pic chip

[breezer]

i was in xxxxxxxxx and saw a pic chip programming kit, any one used a oic chip, i have heard they are very versatile, but if you have used one what for and was it easy any good.

just wondering what i could use one for

 

[AdamW]

just wondering what i could use one for

The reprogrammable cards you could use to get free analogue satellite used PIC chips. Dunno if the Sky Digital cards can be hacked this way though.

But it is just a microcontroller so you could use it for all kinds of stuff. As with most microcontrollers there aren't too many commands to learn in order to program it which means that you can write stuff for them very easily if you think logically and remember the limits of your instruction set.

Never used one myself though. But if I were to use one I would use it to implement some sort of logic like an automatic door opener or an automatic garden waterer. You could use it to build an alarm system but I doubt that would be sensible.

 

[AdamW]

Just thought, Breezer probably knows this already, but for anyone else reading out of interest, a microcontroller (such as the aforementioned PIC chip) is very much like a microprocessor (such as the processor in your computer or games console). The difference is, whereas the microprocessor is a "jack of all trades" and thus ideal for building a multi-purpose computer around, a microcontroller is optimised for a specific set of commands (a simple example might be that is able to add and subtract, but not to divide or multiply).

A DSP in a CD player for example: that is a microcontroller. It is designed to do a very specific job. It does it very well. But it wouldn't be any good at running Windows!

The advantages of them are that they are cheaper to design, develop and manufacture. Also for the specific job they are designed to do, they can do it better/faster than a processor of much greater cost.

 

[breezer]

tyhanks for that, (i did know most of it) but i wondered what else i could use it for, automatic door opener and garden waterer seem a bit "dull" and i was thinking more along the lines of a "silly gadget" I do use plc controllers but i just wanted to use a pic chip to see what it can /not do, i wanted to build something a bit heath robinson.

something that looks really good, but actually does nothing. (heath robinson only ever did the drawings he never made anything as far as i can find out.

and i wondered has any one else ever used a pic chip and what for (apart from those you mentioned)

 

[kendor]

tyhanks for that, (i did know most of it) but i wondered what else i could use it for, automatic door opener and garden waterer seem a bit "dull" and i was thinking more along the lines of a "silly gadget" I do use plc controllers but i just wanted to use a pic chip to see what it can /not do, i wanted to build something a bit heath robinson.

something that looks really good, but actually does nothing. (heath robinson only ever did the drawings he never made anything as far as i can find out.

and i wondered has any one else ever used a pic chip and what for (apart from those you mentioned)

http://www.robotbooks.com/pic_microcontroller_project_book.htm
here's a book that could get you started.

 

[Igorian]

something that looks really good, but actually does nothing.

A robotic Jordan?

 

[salem2000]

Should have gone to Specsavers.

 

[buryboy2000]

PIC chips are great for silly gadget design. We used to use them at uni for electronics projects (Brunel University, Product Design). I used one to make a virtual drum kit. It sent pulses using ultrasound which it then received and monitored the time taken to see whether it should send a midi file signal to the computer to play a drum sound!! The best bit was it worked!! Like i said great for silly gadgets (and 2.1's from uni!). Any info give us a shout.