Best Tool for Basic PIC Programming

[Draff]

Good day to you all,

I'm starting to get interested in making a project which involves using PICs but since I am a newbie at this I want to start by making a PIC blink LEDs like in christmas lights. But upon looking it up on the net I was bombarded with multiple options for "basic PIC programming tools" like arduino, raspberi pi, pickit3, etc. Now since I am just starting and I don't have the luxury of buying multiple tools, I need to know which is easiest, cheapest, and best suited for someone like me. Because as I read about raspberi pi it was, in itself, a built in computer which might be hella pricey for just a microcontroller for sparkly lights. And for the arduino, a comment mentioned that it works only for atmel(i think) PICs, does that mean it doesn't work for regular PICs?

To simplify my current project in mind, I would like to try creating a circuit that plays music and the LEDs would light up in sync with it. I kinda want to try mixing it up a little once I learn PIC programming.

 

[Averagesupernova]

If you truly want to learn about PIC microcontrollers and not a bunch of other 'can be loosely associated with a PIC' stuff then buy a pickit 3 kit and learn to program it in C or assembly language. You can get a head start by downloading MPLAB and getting used to that environment. A search on this forum will also turn up some useful results.

 

[rbelli1]

Not necessarily PIC but a variety of micro-controllers:
https://www.digikey.com/products/en/development-boards-kits-programmers/evaluation-boards-embedded-mcu-dsp/786?k=&pkeyword=&FV=ffe00312&mnonly=0&ColumnSort=1000011&page=1&stock=1&quantity=0&ptm=0&fid=0&pageSize=25
https://www.digikey.com/products/en/development-boards-kits-programmers/evaluation-boards-embedded-mcu-dsp/786?k=&pkeyword=&FV=ffe00312&mnonly=0&ColumnSort=1000011&page=1&stock=1&quantity=0&ptm=0&fid=0&pageSize=25

Many of these come complete with everything you need (USB cables may need to be sourced separately for some of them) to get started with development including the compiler software. You need to supply your own LED's and such. The Cypress PSOC parts have most of the bring up and peripheral configuration code produced through a graphical environment.

This one is a bit pricey but includes parts and a breadboard for prototyping as well:

https://www.sparkfun.com/products/14265

It is an Arduino board so may be easier to start due to massive community support.

BoB

 

[Borek]

Question is: do you want to learn particularly about PIC micro-controller, or about micro-controllers in general? PIC is one family, Atmel makes another family (ATmega, ATtiny and so on) - they aren't compatible, but in most applications quite equivalent.

Arduino is based on ATmega, so it won't let you learn about PIC, but as rbelli1 wrote it has a massive support so can be easier to start with.

 

[jim hardy]

Arduino is an easy one to start with because it's aimed at beginners. I bought their "Esplora" on sale for $13 .
It plugs into a PC's USB port. You download the development software from their site .

At my age the Arduino language, similar to C I'm told, is far from intuitive but i was able to flash the lights and count in Roman Numerals after two or three evenings.
I much prefer Basic language.

Learning your first one will shape your thinking process to accept the 'rules' of programming. Computers are terribly nit-picky.

 

[Borek]

At my age the Arduino language, similar to C I'm told, is far from intuitive but i was able to flash the lights and count in Roman Numerals after two or three evenings.
I much prefer Basic language.

Learning to program is IMHO better done not as a part of learning how to use micro-controllers. I mean - once you know enough about programming learning how the micro-controller works is a breeze.