If you just need to send data to 5V devices, the 3.3V output is often good enough. Check the specs on the devices. I've run 5V LCDs no problem. If you have 5V inputs, either see if any PICs have "5V tolerant" i/o (no idea if microchip does this, other manufacturers sometimes do) and if not you can use a level translator, such as a 74LVTH125 for those inputs. A real dirty trick is to have the 5V input go thru a resistor, say 1K, then to the PIC input pin, and have a diode from the pin to 3.3V. The 1K current-limits and the diode keeps the voltage on the PIC pin to 3.3V + Vf. An even dirtier trick is to not bother with the diode, and just let the PICs internal input protect diodes conduct to the internal +3.3V. I wouldn't do this for a production design. It may affect A/D accuracy and may lead to early device failure. It also won't work for fast-moving signals (they will have real slow rise/fall times), because the 1K forms an RC filter with parasitic capacitance on the PIC input pin. But it will probably work just fine for decades. J Bob J. wrote: > I've been considering going with a PIC24H on my next project (need many > analog inputs...the PIC24HJ128GP510 has 32 12-bit > ADC's), > and as I was trying to find some parts to sample I found that the PIC24's > aren't available as 5V parts. What's up with that? That is going to be a > problem with some of the devices I plan on using with the PIC24, notably > some 5V SPI devices and an LCD. > > Why would Microchip not produce 5V versions of these devices? In > applications where low power consumption is not a requirement I can't see > why one would want to migrate their designs to 3V unless I'm missing > something. > > Regards, > Bob -- http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive View/change your membership options at http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist