PIC Programming, anyone?

[bryanthompson]

After the weather thread earlier this week, I decided to start working on build a PIC weather station.

The PIC I want to use is the 16F84, like this guy did: http://www.njqrp.org/digitalhomebrewing/pic-wx/pic-wx-1.html

Does anyone have any experience with this kind of stuff? I need something to write the data to the chips, and he recommends the Ludipipo (http://osepie.szm.sk/progser/info_b.htm), which you can build yourself.

Anyone else want to try this? It'd be cool if a couple other people wanted to jump into the project and we could follow each others' progress and whatnot.

[jyl]

I am just starting to dabble in this stuff, so can't really help you, but have you thought about the BASIC Stamp?

You can get the Stamp plus a board, serial port connector, cable, and programming environment/debugger/complier from Radio Shack for about $80. There's various Stamps, including one designed for unattended datalogging (more EEPROM, lower power consumption). Plus there is a very good set of forums at

http://forums.parallax.com/forums/default.aspx

I'm planning on using my Stamp to enhance an old camera (motor drive, light meter, etc) but haven't had time to really get going on it - plus my only laptop with a serial port keeps crashing.

[bryanthompson]

Update:
Just ordered this programmer: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=4661&item=7508888570&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW


Next step: order chip and learn Assembly. w00t!

[Rob Channell]

I've ordered a few of the Simmsticks from www.dontronics.com and played with them. They use the PIC chips. I was thinking of doing a data acquisition system for the race car. Got too involved with raising kids and trying to get a larger house to get very far.

I did try C compiler I liked a lot (WIZ-C from Fed). Definitely better than trying to work directly with assembly, ugh!

Good luck and let us know how it turns out.
Rob

[bryanthompson]

Rob, thanks for that link, they have some pretty cool stuff.

My programmer arrived a few days ago. I dusted off an old Windows machine and got it running with IC-Prog and MPLab.

Still need to get a chip and a 1:1 Serial cable, then I'll try making some simple programs for it. Just blinky lights and things for now.

has anyone used MPLab? An electrical engineer friend of mine showed the program to me a few years ago, but it looked overwhelming and like something I wouldn't ever be interested in.