PIC and LCD Recomendations

I need a pic to do the following:
1) Drive a 2 line LCD.
2) Be able to use the data stream from an optical encoder (from a mouse)
3) Have at least 2 outputs that can via a transistor turn a relay on and off.
4) Use a separate input to Zero the display.
5) Be able to show a negative number.
6) Be able to remember the pulse count when powered off
7) be easy to program.

I understand the basics of a pic but not sure how to use it with a LCD display.

Thanks
Bob

See also :[URL="http://www.picbasic.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=14075&p=97121"[/URL]

i'll give you the easy answer...

16F877a will do everything you want and things you havn't realised that can be done...

Later on when you start doing lots of maths you can switch to the almost pin compatible 18F4550...

Thats the easy answer to your question because i know the two chips...
LCD connections... well you need to look it up because their is lots of info on it

I am looking at some of the basic development boards. TOO many to try and choose from.

Bob

Here are a few options from least expensive, to most expensive.

Attachment 5016
http://www.sparkfun.com/products/27 $36.95

• ICSP/ICD connector for programming with PIC-MCP-USB, PIC-MCP or PIC-PG1, PIC-PG2, PIC-PG3, PIC-PG4 and debugging with PIC-ICD2, PIC-ICD2-POCKET, PIC-ICD2-TINY or is PIC16F87X microcontroller is used PIC-ICD1
• DIL-40 for PIC microcontroller
• LCD 16x2 alphanumeric display with backlight
• 2 Buttons
• bi-color LED
• Power supply taken from USB port
• Virtual USB-RS232 port
• 20 Mhz crystal
• FR-4, 1.5 mm (0,062"), green soldermask, white silkscreen component print
• Dimensions 95x36 mm (3,7x1,4")
• Four mounting holes
• Extension headers for PIC unused ports

Attachment 5015
http://www.sparkfun.com/products/26 $38.95

• ICSP/ICD connector for programming with PIC-MCP-USB, PIC-MCP or PIC-PG1, PIC-PG2, PIC-PG3, PIC-PG4 and debugging with PIC-ICD2, PIC-ICD2-POCKET, PIC-ICD2-TINY(* for the PICs with ICD support) for PIC16F87X there is low cost PIC-ICD1
• Dallas touch button port
• Frequency input
• 0-10V and 0-5V ADC input with buffer OAMP
• RS232 DB9 female connector
• RS232 interface circuit with Tx, Rx signals
• RS232 TTL levels output connector
• Voltage regulator +5V, 78L05 and filtering capacitors
• Quartz crystall oscilator circuit 20Mhz
• DIL28 microcontroller socket
• Relay with 10A/250VAC contacts
• Buzzer
• Status LED on RB4
• Four mounting holes
• Power plug-in jack
• FR-4, 1.5 mm (0,062"), green soldermask, white silkscreen component print
• Dimensions 120x36 mm (4,7x1,4")

Attachment 5017
http://www.sparkfun.com/products/8855 $50.95 (probably shouldn't be in here, as you can't change the pic chip, but I like it.)

• MCU: PIC18F67J50 with 128KB Flash memory, 3904B SRAM, 10-bit 8-channel ADC module, PWM, SPI, I2C, EUSART, 2 Analog comparators and 8/16-bit Timer/Counters
• ICSP connector for PIC-ICD2/PIC-ICD2-POCKET debugger/programmer
• LCD NOKIA 3310 black/white 84x48 pixels
• Two status LEDs
• Joystick with LEFT, RIGHT, UP, DOWN and CENTER action
• mini USB connector
• SD/MMC card connector
• MMA7260 accelerometer
• Extension connectors for all PIC ports
• +(4.5–6.0) battery connector
• PCB: FR-4, 1.5 mm (0,062''), soldermask, silkscreen component print
• Dimensions 65x65 mm (2.56 x 2.56")

Attachment 5020
http://www.mikroe.com/eng/products/v...opment-system/ $139.00 without blue LCD displays -- More info: http://www.mikroe.com/eng/downloads/...ticle_v100.pdf
Sure it's huge, but it does 10F, 8,14,18,28 and 40 pin chips (as long as they are 5 volt varieties)

Attachment 5021
http://store.melabs.com/prod/boards/LABX1A.html
$199.95

• Inputs: 16 switch keypad, 3 potentiometers, IR, temperature, real time clock
• Outputs: LED bargraph, 2x20 LCD module, speaker, DTMF, PWM, IR, 2 RC servo connectors
• I/O: RS232 interface, RS485 interface
• Serial EEPROM: I2C, SPI, Microwire
• Misc: Reset button, 5-volt regulator, 40-pin ZIF socket for PICmicro MCU (device optional)
• Jumper selectable oscillator from 4MHz to 20MHz
• In-circuit programming/debug connectors
• Prototyping area for additional circuits
• Available assembled, as a kit or as a bare PCB
• Size is 5.5" x 5.6"

MELabs makes the LAB-X series of boards and the Epic programmers themselves, and they gave me excellent customer service with mine (almost 10 yrs ago). When I thought I had a hardware issue, I called them, and within a minute or two I was up and running with a simple pebkam fix. I would definitely recommend them. Buy it from rentron.com and you'll be supporting a great contributor to the forum, as well as get yourself a second great resource. He offers discount bundles. (At least, he used to.)

MikroE boards are huge and lower priced, if that's what you want.

I went with a P16F1827
Has enough pins to do what I want. I also have MPLAB and a PICKIT3.
Now to just figure out a simple code to make the 2x16 LCD say "Hello" in 4 bit mode.

Follow the example in the manual. Just be sure to turn of any analog functions on the pins you use.

I managed to write/copy a sample Basic code using Mikrobasic pro. But I think I also need a bootloader which I am still searching for.
I have a USB UART that my computer and the program sees but it does not see the pic.
Not sure if I need a 5th wire running from RST to MCLR on the Pic.

Such fun learning a new endeavor.

Mikrobasic pro :eek:

http://www.picbasic.co.uk/forum/show...oader#post9375

Most that I have found DO NOT support the 16F1827. May have to find a more common chip.
Better yet, guess I need to learn C

Curious.
Why do you want a bootloader? I know they are handy but if you have a good programmer.......

Finally figured out that I don't.
Wrote/copied/modified some basic code to just display text on the LCD. Kept getting different errors every time I tried to compile it. Was going to take the HEX file and use the PICKIT3 to program it. Guess I need to learn C since most examples are written in it.

I will figure this out is a day or month or so

There are tons of examples here if you are using Pic Basic or Pic basic Pro.