Author Topic: Cheap microchip dev kit (Read 29757 times)

baljemmett · « **Reply #25 on:** June 12, 2012, 10:03:06 pm »

Quote from: gtsili on June 12, 2012, 07:40:47 pm

2 pouches, One with PIC24H and dsPIC33F and the headers and one with the board only.

Ah, good, I was looking for this thread to ask that -- mine arrived with the same (plus the new PIC32 device preinstalled on the board). Although for the price I don't think I'd be in too much of a hurry to complain...

gtsili · « **Reply #26 on:** June 12, 2012, 10:17:35 pm »

Hmmm, the one I got also originated from UK. Very suspicious. Well, it is true that for the price, I can not really complain but, it is the principle of the thing. Let's see what microchipdirect has to say. Ohh yes, I forgot to mention that the PIC32 was installed on the board and the blinking led demo already loaded.

Quote from: baljemmett on June 12, 2012, 10:03:06 pm

Ah, good, I was looking for this thread to ask that -- mine arrived with the same (plus the new PIC32 device preinstalled on the board). Although for the price I don't think I'd be in too much of a hurry to complain...

ChrisW · « **Reply #27 on:** June 13, 2012, 05:34:42 am »

My kit arrived today but I can't say the customer service experience has been great.

Sent me a fedex tracking number but listed it as a DHL track number. Sent several emails to Microchip over the past week believing I had been given wrong info, received no reply.

To cap it off, the kit is missing a PIC24FJ64GB002

Going to send another email, perhaps I will get lucky and merit a response this time.

But then again, considering how much it cost, $17, compared to $47 at element 14 Australia, I suppose I can't complain.

T4P · « **Reply #28 on:** June 13, 2012, 09:11:13 am »

Okay time to raise a complain

gtsili · « **Reply #29 on:** June 13, 2012, 09:23:45 am »

After fiddling a bit with MPLAB X, I can say that I am not that impressed. First of all, even though you can read and write to the Microstic II and the IDE seems to recognize the device it lists all Microchip Starter Kits (including the suggested "Starter Kits (PKOB)") as "Not Supported". The "Make and program device" button stays inactive some times unless you click on an another tab and the look and feel in general is not that good. Anyway, at least it works.

Also SDCC does not support PIC32 so, you have to install the xc32 toolchain.

caroper · « **Reply #30 on:** June 13, 2012, 10:21:09 am »

I got mine yesterday, also with the PIC32MX installed and a separate pouch with a PIC24 and a PIC33.
All 3 chips are 128K, so Higher spec than the packing list, considering they have sent me freebies in the past I am not going to complain about it.

My Raspberry Pi arrived at the same time, so I have been focused on that, but will start work on the PIC's today.
I have a PIC24 library I want to try and port to the 32.

Cheers
Chris

T4P · « **Reply #31 on:** June 13, 2012, 12:21:13 pm »

I think they placed the 128K parts and took away the 24F
No matter, 24H is a better part

gtsili · « **Reply #32 on:** June 13, 2012, 01:29:37 pm »

True, all are 128K parts, so we are better of. Well, a note on their website and on the box that device samples may vary would be nice, especially for those that ordered without a discount code.

Quote from: DaveXRQ on June 13, 2012, 12:21:13 pm

I think they placed the 128K parts and took away the 24F
No matter, 24H is a better part

Lucky you, I still waiting for mine

I ordered April 1st.

Quote from: caroper on June 13, 2012, 10:21:09 am

My Raspberry Pi arrived at the same time, so I have been focused on that, but will start work on the PIC's today.

T4P · « **Reply #33 on:** June 13, 2012, 03:58:21 pm »

I checked the prices savings they have ... NONE they gave more value giving us 2x128K chips instead of 3x64K chips

Chasm · « **Reply #34 on:** June 14, 2012, 07:58:44 am »

Interesting, so far I've mostly used AVRs.

Are there other coupons active at this time? Or other must have products?

T4P · « **Reply #35 on:** June 15, 2012, 09:06:12 pm »

Finally found time to post pictures

( The one on the right, the USB Starter kit was from a roadtest )

that's a shitload of patents

Their cables is always long as ... and all the necessary microchip documentation crap ...

Top side

Bottom side

andyg · « **Reply #36 on:** June 16, 2012, 11:41:36 am »

I got mine a few days ago too. Looks nice and seems to work okay.

Although the download and debugging interface I found was annoyingly slow and painful using MPLAB X. At least compared with my experience with debugging on AVR and ARM.

T4P · « **Reply #37 on:** June 16, 2012, 05:22:15 pm »

Quote from: andyg on June 16, 2012, 11:41:36 am

I got mine a few days ago too. Looks nice and seems to work okay.

Although the download and debugging interface I found was annoyingly slow and painful using MPLAB X. At least compared with my experience with debugging on AVR and ARM.

Go back to MPLAB 8, it works a shitload better for me
They seemed to have made the all-godly Eclipse so slow

westfw · « **Reply #38 on:** June 17, 2012, 05:19:21 am »

MPLAB X is based on NetBeans, not Eclipse.

T4P · « **Reply #39 on:** June 17, 2012, 07:08:00 am »

Quote from: westfw on June 17, 2012, 05:19:21 am

MPLAB X is based on NetBeans, not Eclipse.

Netbeans IS also based on eclipse

BloodyCactus · « **Reply #40 on:** June 17, 2012, 07:40:05 pm »

Quote from: DaveXRQ on June 17, 2012, 07:08:00 am

Quote from: westfw on June 17, 2012, 05:19:21 am
MPLAB X is based on NetBeans, not Eclipse.

Netbeans IS also based on eclipse

umm no. eclipse came about in around 2000, and open source in about 2001. netbeans came about in 1996/97...

T4P · « **Reply #41 on:** June 18, 2012, 06:11:29 am »

Quote from: BloodyCactus on June 17, 2012, 07:40:05 pm

Quote from: DaveXRQ on June 17, 2012, 07:08:00 am
Quote from: westfw on June 17, 2012, 05:19:21 am
MPLAB X is based on NetBeans, not Eclipse.

Netbeans IS also based on eclipse

umm no. eclipse came about in around 2000, and open source in about 2001. netbeans came about in 1996/97...

Oops, does netbeans now look like what it is now before 1996 ? ... which would mean that Eclipse came then netbeans switched over ...
Anyway, MPLAB X might be eclipse not netbeans, I don't know, i don't care because it's too slow

oPossum · « **Reply #42 on:** June 18, 2012, 06:20:03 am »

Microchip's Embedded Software Development on the NetBeans Platform

westfw · « **Reply #43 on:** June 18, 2012, 06:24:57 am »

Also http://www.microchip.com/stellent/idcplg?IdcService=SS_GET_PAGE&nodeId=2022&mcparam=en553772

Elsewhere someone said that MPLABX is an application built on top of Netbeans, rather than a netbeans "plugin", so perhaps any resemblance to Eclipse is intentional. (Those IDEs all look alike, anyway.)

andyg · « **Reply #44 on:** June 18, 2012, 04:51:19 pm »

Just been playing around with this again, tried using MPLAB 8.x and it seems to be a lot more response, especially debugging.

Downloading 1.5KB program to the PIC32MX takes about 6-8 seconds though, is this normal?

I take it people using PicKit on standalone boards, 1.5 KB should download a *lot* quicker right? Or is this typical download speed for PICs.

(this is the first time I have ever used a PIC in case you haven't noticed)

T4P · « **Reply #45 on:** June 18, 2012, 05:44:20 pm »

Quote from: andyg on June 18, 2012, 04:51:19 pm

Just been playing around with this again, tried using MPLAB 8.x and it seems to be a lot more response, especially debugging.

Downloading 1.5KB program to the PIC32MX takes about 6-8 seconds though, is this normal?

I take it people using PicKit on standalone boards, 1.5 KB should download a *lot* quicker right? Or is this typical download speed for PICs.

(this is the first time I have ever used a PIC in case you haven't noticed)

I don't know about the PIC32MX but it was pretty slow for me on the PIC24 USB Starter Kit

caroper · « **Reply #46 on:** June 19, 2012, 04:15:59 pm »

Quote from: andyg on June 18, 2012, 04:51:19 pm

Downloading 1.5KB program to the PIC32MX takes about 6-8 seconds though, is this normal?

If you want to send me your code I can do a comparative test for you with PICKit3, ICD3 and MicrostickII, it could be a useful comparison.

I also have the PICKit2 but it can't handle the PIC32MX2xx at this point so I cant include it.

Cheers
Chris

T4P · « **Reply #47 on:** June 20, 2012, 08:19:59 am »

I finally managed to decode what is under the sticker (The printing has been eaten away by the sticker so i can hardly see what the debugging chip is

caroper · « **Reply #48 on:** June 20, 2012, 03:55:08 pm »

I didn't realise you were after that info Dave, I could have saved you some effort.
It is the identical debug circuit as the original Microstick and the the StarterKit boards.
I have attached a pdf with the full schematic for the debugger in case anyone else is after the info.

Cheers
Chris

T4P · « **Reply #49 on:** June 20, 2012, 04:00:59 pm »

Quote from: caroper on June 20, 2012, 03:55:08 pm

I didn't realise you were after that info Dave, I could have saved you some effort.
It is the identical debug circuit as the original Microstick and the the StarterKit boards.
I have attached a pdf with the full schematic for the debugger in case anyone else is after the info.

Cheers
Chris

Just a little bit of time wasted

Man it is tough hunting for the chip, after all i am always interested in which any product has this/that chip


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Author Topic: Cheap microchip dev kit (Read 29757 times)

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