Pickit 3 vs Arduino uno

[Electric-T]

I realize this is going to start a massive argument.... That being said, im torn between the two. Im leaning towards pickit because im not sure you can use different uC with arduino. Only the one that comes with it. I want to be able to use a variety a controllers. Correct me where im wrong. Lets here some opinions

 

[hexreader]

Get both.

No argument required.

 

[Electric-T]

Get both.

No argument required.

Yeah...maybe eventually but im starting off with one or the other.

 

[kellys_eye]

The Arduino is commonly used with shields, adapter boards etc whilst the PIC is used as a standalone device (IC) that will require you to manufacture the interface/hardware it is to be used with.

So for learning how to control input/output devices without the attendant soldering/design work, the Arduino is potentially the best place to start.

 

[Rixen]

If it's for learning some programming and have fun while doing it, I would start out with the Arduino.

Not that PIC isnt great, but I definately felt like it had a much steeper learning curve..

 

[Electric-T]

Arduino is starting to sound better. Do i still need a programmer? And is the uC soldered in? Or is there a socket?

 

[Rixen]

All you need is a USB cable and most of the kits come with one.

The Arduino UNO has a socket, the rest are soldered.

 

[Electric-T]

All you need is a USB cable and most of the kits come with one.

The Arduino UNO has a socket, the rest are soldered.

Thanks

 

[Doug3004]

The Uno was the one with a DIP chip and a B-type USB socket. China companies often call this the "classic" version.
The Leonardo is the one with a SMD chip and a mini-USB socket. China companies often call this the "Leonardo" version.

You can find China clones of both versions, as well as a lot of variations that official Arduinos never had.
I looked once and found about 30 different kinds of Unos, and about five different kinds of Megas from Chinese clone companies. And since then I've ran across a couple more I didn't find before.

All the other Arduino boards (Pro Mini, Nano, Mega, Due, M-Zero etc) are soldered on, as far as I've seen.

 

[Electric-T]

Ive decided to go with the arduino uno. No kit. Ill probably try others down the road as i am very interested in the "raw" feeling of programming in assembly

 

[Electric-T]

The Uno was the one with a DIP chip and a B-type USB socket. China companies often call this the "classic" version.
The Leonardo is the one with a SMD chip and a mini-USB socket. China companies often call this the "Leonardo" version.

You can find China clones of both versions, as well as a lot of variations that official Arduinos never had.
I looked once and found about 30 different kinds of Unos, and about five different kinds of Megas from Chinese clone companies. And since then I've ran across a couple more I didn't find before.

All the other Arduino boards (Pro Mini, Nano, Mega, Due, M-Zero etc) are soldered on, as far as I've seen.

Anything you can do China can do cheaper

 

[Doug3004]

Atmel (the Arduino chip manufacturer) has their own IDE called Atmel Studio that apparently allows you to use assembly if you want. Many people seem to indicate that there's no great gain in doing so however--
http://forum.arduino.cc/index.php?topic=37130.0
I haven't ever tried using Atmel Studio myself, or assembly either.

Be cautious if buying a China Uno clone board that claims to have an FTDI chip. Many in the past have been fakes that only work with one old driver version.

Anything you can do China can do cheaper

(shrugging) Neither my money or my opinion will change those politics.
Other people live in countries with protective (prohibitive) trade policies, and they regularly face the delight of paying dozens of dollars for things that cost pennies.

On another forum, a kid in Brazil (I think) once said that the cheapest way to buy an Arduino in his country cost around $85US,,,,, and the Brazilian minimum wage is less than half the US wage. So there, an Uno costs roughly $160 in US-equivalent pricing. Is that better?

 

[Electric-T]

Atmel (the Arduino chip manufacturer) has their own IDE called Atmel Studio that apparently allows you to use assembly if you want. Many people seem to indicate that there's no great gain in doing so however--
http://forum.arduino.cc/index.php?topic=37130.0
I haven't ever tried using Atmel Studio myself, or assembly either.

Be cautious if buying a China Uno clone board that claims to have an FTDI chip. Many in the past have been fakes that only work with one old driver version.


(shrugging) Neither my money or my opinion will change those politics.
Other people live in countries with protective (prohibitive) trade policies, and they regularly face the delight of paying dozens of dollars for things that cost pennies.

On another forum, a kid in Brazil (I think) once said that the cheapest way to buy an Arduino in his country cost around $85US,,,,, and the Brazilian minimum wage is less than half the US wage. So there, an Uno costs roughly $160 in US-equivalent pricing. Is that better?

160 usd is a little steep. I may have bought a chinese copy. I don't have any experience with embedded programming or using uC so i guess i will find out if its junk when it gets here. My comment was merely poking fun at a truth in the world today.

 

[Doug3004]

160 usd is a little steep. I may have bought a chinese copy. I don't have any experience with embedded programming or using uC so i guess i will find out if its junk when it gets here.

The China Arduino clones usually work 100%, that isn't a problem.

One of the several different common USB chips used has an odd behavior in that when you hook it up to a Windows 10 PC for the first time, it may take 5 to 10 minutes for the PC to recognize it--but eventually it does get it. So if you hook a new one up to your computer and the "new USB device" dialog appears to hang--don't stop it or disconnect it. Just leave the board connected and let it sit for a while. And after the first (long) time, the computer will connect to it instantly like usual.

All the other ones start up right away when you connect them, and they usually have some variation of the "blink" sketch already on them.

 

[Electric-T]

5 to 10 minutes[/B] for the PC to recognize it--but eventually it does get it.

Ill be using Linux. I heard Linux is very useful for programming.

 

[(*steve*)]

Some important notes

Pickit 3 is a programmer.

Arduino is a platform that encompasses the programming ide, the method of programming, and the target device itself.

The compression is a bit like comparing a spark plug to a bus.

Now, the pickit 3 is a very good spark plug (don't get me wrong) but you need a pic chip, support circuitry, and a programming ide (and possibly a separate tool to transfer the firmware from your pc, via the pickit 3, to your pic).

Also your understanding of Linux is probably a bit naive.

 

[Electric-T]

Some important notes


Also your understanding of Linux is probably a bit naive.

Most definitely. But this is what i do. I find a challenge and i learn.

 

[Electric-T]

Now, the pickit 3 is a very good spark plug (don't get me wrong) but you need a pic chip, support circuitry, and a programming ide (and possibly a separate tool to transfer the firmware from your pc, via the pickit 3, to your pic

This was kind of the question. Start with a plug and play type of system? Or start with raw materials and learn all the ins and outs.?

 

[Doug3004]

I don't know that there's anything specifically "better" about using Linux to program than Windows or Mac.

It has been commented by wise people that "Linux is free only as much as your time is free".
Over a multi-year time span of occasionally trying one version or another it's been my experience that the "free & open-source" software that Linux users love to brag about tends to have very poor documentation, and is unusually difficult to get working for this reason alone. Linux suffers just about as many hardware, software AND security problems that Windows does, except for the one bit about Windows Genuine Validation. (-and for that matter, so do Macs. Visit any Mac support forum for plenty of evidence...)

There is a native Linux version of the Arduino IDE, so at least you'd have that... But Atmel Studio is Windows-only.

Additionally there are still hardware support issues, particularly with laptop computers.
If you absolutely MUST have a Linux PC to work on--it is wiser to read through the compatibility issues list of the distro you want to use, and then buy a motherboard & video card that are known to work well. --Or at least, that aren't brand-new models, and that aren't already known to work badly...

 

[Electric-T]

I don't know that there's anything specifically "better" about using Linux to program than Windows or Mac.

It has been commented by wise people that "Linux is free only as much as your time is free".
Over a multi-year time span of occasionally trying one version or another it's been my experience that the "free & open-source" software that Linux users love to brag about tends to have very poor documentation, and is unusually difficult to get working for this reason alone. Linux suffers just about as many hardware, software AND security problems that Windows does, except for the one bit about Windows Genuine Validation. (-and for that matter, so do Macs. Visit any Mac support forum for plenty of evidence...)

There is a native Linux version of the Arduino IDE, so at least you'd have that... But Atmel Studio is Windows-only.

Additionally there are still hardware support issues, particularly with laptop computers.
If you absolutely MUST have a Linux PC to work on--it is wiser to read through the compatibility issues list of the distro you want to use, and then buy a motherboard & video card that are known to work well. --Or at least, that aren't brand-new models, and that aren't already known to work badly...

Good stuff to think about...I built a computer awhile ago and loaded it with Ubuntu. I have been considering loading windows 7 as a boot option. I guess this is a good reason to do it.