PIC
2024-12 I scrapped my PICKIT 2 and PICKIT 3. (They are no longer supported anyway!) Currently I have a PICKIT 5 ($95) and a SNAP ($15).
PICKIT 5 -- Works with VS Code. YAY. JTAG (ARM or AVR), SWD, ICSP, AVR. It also slices and dices. USB-C connector There is an adapter that turns it into a Segger J-Link. Sounds like the Nordic DK, there seems to be no reason to buy a Segger! :-) Target Connection Pinouts
SNAP -- Looks suspiciously like a PICKIT 5 without the box. Hmmm. USB Micro connector
There is a comparison chart on this page. PICKIT 5 is better.
The chips
What I have around right now
- PIC 18F25K20 (28 pin) compares well with the chip used for Arduino, the ATmega328p
- PIC 16F873 (28 pin) pin compatible with the 18F25K20, but requires an external clock
- PIC 16F628 (20 pin)
- PIC 12F675 (8 pin)
- PIC 12F629 (8 pin)
- PIC 12F683 (8 pin)
- PIC 12F1501 (8 pin)
- PIC 10F322 (8 pin DIP, also available in 6 pin SOIC)
- 24LC65 8Kx8 EEPROM
- 8 MHz ceramic resonators
- 4 MHz ceramic resonators
- 32kHz xtals for slow but very low power operation (button cell powered data collectors)
Development tools
Hardware
The older PICKITs came with a 18F* dev board, and a 10F322 board and a protoboard.
MpLabX IDE
2024-DEC-03 6.20 on Murre (Mint) Download is packed as a shell script in a tar file. Installation was easy. Everything installed into /opt/microchip.
I installed all the compilers (xc8, xc-dsc, xc16, xc32).
The "extras" have to be installed separately.
Code Configurator is here: http://www.microchip.com/mplab/mplab-code-configurator
There are also libraries.
They have a thing called "Harmony" that I have not looked at because it's for PIC32
Eagle CAD
Use the SparkFun library from https://github.com/sparkfun/SparkFun-Eagle-Libraries
High Level Languages
C language
MPLAB XC: mostly free C compilers http://www.microchip.com/pagehandler/en_us/devtools/mplabxc/Non-free options offer better optimizations. You get a 60 day eval on PRO level with the free version.
http://www.ccsinfo.com/picc.shtml C compilers starting at just $50.
http://www.fored.co.uk/ Wiz-C
If working with PIC16 or PIC18 see https://sites.google.com/site/rmaalmeida/mplabx-sdcc-toolchain
Basic language
- http://www.melabs.com -- Maker of 'PICBASIC' compiler.
- http://www.BasicMicro.com/ -- "Atom", a mostly Stamp compatible PIC platform. Includes IDE and debugger.
- http://www.crownhill.co.uk/section.php?section=1 Proton Basic
- http://www.picant.com/c2c -- C, C++, and Pascal for the PIC. low cost (< $100)
http://www.xcprod.com/titan/XCSB - optimising structured PIC BASIC compiler
Other PIC Microprocessor Resources
http://www.embeddedrelated.com/ EmbeddedRelated web site, and the mailing list: PIClist
