Todd Peterson wrote:
>
> At 04:15 PM 6/6/96 -0400, you wrote:
> >I am like to use one of Microchip microcontroller that has on board UART to
> >handle some serial communication.  However, I don't know which one to
> >get.
> >
> >I don't want to use the 16C74 because is has a bad baudrate generator.
>
> This brings up an interesting point.  I have heard several (actually more
> than several) complaints about hardware problems in the mid to upper level
> PIC devices.  I even had someone tell me they were going to stop designing
> with Microchip parts because of the hardware errors.
>
> Now I know how easy it would be every time a program isn't operating
> properly to blame the hardware, but I am getting the impression there are
> actually a few problems other than the "baud rate generator=1" problem he
> mentioned above.  Has anyone been keeping a list of the problems so we don't
> all learn the hard way?  I know there have been revisions to some of the
> chips (xxxA), but I understand even the revisions aren't quite perfect.

Well, the errata sheet for the 16C65 (available on the Microchip web site) seems
to be accurate and complete.  At least I haven't encountered any problem not
described in this document, and I've just about completed my first C65 project.

The thought of abandoning Microchip parts for future designs occurred to me
more than once as I read over the errata.  The thought of releasing a chip
 design
with so many flaws in really rudimentary peripherals leads me to question the
basic competence of the people responsible.

And to top it off, the final item on the errata:
"In a device brown-out, some peripheral modules may be disabled ... only a
 Power-on
Reset will re-enable them (MCLR will not)."

-----------------------------------------
Frank Latos, Duo Systems Inc.
flatos@mich.com
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