The PIC Microcontroller
Introduction
Various projects could use a Microcontroller.. How long could it be resisted?
Saturday / Sunday - Assembled the Velleman programmer a nice kit, and quite straightforward to build.. But as I was later to find, the Rolling Hitch and Old Empire had taken their toll! Found another Windows software programmer IC-PROG that should work with the K8048, and using Hitec C succesfully compiled a small demo program.
Monday - No suggested serial cable, so researched further and built a straight though cable. Loaded the Velleman software, successfully compiled the demo program and tried to load it onto the PIC, Nothing. Carefully checked the board agan. Two parts had to be reworked! Still nothing!
Tuesday - Checked and corrected(!) the serial cable..
PC to Velleman K8048 9 pin serial lead
3 -> 3
4 -> 4
5 -> 5
7 -> 7
8 -> 8
9 -> 9
Ground -> Ground
Programmed the supplied 16F72 using both the Velleman software and IC-PROG (After checking the Config Word)
IC-PROG Settings for Velleman K8048
Enable Vcc control for JDM (Hidden in the options, Misc settings, not very clear but it programs and verifys the PIC 16F627).
Programmer type to JDM programmer
Invert data out ticked
Invert data in ticked
Invert clock ticked
Invert mclr ticked
Invert vcc ticked
Wednesday - Took the programmer and Laptop to the LUG. Tested the serial link using a loopback conector on pins 2 and 3 and the Minicom terminal program. Then only needed to change one further setting on the programmer (Inverted the VPP input, The other settings are the same as IC-PROG). Pikdev now works a treat! Next steps; to have a look at C compilers for the PIC, demo programs, a prototyping board etc!
Saturday - Succesfully ran the LED test program on a new
PIC 16F84A Both on Windows and Linux. In order to get the correct "Fuse"
settings, I first read the contents of the (Blank) 16F84A then zeroed the
chip and reprogrammed it with no problems. If the Fuses are incorrect Pikdev
gives various programming errors!
While looking through my junkbox I found an interesting looking LCD module
MDLS40266-1
attached to a PIC 16C74A. I had a bit of trouble tracking down its spec on
the web, confusing it with the MDLS40466-1 which is a graphic display! Could
be a useful part for the prototyping board.
Monday 15th August - Sampled a Sierra Nevada and started the prototyping board.
Tuesday - Completed the basic prototyping board. Hastily connected it up to the Programmer via the In Circuit Serial Programming header. Fails to run or program and seems to have some "unexpected" outputs on the pins!
Wednesday - Reworked the connections for the In Circuit Serial Programming header. The ribbon cable pinout was confusing me. All works, can program and run from the prototyping board.