PDA

View Full Version : DSPIC Support



GeoJoe
- 19th February 2006, 04:09
I have been using PBP for only 5 months. I love the ease of use and so does my boss. I can crank out test fixtures, special controller orders, good user interfaces, etc... However, I can see the future. I will need DSPIC support sooner than later. I'll have to either wash the bad 'C' tasted out of my mouth or get the new version of PBP that supports DSP's. The huge growth of Microchip PIC MCU's would suggest that eventually MELabs will support 'ALL' of the PIC MCU's. Please please please (Shameless begging) support DSPIC's soon.

Normnet
- 19th February 2006, 08:43
Anyone tried the following?

Development board:
http://www.circuit-ed.com/easydspic2.htm

BASIC compiler for dsPIC towards bottom of page
http://www.circuit-ed.com/product1.html

Norm

lab310
- 9th March 2006, 13:05
And what a rip-off that is...

http://www.mikroelektronika.co.yu/english/product/tools/etools.htm

http://www.mikroelektronika.co.yu/english/product/compilers/

languer
- 9th March 2006, 19:59
Why is this exactly a rip-off? I see there's a 30% discount on the mikroelektronika site, but that only applies if you buy a development system with it.

GeoJoe
- 11th March 2006, 02:19
Why is Mikro a rip off? It seems quite comperable to PBP. They have quite a few sweet features on the demo boards. Did you check out the demo software? I did only for a few minutes. It is very similar to PBP.

I've been busting my hump and have not had time to fully investigate Mikro. I wish someone from PBP would respond or publish their intensions.

lab310
- 13th March 2006, 09:38
You misunderstood me, I have nothing to say against Mikroelektronika, I was talking about circuit-ed site , as they are selling Mikroelektronika's board and compilers at prices 30-40% higher (169$ against 115$ for EasyPic3 board, for example). They are willing to give 30% discout on compilers withouth bying a developement board, just contact them by mail (at least they did that for me).
I have 4 different boards and 2 compilers made by them, and they are extraordinary value for money. But be aware, transfering from PBP to Mikroelektronika's Basic is anything but straightforward, since M Basic has a more Pascal than Basic way of "thinking". Now, I only use there Basic for DSPic since there isn't any alternative on the current market, and for "regular Pics PBP and Proton. I would rate Mikroelektronika's development board a pure A, but compilers not more than B. ( just for comparasion, I would rate PBP with B and Proton with A)

GeoJoe
- 14th March 2006, 03:44
I see now Lab what you are saying. What type of development are you using these tools for? Are you developing any motor controllers or DC to DC converters? Have you used any touch screens for your projects?
Have you used Hi Tech C? It is looking very attractive and robust. I'm thinking I MUST get familiar with C. www.htsoft.com
Anyway thanks for the reply and the direction for MB. For the short term I'll still be using PBP and beating my head against MPASM.

mister_e
- 14th March 2006, 03:59
Hi Tech C is certainely good. I have it but use but used it rarely... worst now ;)

The only thing is just that it's a bit expensive.

To be honnest, i used some DSPic in the past and convert the same stuff to 18F... no big difference... just harder to figure out how to.

Be really sure that you need a DSPic before spending your cash on it. 18F are really capable... if you mind to give your brain a few hour/week/month intensive thinking.

Normnet
- 14th March 2006, 05:00
Rip-off?

CircuitED:
Easy dsPic3 board includes GLCD,LCD, & DS1820 $174.00
Compiler when purchased with above $99.00
Shipping FREE USA, USA distributor.
Total Circuit Ed $273.00

Mikroelektronika:
Easy dsPic3 board $119.00
Compiler when purchased with above $99.00
GLCD $17.00
LCD & DS1820 $15.00
Shipping worldwide $25.00
(Yugoslavia shipping could take weeks)
Total Mikroelektronika $275.00

Norm

fanie
- 4th May 2006, 00:24
Mister-e

>>To be honnest, i used some DSPic in the past and convert the same stuff to 18F... no big difference... just harder to figure out how to

The real difference would of course be the peripherals and the 40 mips you'd have to overcome with an 18 series. I bet Norm here would agree with this...

mister_e
- 4th May 2006, 04:13
Fanie,
Just a little example... how many times we saw, see and we will see in the future, people using 20 mhz or higher speed crystal for simple task where 4MHZ is often too much or just enough? How many time we see here some task that should be done without any PIC...

Same for DsPIC i guess. Yeah they're great, Fast, quite reliable about the pricing, and have tons of ring and bells (a few much than 18F). But thinking never killed anybody on this earth when capable of. Few cents, dollars much on a single parts when you build few thousand/millions units... Same for extra i/o, pcb design ... you know.

So unless i really need for extreme speed for a really specific task, i'll use them... but they're also young on the market for now. I just leave other having problems with before :)

Oh, how about future DsPIC support in your other compiler?

LMAO!!!!

fanie
- 5th May 2006, 01:09
Hallo Steve,

>>Oh, how about future DsPIC support in your other compiler?

Seems it's going to be a while still - keep in mind it's not even supported by the C's yet...

mister_e
- 5th May 2006, 03:23
It seems you need an update. Yeah it's support by some C compiler. If it wasn't i'd never ever waste my time in assembler... I used Hi-Tech C in the past.

http://www.htsoft.com/products/dspicccompiler.php

http://www.iar.com/index.php?show=987_ENG&&page_anchor=http://www.iar.com/p987/p987_eng.php

http://www.microchip.com/stellent/idcplg?IdcService=SS_GET_PAGE&nodeId=1406&dDocName=en010065&part=SW006012

I think some other crap one support them but i'll never say their name. Oh OK, just the the first 3 letter MIK.

GeoJoe
- 5th May 2006, 06:00
I mangaged to get my project running with assembler. It took a lot of effort and time. In fact, I hated it.
I guess what I want from a development platform is the security of knowing that I have invested time and money into something that will carry me into the future. Microcontroller technology will continue to grow. I'd like to not learn a new system every time a new controller comes out. I'd rather concentrate on implementing the advanced features of the micro. That's better than de-bugging new code. Does anyone think that new micro's get a bad rap for some time when they come out (Silicon bugs aside) because people don't know how to use them?

mister_e
- 5th May 2006, 16:47
The Microchip C compiler may be free but give real limitation and i'm not a fan of that one... as some here.

In fact, if someone should learn only one language that cover every PIC in the whole Microchip familly and have all the cash to spend on a compiler for support and upgrade, Hi-Tech C PICC Enterprise Edition would be the smart choice. BUT as most here use 12F, 16F,18F and sometime 10F... i bet Melabs PicBasic, or some other, is more than enough.

Assembler is free, but a real pain to code with. Well at least i can't imagine to do some 32K or more ONLY in assembler :eek: