We recently received our Microchip TQFP-100 breakout boards. We tested them with PIC24F and dsPIC33 chips and a “Blink LED” demo firmware. Both chips worked fine. These boards are intended to be breakouts for all Microchip devices that come in TQFP-100 packages (0.4mm pitch, designation PT). These include the PIC24, dsPIC33, and PIC32 families of […]
Tag Archives: microchip
PIC32 development board giveaway
Olimex is giving away 1000 dev boards at the Embedded World Exhibition in Nuremberg, Germany: If there are developers from Europe on this forum I would like to let them know that Olimex and Microchip will give away 1000 pcs PIC32MX220F032D development boards on Embedded World exhibition. These boards are PINGUINO compatible, and are based […]
App note: dsPIC33E simultaneous analog sampling
Some new PIC 33E and 24E microcontrollers can take simultaneous samples from multiple analog to digital converters. Most chips measure analog values sequentially, but this ADC can sample 4 signals at once. Samples are still converted one after the other, but they’re collected at the same moment. More in the reference manual for dsPic33E and […]
App note: Op-amp/comparator module for dsPIC
Some dsPIC33E and PIC24E microcontrollers have an comparator module that can function as an op-amp [PDF]. The module can be used as a simple non-inverting amplifier by adding two external resistors, no external op-amp chip needed. The output can be read internally by the ADC module, or routed externally to use in your circuit.
App note: File IO function reference for Microchip’s Memory Disk Drive File System Library
Here is a function reference for Microchip’s memory disk drive file system library. This library interfaces a PIC microcontroller with FAT16 or FAT32 file systems. It allows you to interface with storage mediums like USB flash drives or microSD cards in the same way a PC would. Save data on a storage device, and later […]
MPLAB X v1.0 released
After a long beta testing period Microchip finally released MPLAB X V1.0. MPLAB X is the new integrated development system for Microchip microcontrollers. It is built on the Java platform so Mac, Linux, and Windows users are supported. Here are some major features of MPLAB X: Based on Java / Netbeans. Supported under Windows, Linux […]
App note: HV boost power supply for Nixie tubes
Here is a app note from Microchip describing how to implement a high-voltage boost DC-DC converter intended for Nixie tube designs. The basic principle of Nixie tubes is that they require more than 170V to function properly. This design uses the internal PWM generator of a PIC16 microcontroller to drive the DC-DC converter. A comparator […]
App note: Single battery boost converter
Here is an app note from Microchip that describes how to built a single battery boost converter. It provides a way to power higher voltage circuits with a lower voltage battery. The design is based around the MCP1640 IC. It is a 350mA 500Khz boost converter with an integrated switch. Due to it’s design the […]
Microchip end of 2011 sale
Robots tipped us on Microchip’s development tool 2011 End of year sale: Enter “YES2011” upon checkout at microchipDIRECT to receive the discount. Offer expires 5th January, 2012 14 Development tool kits are included in the offer, choose from the list below and receive savings of up to 40%!! Thanks Robots! Via the forum.
PIC12LF1840T48A MCU with Integrated Sub-GHz Trasmitter
Octal tipped us off about the new PIC12LF1840T48A microcontrollers that have a built in sub-GHz transmitter: Microchip just published the datasheet related to using the PIC12LF1840T48A Microcontroller with Integrated Sub-GHz Trasmitter. The PIC12LF1840T48A is a Microchip microcontroller that has an on-board transmitter. The transmitter is suitable for operation in the 418, 434 and 868 MHz […]
App note: RC Model Aircraft Motor Control
Modern RC model aircraft designs incorporate some hefty standards regarding motor speed control: The motor should not be started until the speed is at its lowest setting Motors with gearboxes should have acceleration limits If the control signal is lost the motor should shut off Motor shut off in case of low battery, to save […]
New Microchip PIC32 chips in DIP packages
Here’s a pic of the new 32bit PIC32 microcontroller in a DIY friendly though-hole package. Shaos received a free sample from Microchip and shared this pic in the forum. Microchip is not alone, NXP is also releasing an 32bit ARM in hobbyist-friendly packaging.
TQFP 100 break out for Microchip devices
After noticing that most of Microchip’s microcontrollers in TQFP 100 packages use the same basic pinouts, we decided to make a breakout board to take advantage of it.So far we checked support for PIC24F, dsPIC33E, and PIC32 devices, and with the exception of the programing header all the 100-pin chips are compatible with the board. […]
PIC 16F1507 SSOP20 breakout board
After buying a few PIC16F1507s from Microchip, Dolabra is building a breakout board for their SSOP 20 pin package. Earlier this part was not supported by PICKIT2, and he had no way of programing them. As a stroke of luck Microchip added an updated device file for the PICKIT2 and saved him a lot of […]
New Microchip PIC32 chips in DIP packages are coming
While rummaging through the Microchip site, Octal stumbled across new PIC32 chips in 28 Pin through-hole packages. All the chips marked with 28 pins have a SPDIP version. Some are in production right now, although their SPDIP versions are not on sale yet. Via the forum.
App note: Using Microchip’s capacitive sensing module
Capacitive sensing is used in tons of stuff like buttons, sliders, touch panels and proximity sensors. We like it because you only need to design the various buttons/sliders directly on the PCB and it works even under a face plate. It works by measuring the changing capacitance between a pad and a users finger as […]
DIY GLCD clock project
ezflyr posted his GLCD clock PIC project: The project is based around the 75×52.7mm 128×64 Graphic LCD. The time keeping is delegated to a battery-backed Dallas DS-3231 RTC. A PIC 16F876A is used to tie it all together. The PCB was designed to fit nicely behind the display. It is operated via two push buttons, which allow […]
Microchip responds: A bounty for open source chipKIT support!
A few weeks ago we posted an editorial about the lack of complete open source support for Microchip’s chipKIT Arduino-compatible hardware. Marc from Microchip writes: We’ve been reading the blogs and comments, and do agree with you. Though we are a corporation, with a lot of suits (not really, actually I think we have a […]
chipKIT followup and interview with elektroniktidningen
Swedish publication elektroniktidningen did a short interview and writeup [machine translation] about our chipKIT editorial. Here’s the English Q&A from our emails: Did you get any feedback from Microchip on this issue? The other companies involved in chipKIT – the hardware designer, the software developer – left comments on the article. Nobody from Microchip has […]
Editorial: Our friend Microchip and open source
Microchip jumped into open source last spring with the chipKIT Arduino-compatible development boards and open compiler/IDE. They wanted to tap the existing tutorials, enthusiasm, and customer base of Arduino community, and they were going to play nice with open source. A review of the chipKIT situation today is disappointing. The compiler still replies on closed […]