PIC hobbyist development board

[Michael]

I'm looking to purchase a development board for PIC MCU's. I would
prefer one which would program any of the 8 bit MCU's and also have a
breadboard for other components or one that could easily be connected
with a breadboard.

Something like this:

http://www.hobbyengineering.com/H1764.html

that supports all the 8 bit MCU's.

Anybody know of something like that?

 

[Anthony Fremont]

I'm looking to purchase a development board for PIC MCU's. I would
prefer one which would program any of the 8 bit MCU's and also have a
breadboard for other components or one that could easily be connected
with a breadboard.

Something like this:

http://www.hobbyengineering.com/H1764.html

that supports all the 8 bit MCU's.

Anybody know of something like that?

That's pretty neat, but it won't program the chips. You still have to have
another programmer. The proto area is pretty small too, but probably ok for
starting out since it has support circuitry already installed external to
the proto board.

I use an melabs USB programmer. It's not real cheap, but it programs allot
of different PIC chips. It does HVP and is powered by the USB port. They
also sell a dev board kit called the Lab-X. It's more expensive than the
one at hobbyengineering, but it will connect straight to the programmer so
you don't have to plug/unplug the chip over and over. A bootloader is
another option for programming it, but you have to get one loaded in
initially.
www.melabs.com

That all said, I use my melabs programmer and seperate solderless
breadboards for most of my tinkering. You'd be amazed at how fast you can
use up the space on a breadboard when you start making your own projects. I
think you'd quickly appreciate a much larger work area.

 

[linnix]

I'm looking to purchase a development board for PIC MCU's. I would
prefer one which would program any of the 8 bit MCU's and also have a
breadboard for other components or one that could easily be connected
with a breadboard.

Something like this:

http://www.hobbyengineering.com/H1764.html

That would be good 20 years ago, when everything was in DIPs.
Nowaday, you can hardly find any chip that can plug into it.

that supports all the 8 bit MCU's.

That would be tough for most micros without NDA.
I am having a hard time even with existing specs (supposedly open).
There are always some minor details not disclosed without NDA.
It takes lot of resources to do it for all micros, and the results
would not be cheap. Hardware for a general purpose programmer
is cheap, but the software is not.

 

[Joerg]

That would be good 20 years ago, when everything was in DIPs.
Nowaday, you can hardly find any chip that can plug into it.

Actually many versions of the latest MSP430 family (F2xxx) are now
available in DIP. I guess TI realized that this is the only way to serve
the rock-bottom cost designs on phenolic board. There are tons of new
products brought out on single oder double-sided phenolic. Even complete
TV sets. I guess I am also guilty of a few...

 

[[email protected]]

I'm looking to purchase a development board for PIC MCU's. I would
prefer one which would program any of the 8 bit MCU's and also have a
breadboard for other components or one that could easily be connected
with a breadboard.

Something like this:

http://www.hobbyengineering.com/H1764.html

that supports all the 8 bit MCU's.

Anybody know of something like that?

Like Anthony Fremont, go with the MELabs, Check it out:
http://www.melabs.com/products/bundles.htm
Look at LAB-X2 Bundle with U2 Programmer - $179.95
But you need the sw too, Add PICBASIC™ Compiler for only $89.95
Not cheap, but worth it.
Hate to say it, but if your really brand new to uCs, get a BasicStamp
kit for ~$80, burn thru it, then you'll be able to decide on a step
up.