dsPICs

[Bruce]

dsPIC requires a totally different compiler core, so look at changing horses...;o}

Look forward to spending a decent chunk of change too. dsPIC compilers are
totally different from 12, 14, and 16-bit core compilers. I doubt you'll find one
that supports them all.

[tenaja]

Hitech C does...

[mister_e]

Yeah it does indeed... they also support PIC24, PIC32... if you're ready to pay the price and the annual fee too

Microchip C30 student work fine... Microchip have improve their C compilers lately.

MikroElektronika have some compiler for DsPIC too. Probably the only one Basic compiler 'till now... i said maybe....

[rmteo]

I use the mikroE BASIC compiler for the 16-bit (PIC24F/J, dsPIC30, dsPIC33) devices and it works great. Price is also very reasonable ($149) and as far as I know, it is the only BASIC available for the 16-bit PIC's. As mentioned by others, you can also use the C30 compiler from MicroChip which is free for the student edition.

Would not go back to using 8-bit PIC's except for low pin-count (<18 pins) and very low cost apps (<$1 per chip). The power, versatility and ease-of-use of these 16-bit PIC's are hard to beat.

[mister_e]

Yup, DsPIC are not as this hard... but for many... the multiple Datasheet to download would be enough to be afraid of

[rmteo]

Steve, I agree. It not so much the datasheet as the Family Reference Manual.

It is interesting that for the 8-bit devices (baseline, midrange and highend/advanced), the family reference is in one volume. However, for the 16-bits, you have to download individual chapters - even the Programmers reference is a separate volume.

[mister_e]

Euh yeah family reference manual... that's what i meant oups

All those manual, once binded, looks pretty impressive on the shelf