18F25J11 RTCC & remappable pin options

[Bruce]

I'm waiting on a few 24 samples. Figured I would give them a whirl.

[rmteo]

I started using PIC24/dsPIC33 (in particular the PIC24F's for their rich peripheral set) 2 years ago and am really pleased with their power and flexibility - they are pretty much all I use these days. I have used PIC18's occasionally due to the excellent Swordfish compiler which isn't available yet for the 24-bit core devices. They only time I used a PIC16 in the last 2 years was when the app called for a small physical package and settled on an 8-pin MSOP.

[Bruce]

Which compiler are you using for the PIC24F's ?

[rmteo]

If you wan't to stay with BASIC (like me), I believe your only option for now is mikroBASIC Pro for dsPIC. Otherwise, there is the free C30 compiler from MicroCHIP. Also, Dave Barker says that he is working on a 24-bit version of Swordfish.

[Bruce]

I have the free version of C30 - so I'll probably start with that. How do you like the
mikroBASIC ?

I actually prefer C to BASIC. Do they have a version of C that supports this PIC? And,
do you consider it better than C30?

[rmteo]

I have been using mikroBASIC since I started with the PIC24/dsPIC33. mikroBASIC is closer to C than most any BASIC out there - with the exception of Swordfish. Realistically, there is nothing you can't do with mikroBASIC that can be done with C. There is a mikroC for dsPIC but I cannot comment on it as I am not a C user.

[Bruce]

Thanks for the feedback. I did try mikroBASIC several years back, and when comparing the
code it produced to PBP & Proton, it totally sucked. Especially compared to Proton.

Perhaps I should try it again, but I really do prefer C to BASIC - so I might give the mikroC
compiler another look. That one wasn't exactly up to par the last time I tried it either.

Swordfish totally rocks, but I'm a tad concerned about it being supported in the near
future, and it's really depressing that it only supports the 18F series & needs that USB
dongle.

My work requires me to get things out like yesterday, and I can't/won't pay full
boat for a replacement dongle in a pinch .. when it craps-out.

Proton rocks too, but I'm not into installing beta software, that's a real pain in the
pooter, for any compiler that hasn't offered registerd users an upgrade for many years.

That really killed Proton here in the US.