Chris Kirtley wrote:
>
>Great - thanks! I haven't actually started my PIC circuit yet. I have
>still to decide on which PIC to go for. I wonder if that is a
>consideration as far as the telemetry goes. For example - should I chose
>a PIC with USART? I was going to use a PIC16C710 but I don't think it
>has one, has it?
>
>Size is important for me, so I don't want to use a PIC with more pins
>than I need (e.g. PIC16F873, with USART, has 28 pins).
>
>I'd hate to design my circuit around one PIC only to discover later that
>another one would have been better!
>

Chris,

Having used all the basic package sizes of 2nd gen PICs, 8-40
pins, I would definitely recommend the 28-pin - '73 - for general
use. It's not much larger than the 18-pin, but it is *much* smaller
than the 40. Also, the '73/'873 have **SOOOOOO** much more built-in
capablility than the 18-pin guys - more EPROM & RAM, UART/I2C/SPI,
extra timers and A/D channels, etc/etc. Plus, before you know it,
you'll really need those extra I/O pins. You will not be sorry.

best regards,
- Dan Michaels
Oricom Technologies
http://www.sni.net/~oricom
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