I agree with most of this, but see my comments below. Bob Ammerman RAm Systems (contract development of high performance, high function, low-level software) ----- Original Message ----- From: Lawrence Lile To: Sent: Wednesday, March 21, 2001 9:12 AM Subject: Re: [piclist] Getting started > Brandon, > > Here's what you need: > > 1. Subscribe to the other PIC list: www.piclist.com. This is a much more > active forum than the Yahoo Pic List, and they like answering newbie > questions. They have a huge archive of infromation, FAq's, and a very > active discussion of everything from clock rates to cows. Absolutely the best resource of all. > 2. Get Microchip MPLAB www.microchip.com free compiler and development > enviroment Yep, but get it on CD > 3. Find out who your local microchip rep is, and call him up. Get some > hardcover books for the PIC16F84. Get a hardcover "Embedded Control > Handbook". Argue with him when he wants to give you stinking PDF files. I think this step is not needed. There is nothing wrong with working with PDFs. I find them very convenient. Also, I don't know how much help you'll get from the Microchip rep, especially if you are a hobbiest. They like to here about potential applications for 10K plus chips. > 4. Get a couple of PIC16F84's from Digikey www.digikey.com Most people > learn on this chip first. I'll strongly disagree with this. I'd get a PIC16F87x chip of some sort (I like the 876). This is a much more capable chip than the F84, and you don't have to try to use every feature up front. > 5. Build, beg, or buy a programmer. You can build the David Tait style > parallel port programmer for a few bucks, > http://www.piclist.com/techref/microchip/davidtait/index.html or you can > buy a "Picstart" programmer for about $100 from Digikey. Ask on the PIClist > and you may be able to buy a used "Picstart" programmer for less. Forget the PICStart, instead get an ICD (assuming you took my advice to use the PIC16F87x). This gives you not only in-circuit programmability, but also a poor man's ICE. > 6. Study Assembler. It's a tough nut to crack, but once you do, you'll > never regret it. Take apart some of the routines in the "Embedded Control > Handbook" especially the math routines. Write simple routines and test them > with the simulator in MPlab. Wait till next year to learn C. This is true even if you already know C. Understand the chip with all its foibles - banks and pages and read-modify-write problems on ports, for example. > 7. Ask a LOT of dumb questions! That's what we're here for. > 8. When you've got your first LED blinky merit badge, let us know! Indeed! Bob Ammerman RAm Systems (contract development of high performance, high function, low-level software) -- http://www.piclist.com#nomail Going offline? Don't AutoReply us! email listserv@mitvma.mit.edu with SET PICList DIGEST in the body