Need some experienced advice

[skimask]

1 - Piece of cake... Most of the PIC's in the same family are (i.e. 28 pin for 28 pin, 40 pin for 40 pin, and so on), 99% compatible at the pin level with a newer PIC having more functionality on the same pin or set of pins, about 95% compatible at the PBP level, and probably around 80% compatible at the assembly level. For instance, I built an MP3 player, started off with a 16F877A, moved to an 18F452, then an 18F4620. No change in hardware, and minor changes in the PBP source.

2 - The 74C922/74C923 aren't that easy to find anymore and they're a bit expensive. You could do the same thing with a much cheaper 18 pin PIC, and program it yourself to include things like shift keys, control keys and things like that. Can't do that with a 74C922...

3 - I don't own a dev board of any sort. There is nothing wrong with any of the boards sold by MeLabs, they're all good...however, I do believe you get a better deal with the ones from www.mikroe.com, the EasyPic4.
And I (and others will say the same thing) think one of the better programmers out there is the PICKit2, upgradeable, support direct from Microchip, it's USB, self powered, and so on. I just bought one, works great.

4 - PIC-AXE with a bootloader - all that means is that you can reprogram the chip without having a programmer, usually all you need is a serial port or something similar, but at the expense of a couple of pins and some code space. With time, you could make your own bootloader...or you could buy or download 'bootloader' code from various places on the 'net.

4a - and yes, it's similar to a JTAG port.

[b1arrk5]

I can highly recommend the LabX-USB board from ME Labs. It is set up for the 18f4550, so you can develop USB applications, it has RS-232 on board, and you can add things like Dallas 1-wire temperature sensors, etc. It has sixteen push buttons on it, so you can set up your keypad project right off the bat. It works with the EPIC programmer, but when I got my new computer I upgraded to the USB programmer, and am very happy with it. (It's getting hard to find an LPT port anymore.) The EPIC plugs right into the development board, you don't have to remove the chip to program it. I do like Melanie suggested, I output to the LCD to debug my programs, and there are a few LED's on the board if you just want to toggle something. I usually use one for a 'heart-beat' so I can tell if I screwed up and confused the microprocessor!

For quick one-off projects I like ME Labs proto-boards. I have one I put a ZIF socket on that I can put little chips like the 16f88 in if I want to try something fast and easy. Hope this helps.

Jerry.

[Pic_User]

Hi Bill,

Welcome to the forum.

3 - I don't own a dev board of any sort. There is nothing wrong with any of the boards sold by MeLabs, they're all good...however, I do believe you get a better deal with the ones from www.mikroe.com, the EasyPic4.
And I (and others will say the same thing) think one of the better programmers out there is the PICKit2, upgradeable, support direct from Microchip, it's USB, self powered, and so on. I just bought one, works great.

EasyPIC4 Development System $120
Get the accessories too while you are ordering.
http://www.mikroe.com/en/tools/easypic4/

Forum post example:
Development Board Recommendations
http://www.picbasic.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=5609

Forum post example:
keypad routine
http://www.picbasic.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=6230


“PICKit 2”, is one of the the best choices for a beginner, less problems with side-effects.

My opinions only.
-Adam-