Crystals

[jason]

Ya there alot more spendy. I'm trying to keep the cost down to minimal. here in Mexico in Newark the current chip is $1.38 and the 18F4620 is $7.28

However the PIC16F877A-I/PT is $5.70 and if I use a AD for the voltage detection which will save me about $2 that brings me down to $3.70, still a bit more. But like you say the added options. I will think about it.

[skimask]

Ya there alot more spendy. I'm trying to keep the cost down to minimal. here in Mexico in Newark the current chip is $1.38 and the 18F4620 is $7.28. However the PIC16F877A-I/PT is $5.70 and if I use a AD for the voltage detection which will save me about $2 that brings me down to $3.70, still a bit more. But like you say the added options. I will think about it.

One other thing to note...
The PIC16F59 is a 12-bit device, not a 14-bit device like the F877, or 16-bit like the 18F4620.
Using PBP, you'll be limited as to which commands you can use with the 16F59.
Maybe check out the 18F4410/18F4510. Looks to me like they might be a bit cheaper than the 16F877A.

[jason]

Yep I see it now. I went to PBP manual on 12bit core and It wont allow the serin2 command which I need and several other stuff.

those last 2 chips you sugested, newark down here dosn't have them instock, not to mention they are around $7.50

the PIC16F877A-I/PT QTFP 44 pin is in stock and costs $5.70, I just ordered 4 for now, just to have in stock here at the office. But isnt there another chip with a few less features that is cheaper ??? I really liked the $1.38 price sticker cuase I'll be making a few thousand of these cards. There for accounting and security of video arcade games.

[skimask]

the PIC16F877A-I/PT QTFP 44 pin is in stock and costs $5.70, I just ordered 4 for now, just to have in stock here at the office. But isnt there another chip with a few less features that is cheaper ???

Quantity 1000 should get you a decent price break...

< pic16f877a? PIC16F874...1/2 the flash, 1/2 the eeprom, 1/2 the ram, same # of I/O's... PIC16F870, 871, etc,etc.
Go to Microchip.com and do a parametric search...find the chip YOU want. Only takes seconds...
Why so many I/O?

[jason]

The PIC16F914-I/PT is a good price and it has a PLVD module which would save me $2. Just need to figure out how to use it

It also talks about a "Precision" internal Oscillator. Is this good enough for serial comunications in picbasic pro? That would save me another $0.50

Thanks for the tip on the Parametric search at microchip.

[skimask]

It also talks about a "Precision" internal Oscillator. Is this good enough for serial comunications in picbasic pro? That would save me another $0.50

Generally not. Unless you can come up with a method to continuously recalibrate the internal clock everytime the temperature, voltage, humidity changes.

[BrianT]

I run a PIC16LF877A with a 3.6 volt lithium battery and a 4 MHz crystal. The crystal costs $0.50. It works just as well with or without the 10 pF crystal caps. Current draw in sleep is under 8 uA. The unit wakes frequently (via the SLEEP nn command) and runs for over a year on a Tadiran TL-5186 lithium button cell. A 16F877A runs close to the same current on 5 volts and also works down to about 3 volts.

HTH
Brian