On Wed, 28 May 1997, David Boone wrote:

> Hello and sorry 'bout the annoying newbie question :-)
>
> I would like to get started using PICs, but I am having trouble deciding
> what is the best place to start.  The PIC16C84 seems to be the best
> beginners PIC due to its EEPROM, but which programmer should I use?  The
> PICStart Plus Programmer, PICSTART-Lite or will a "home-made" programmer do
> the trick for me?  If so, which would you recommend?  Which books would you
> recommend?
>
Almost any programmer out there will program '84s.  The choice mainly
depends on how much you want to spend and what you foresee needing to
program in the next year or so.  What I'm using and recommending is the
PICSTART-Lite 16B1 model.  You can get it for about $70 or so from
DigiKey, and it will program most of the 16c5x and 16c6x parts.  With the
Phoenix upgrade firmware from Newfound/Dontronics you can program the
12cxxx 8-pin parts and basically every PIC except 17cxxx parts.

Bookwise, the most important thing to have is actually the Microchip data
library on CD-ROM.  Also a beginner might find "Easy PIC'n" from Square
One (and its upcoming sequel(s)) useful.  Its a bit on the basic end, not
getting much more complicated than basic program logic, timing, interrupt
handling, reading input switches and flashing LEDs, but there's not that
much else out there in the way of true introductory texts.