> This does raise another question I had, though. I read on some forum
> that ICPORTS should be tied to VDD instead of being left floating.
> Should I do the same for the other NC pins?

I'll "answer" that generally. Others are welcome to disagree with my answer=
..

Doing other than what is recommended or allowed by the manufacturer
with any pin immediately puts you outside safe territory. It may be
the right or best thing to do for some reason but you are immediately
"fighting city hall". City Hall isn't always right - but if you
insiste on fighting them you MUST know why you are doing it,
understand what the implications may be, be prepared to take the
consequences and be aware that you leave yourself with no comeback if
almost any result occurs as a consequence.

NC pins are specified  as NC for a range of reasons. Some are obvious
enough in intent that you might safely connect them to "something"
with a fair chance of success. But eg grounding some internal circuit
node that exists perhaps as a test point for the manufacturer may have
unknowable consequences which can be as subtle as you could wish. As a
guide (more below), if a change is trivially simple and apparently
beneficial(eg ground NC pin xxx) then odds are somebody hasn't
understood something that the manufacturer had in mind.

As you will be well aware, the quality of internet sourced information
and the capability, competence and degree of understanding of people
who are prepared to provide a confidently assertive opinion or
statement of fact is very very very variable. It is usually easier to
find a technically poor option than a high quality one.
You know this :-). Even in a forum with many members and with some of
high competence, opinions which contradict manufacturers' advice or
instructions are at the least "risky" and need to be understood at
least aswell as possible and/or vouchsafed for by people who are
apparently more competent than yourself and whose abilities you trust.
They may be wrong. You know all that too.

When it comes to connecting NC pins to eg ground: Who says so, why do
they think there is a need, why do they think it is not harmful, why
do they think it is useful or necessary, what does it appear to do,
why should it do what it is claimed to do, what are the apparent
possible undesired consequences, hazard a guess at unanticipated
consequences. THEN if this is such a fantastic idea why didn't the
manufacturer specify it this way, what may they know that others have
missed, why do we think that these others know so much more than the
manufacturer that they can decide better than them.
Then - has anyone taken this up with the manufacturer as a design
error or necessary revision, ... ???? !!!!
And more.

All that said, they MAY be right. BUT, know who you are believing  and
why and the probable consequence-probability locus.
:-)

After applying all this to NC pins, consider applying it to the rest
of life :-).


            Russell

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