chip (as big as you will ever need) with the most peripherals, so that you have the most flexibility.

In the lower end, I would recommend 16F193x or 18FxxK22.

However, my preferred PICs are the PIC24 family: lots of peripherals and a vectored interrupt controller. Developing code for those chips is much easier. So I would encourage you to think about that as well.

[dannyf]

I would stay away from PIC32, unless you have a specific reason to use them. I don't think there is much future for those guys.

[BloodyCactus]

the pic32 dip is great for beginners. can breadboard them up easy, lots of flash space and ram space and good set of peripherals, works perfectly fine with pickit3 and mplabx for debugging/writing code. good plib documentation. 40-50mhz on a dip28 chip, very nice!

[c4757p]

But it's not a PIC! It's MIPS! PIC is only in the name... Sure, it's great, but it's irrelevant to a question about PICs...

[amyk]

A newbie to Read all the Datasheet,     that should be qualified ; you need to be a member of Mensa or similar and have an IQ of at least 148 !

Wrong. I don't think reading a 500 page reference is a good way to start. If you are short on money, buy a PICkit and want to learn assembly, check online tutorials. If you have some money to spare and like to program in C, buy a demo board and one of the "Flying with" books.

What is with this aversion to reading? No wonder I see so many MCU beginners asking questions about things that they would've known from reading the datasheet...

[c4757p]

What is with this aversion to reading? No wonder I see so many MCU beginners asking questions about things that they would've known from reading the datasheet...

It comes along with the Newbies Are Idiots mentality that I see from so many people, like the ones who think that the Ebers-Moll equation is a complicated mathematical monstrosity suitable only for use by "PHD physicists". It's ridiculous, condescending, and elitist ("don't you worry yourself with all the fussy little details, I, the Superior Engineer, shall handle all of that for you").

If you're going to use a part, read its manual. We all have to do it. An exception can be made for things with truly huge manuals - things like FPGAs, microcontrollers don't typically count - if you're willing to dive into the manual when you encounter something. Most of those "500 pages" are large items like tables anyway, it's not exactly heavy reading. Nobody's saying you have to fully read every digit of a "baud rate control register vs. baud rate" table - until you need to use the baud rate generator, that is.

If you can't handle reading a document that is specifically designed to explain things to you, perhaps you'd be better off finding something else to do.

[dannyf]

No wonder I see so many MCU beginners asking questions about things that they would've known from reading the datasheet.

Agreed. Datasheets are really the best thing to learn a mcu on.

I have told people countless times that if you are not willing or able to read a datasheet, you should find a job somewhere else. There is really no other way around it.

[katzohki]

PIC32 isn't even PIC, it's MIPS - why would you suggest it when someone asks about PIC?

Also... I don't see the benefit in restricting yourself to something like a PIC10F320 with 448 bytes of ROM. I mean, it's cool if you like to see what you can squeeze into that - I do too - but come on, the new millennium came a few days ago, we can upgrade now...

PIC10F320:
Single page of code and single page of memory so no PAGESEL and BANKSEL commands for the beginner to stumble upon. Plenty of codespace for blinky-light or simple relay control. Also available in SOT23-6 which is my favorite part about it. I think it's a good part to start out with. You can learn the basics of assembly on it and then move on to parts that are more complicated and writing for the C compiler. Even if you are writing in C I think it's good to start with a basic understanding of assembly.

I'm going to build a greenhouse control unit (when I get around to it) based on one of these little joys. They're great for simple stuff like "turn on relay two when ADC goes over X temp value".

Edit: I'm working with a PIC12F1840 right now. I really like this one, but I think it's more complicated than for beginners. Actually, so far I've really liked pretty much every PIC I've worked with.