On Fri, 26 Jun 1998 10:25:46 -0500 Don writes: >Hi, all >. I have several assemblers, and I've seen >several more in my net browsing. I am ready to start studying one, but >I >would like to know if any particular ones are considered better than >others. If your PC will run it, get MPLAB (which includes MPASM) from Microchip. It works well, is widely used, resonably complete with features, and free. > Im confused by the plethora of chips available and after >studying >their selector guides and looking in catalogs, I still have some >questions. Some eeprom pics are "flash" and others just eeprom. Whats >the dif? 16c84 versus 16f84? The name mostly. The 16C84 is pretty much discontinued, having been replaced by the 16F84. Both have EEPROM type program memory, which to the user means it can be reprogrammed without needing to erase the chip with UV light. In the process of loading a new program, the chip automatically erases the old one. Buy 16F84's if your programmer can program them (nearly all do). When you start looking at other PIC's, notice that there are two versions: "OTP" and the much more expensive "JW". The "JW" ones can be erased but the OTP ones can't. The JW chips have a ceramic package with a window on top to let you shine UV light on the chip and erase it. Other than that, the chips are identical. To be able to reuse a EPROM PIC chip over and over during development, you need the "JW" type as well as a UV erasing lamp. _____________________________________________________________________ You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail. Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com Or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866]