Chris Bond wrote:
> Hi. I am new to this list. I am experienced with assembly and using
> chips such as the 8085 and Motorola 68000 and a recent graduate of
> electronic engineering. I have been reading my butt off on the topic
> of PICS and have a programmer and MPLAB and software for simulation.
> My question is this: For the wide range of PICmicro's I might work
> with, what would anyone suggest for a good component and tool base to
> begin working with (crystals, caps..and such.)

It sounds like you'll be doing electronics for a living.  You might as well
start collecting generally useful parts.  Unfortunately, the list of those
never ends.

At the very least, get the full assortment of 5% resistors and reasonable
range of capacitors.  Get ceramic from 22pf up to 1uF, then electrolytics up
to 1mF.  I use 2N4401 and 2N4403 as my generic small signal bipolar
transistors.  Get some 7805 5v regulators and LM324 opamps.  Opamps come in
many flavors for a reason, and you will collect more over time.

You'll always find some parts you don't already have every project you do.
Most of the time it makes sense to buy a few extra.  This gets you to a
price break and now you've got one more component in stock.

As for PICs, consider the 18F series the place to start unless you're doing
a high volume product or have special needs like extra small footprint.  I
consider the 18F252 the most generic starter PIC.  It's a full featured part
in a 28 pin package.  The same thing in 40 pins is the 18F452.  For 18 pins,
use the 18F1320.

If you really need smaller, then you have to go to a different family.  The
12F629 and 12F675 are really 16 family parts in an 8 pin package.  For ultra
small, the new 10F parts come in a tiny SOT-23 6 pin package, but that is
yet again another processor core, although the 12 and 14 bit cores aren't
that different.  The details of the 3Fxxx 3-pin parts in TO-92 package (Vdd,
Vss, MCLR) are still sketchy.


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