For the past few years, I've always kept a few PIC16F877A's and 
PIC16f88's around for protoboard/proof of concept work.  Last week, when 
I pulled my "almost last" 16f877 out of the drawer for a project, I 
realized that it was probably time to buy some more.

The next thing I did for this project was to realize that I also needed 
to find a XTAL (most of the projects I've done have been with the 'f88 
so I had forgotten the 'f877 didn't have an 8mhz osc onboard).   There 
are a couple of other things which lead me to belive that the '877 is 
starting to show it's age (although definately still useful).

After digging through the microchip site to see if theres a newer better 
high-end PIC16 processor, I'm even more confused now than I was before 
(It's always easier to find the cheapest part which has x, y and z 
instead of which is the best all-around part where cost is pretty much 
no object).

Add to this the fact I also think I need to add some PIC18's to my 
lineup as well, as well as look to see if the PIC16F88 is still the 
"best all around" low-pin-count pic.

So my main question is whether or not the 16F877A and the 16f88 are 
still considered the preferred development pics among the list members, 
and if not, which ones are.   And, what is the "equivalent prototyping" 
part on the 18F line.  

As far as the looking which I have done, I looks like the 16F887 might 
be what I am looking for in the 40PIN dip category since it looks like 
it's basically an 877 with a few more modern features (internal clock 
osc, nanowatt, more ADC's (not that I ever use them)) but no PSP (which 
I've never used), but I'm hesitant to go that way without some input 
from someone who has used these as a workbench part.  Mainly I'm worried 
about the '887 being "weird" in some way that would bite me as I took a 
project which I did proof-of-concept on the '887 and moved it to it's 
production unit.

In the DIP18 category, it looks like the 16f88 has held it's own and 
isn't all that aged- there are only a couple of parts with what I would 
consider "somewhat more" functionality.

On the PIC18 side, it looks like the PIC18F4685 might be a good part to 
stock, but again I'm looking for input from the list for this as well.

So, what do each of you keep in your prototype cases?

-forrest


-- 
http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive
View/change your membership options at
http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist