PIC Training

DonFL · Joined: 02 Aug 2006 Posts: 3

I'm looking for recommendations for books. media, etc. that will provide some structured training in PICs, both programming and hardware. Not looking to become a PhD in PICs, but defintely want to be come competent..

I have all the pieces..experimenter board, CCS compiler, etc..just need something a little better than my haphazard experiments...

I've looked at PicTutor, but it seems like you have to buy the whole package.

MatrixMultimedia has something that may work...

Open to suggestions..I have a solid knowledge in C, among other languages, plus good general hardware skills...throwing something together on a proto-board, and making it work is no problem...

Anyone?

PCM programmer · Joined: 06 Sep 2003 Posts: 21708

http://www.ccsinfo.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=22598&start=5
http://www.ccsinfo.com/content.php?page=books

DonFL · Joined: 02 Aug 2006 Posts: 3

Thanks...have several of the listed books, including the Barnett book, which is one of the best I've seen. Was hoping to find somewhat of a "lab book" or "workbook" that would take the book theory to reality...

I have a slightly differing opinion re the suggestion in one of the threads that knowing C and the architecture is all you need. I am somewhat there now (could use some more time on the architecture, but the C skills are there..)...there still needs to be that glue that pulls it all together..in an organized manner....may not be something that really exists...but figured if it did, someone on this forum would know of it.

Thanks again for the suggestion.

newguy · Joined: 24 Jun 2004 Posts: 1907

If you want to familiarize yourself with h/w, then try this.

Get some chips from digikey or mouser or jameco or whereever. Things to get would be an I2C EEPROM, an SPI EEPROM, external A/D (I2C or SPI interface), LCD module with standard 14 pin connector or serial interface, an IO expander, a RTC (with crystal), and a temperature sensor. The worst (hardest to talk to from a coding standpoint) would be the Dallas 18B20 or one of its variants - uses a bidirectional 1-wire interface. Also pick up some FETs or BJTs and some diodes (if you don't have any already), a relay, some LEDs, and a MAX232 chip or one of its variants so that you can "talk" rs232 to your PC or anything else.

Once you have that stuff (and it won't be very expensive), start by trying to read the temperature from the temperature sensor. Then try writing and reading data to one of the EEPROMs. Then try driving a relay. Then try turning the relay on/off based on temperatures read from the sensor. Then expand on that and try logging turn on/off times to the EEPROM. Then add download capability so that you can send serial commands from the PC and it will trigger a dump of these logged times. It's up to you. But I can assure you that once you familiarize yourself with all the h/w you bought, that there isn't anything that you can't do.

Hope this helps.

epideath · Joined: 07 Jun 2006 Posts: 47

I used this one extensively for learning. But I had no idea what a PIC was when I bought the book. Very Happy

I already had a good background in programming, but it covers taht too. It has theroy, and has basic hardware examples to explain the subject at hand. My version doesn't cover the newest of PIC's but it covers small to large scale ones. No J series or DSP stuff. I also don't recall any coverage of hardware controller stuff, ie. CAN, SPI, USB, etc.

It is by Myke Predko, Programming and Customizing PICmicro Controllers

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0071361723/sr=8-3/qid=1154971117/ref=pd_bbs_3/102-9167701-9764156?ie=UTF8

DonFL · Joined: 02 Aug 2006 Posts: 3

Thanks for the book recommendation...I've got a few of Predko's books, but not this one. Found it used for about 20 bucks.

I have the hardware "stuff", hopefully this will provide a little guided learning to tie it all together.

Mark Weir · Joined: 11 Sep 2003 Posts: 51 Location: New Zealand

Get some hardware and go to it!

I have learned so much form applying and modifying the code in the Barnett book and also using the CCS example code.

Some purists don't like the Burn and Learn approach but it works for some of us. If you can understand the structure of C and the interface requirements for the PIC you are away laughing.

Cheers

Mark