thanks for the ideas, I'm dead set right now with only using microchip pics to do controlling, as I have a surplus of these. I did break down and buy the full version of pbp 3 gold, and so far its awesome, I also have a pickit 3. I'm messing around with it tonight using a 12f1572 was wondering if there was a way similar to a IRQ (interrupt) to detect a change in the ADC input? that way i could just call up the code when someone turned a knob.