Hi Folks, As threatened by Jory, here is the first draft of the brand new PIC FAQ for your perusal. Please give it a glance and help me to fill in some of the gaps. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This article is a collection of information sources for the PIC family of microcontrollers (and variants). The following topics are addressed: 0 ) Index 1 ) ABOUT THIS FAQ 1.1) Who put this FAQ together? 1.2) How can I contribute to this FAQ? 1.3) What newsgroups will this FAQ be posted to? 1.4) Can I distribute this FAQ or post it somewhere else? 2 ) ABOUT THE PIC 2.1) The PIC microcontroller 2.2) PIC representatives and approximate prices 3 ) PIC Utilities 3.1) FTP sites for the PIC 3.2) BBSs that support the PIC 3.3) Programming languages (3rd Party) 3.4) -:- hardware -:- -:- 4 ) PIC DOCUMENTATION 4.1) Periodicals that cover the PIC 4.2) Books on the PIC 4.3) Miscellaneous documentation on the PIC 5 ) What's next. 1) ABOUT THIS FAQ 1.1) Who put this FAQ together? The members of the PIC NEWS LIST via pic@figment.mit.edu i.e. yourselves. 1.2) How can I contribute to this list? Please, if you have any suggestions corrections or additions, notify me by E-MAIL. : Tom@takdsign.demon.co.uk Thank you. 1.3) What newsgroups will this FAQ be posted to? This FAQ will be posted to the following newsgroups: sci.electronics ???.????? ---- suggestions ? The schedule for posting will be once a month. 1.4) Can I post this FAQ to my local BBS? I am putting no restrictions on the use of this FAQ except - It must be distributed in its entirety and no financial gain may be realized from it. 2) ABOUT THE PIC Comments & Descriptive prose .... anyone ? 2.1) The PIC microcontroller The PIC series are eprom based 8-bit microcontrollers developed by Microchip Technology 2.2) PIC Variants List required here 3) PIC SOFTWARE This section includes pointers to software for the PIC. FTP sites and BBSs 3.1) FTP sites for the PIC FTP SITE Directory ftp.sics.se /pub/mchipsoft/ The files here are publicly available from the Microchip BBS via Compuserve. Since many people interested in these files have an internet connection, the files have also graciously been made available at SICS by Anders Nobinder of Memec Scandinavia, Microchip's Swedish agent. ftp.funet.fi (nic.funet.fi) 3.2) BBSs that support the PIC Microchip BBS Contact by dialing the same number you would use to get to Compuserve at 19200,n,8,1, except that you press + at the (garbage) prompt, followed by MCHIPBBS as the host (instead of CIS). Don Lekei BBS (Canada) (604) 597-3479 3.3) PIC programming languages (3rd Party) Host m/c PC Prog. Name ASPIC Shareware `C' assembler (reg = $100 CDN ($69 US)) **DESIGNED** for embedded controller design the shareware license has an unusual clause absolving those who only use it for non-commercial purposes Supplier/Author Don Lekei < 72677.2623@compuserve.com > BBS at (Canada) (604) 597-3479 - One assembler for 16c5X, 16c7X, 16c8X, 17c42 - Compatable with PICSIM (MPSIM) - Compatable with MAKE, and with auto-error tracking editors - Many times faster than PICALC (MPALC) - Standard base notation (Intel & Motorola format) - CODE and FUNCTION macros - Auto register bank management - Text/data translation - Automatically generates RETLW tables for text and data tables - Built-in version management and assembly control functions - user command-line switches - many other features -character set translation (eg. for LED, LCD, On Screen Displays) - bit labels, environment labels, etc. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Host m/c Macintosh Prog. Name uASM Supplier Micro Dialects Inc, PO Box 190, Loveland, OH 45140, Ph: 513/271-9100. Features: An integrated text editor, assembler and communications modules. fully supports macros, automatic labels, local labels, conditionally assembly, includes to 10 level deep. The editor supports up to 10 open files at a time, full search and replace including grep searches, file size limited only by RAM available. The emulator supports data transfer up to 38,400 baud. NOTE: The uASM code is incompatible with the MicroChip Simulator ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Host m/c PC ? C5x compiler C5x series C71 compiler Supplier CCS PO Box 11191 Milwaukee, WI 53211 phone # : 414-781-2794 ext.30 (you leave your message on an answering machine) Features -libraries for RS232 serial I/O and precision delays -allow call trees deeper than the hardware stack ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3.4) PIC Programming Hardware (3rd Party) Product programmer Model Microburner 512 Supplier Beradine Products Ltd, PO Box 86757, North Vancouver, BC CANADA V7L4L3, Ph: 604/988-9853. Contact Gary Anderson Features RS-232 terminal serial port compatible programmer Supports communications up to 38,400 baud, stand-alone or host operation, 4) PIC DOCUMENTATION 4.1) Periodicals that may cover the PIC. The Computer Applications Journal (Circuit Cellar Ink) - programming and construction articles - POB 7694, Riverton, NJ 08077-8784 - FAX: (203)872-2204 - Voice orders: (609) 786-0409 - On-line orders (BBS): (203) 871-1988 - Email orders: ken.davidson@circellar.com - $21.95, $31.95 surface Canada and Mexico, $49.95 air all other countries Computer Design industry announcements and trends One Technology Park Drive, P.O. Box 990, Westford, MA 01886 (508)692-0700 The Computer Journal - programming and construction articles - PO Box 535, Lincoln 96648 Dr. Dobbs Journal - programming articles, concepts and designs - 411 Borel Ave., San Mateo, CA 94402 - (415)358-9500 Electronic Engineering Times - industry announcements and trends - 500-B Bi-County Boulevard, Farmingdale, NY 11735 - (516)293-3000 Electronics Now - construction articles - Box 55115, Boulder, CO 80321-5115 - $19.97 one year Elektor Electronics - programming and construction articles - World Wide Subscription Service Ltd Unit 4, Gibbs Reed Farm, Pashley Road Ticehurst TN5 7HE, England - 27 UK pounds or - Old Colony Sound Lab, - P.O. Box 243, Peterborough, NH 03458 - Tel. (603) 924-6371, 924-6526 - Fax: (603) 924-9467 - $57 USA and Canada per year Embedded Systems Programming - programming and systems design articles - Miller Freeman Publications - 500 Howard St., San Francisco, CA 94105 - (415) 397-1881 Microcomputer Journal (formerly Computer Craft) - programming and constructions articles - 76 N. Broadway, Hicksville, NY 11801 - $18.95 one year, foreign $23.00, foreign air mail $76.00 Midnight Engineering - 1700 Washington Ave., Rocky Road, CO 81067 - (719)254-4553 4.2) Books on the PIC I don't have much information on this, only that one exists. I would greatly appreciate it if someone could provide a short synopsis and the complete book name, as my copy has not been delivered yet. [it's in the post, honest !] 4.3) Miscellaneous documentation on the PIC MicroChip Technology Incorporated - application notes 5) What's next. I'm working on it...... Suggestions welcome. I would like to thank the following individuals who have contributed to this accumulation. Jory Bell Don Lekei NOTE: .......If your name should be here, apologies. some of the above has been dredged from Jory's archives in such a fashion as to make it less than convenient to work out with whom it originated. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Copyright (c) 1994 by T.A.Kellett, all rights reserved. _______________________________________________________ Tom Kellett < Tom@takdsign.demon.co.uk >