BM-SSS-U62

Hi, I'm new to PICS ( started about November 2000 ). I've undertaken two projects. My first was a simple project using a 16F872 ( to wet my feet! ). It was simply to monitor 8 inputs for pulsing signals and output a constant high for each or those signals when they were present. Not particularly difficult now, but it introduced me to timing execution loops and maintaining acurate time counting. ( As the high needed to go low immediately a low pulse timed out to become actualy a no pulse...).

My second project using a 16F877 ( still ongoing..) is a test set designed to test computer controlled faders used in a mixing console. It was neccessary ( the company I work for www.soundtrackny.com and others ) to repair these faders in situ i.e. in the console in the studio which was very expensive ( room not in use!!) and awkward. So I designed a test set that excersises all the functions on the fader that are normally controlled by the mixing console computer.

Writing the software was more involved then I realized. Yes I should have begun with a structure and method on paper. But I started writing and just kept adding more and more functions as I went along. I'm lucky it did turn out pretty good, but next time I WILL plan ahead and already have my software in block diagram form !! The PIClist was invaluable to me here. I learnt ( either from the list or directed to other sites by the list ) how to program LCD modules, A to D conversion, Binary to BCD to ASCII ( I still dont think I know this yet !! ). And I am always learning something new regarding the MPASM assembly language almost every time I read the PIClist.

Because I am really a hardware guy I did keep in mind future expansion and usability. So the hardware is pretty good and I'm quite pleased with the way that turned out.

I'm not sure what may next project will be, but what ever it is I'll be searching through the PIClist for hints and ideas......