Dilshan has published a new build: μSim is a lightweight PIC™ CPU and ALU simulator. This simulator supports the PICmicro mid-range instruction set and designed to work on both PC and Arduino platforms. Compare with most of the other emulators, μSim does not provide all MCU features and peripherals. This simulator design as a minimalistic […]
Tag Archives: PIC
The Annoying CAPS LOCK warning buzzer
Glen Akins made a USB notification device that make annoying warning noise when CAPS LOCK is enabled: The only way to make CAPS LOCK even more annoying was to make it audible! Now never type a password in all upper case, join 500 lines together in vi, or turn a harmless forum post into an […]
App note: Core independent voltage window signal detection using a single comparator
Presenting the usage of Core independent paripheral of PICs in this app note from Microchip. Link here (PDF) It is possible to find out whether a measured signal is below or above a certain value/reference using a single comparator. But, what if the desired interval is between two values, the undervoltage and overvoltage protection? The […]
Ultrasonic Anemometer
Lukas Fassler has designed and built an Ultrasonic Anemometer project with Dirty Board PCBs. Full details at Soldernerd homepage.
10A Variac Soft Starter
Steve Gardner did a repair of a 10A Carroll & Meynell Variac and documented the whole process on his blog: I recently purchased a used 10A Carroll & Meynell Variac from eBay for use in the lab, however the variac often caused the 32A B-curve MCB in the consumer unit to trip due to the high […]
Geiger counter with SBM20 tube
j3tstream writes: I “rebuild” my Geiger counter, the SBM-20 tube was initially inside the box, i have put this one inside a 32mm diam plastic tube, for more convenience, wired through a XLR3 cable. This counter is from “Electronique-Pratique” n°368, a french electronic magazine. Shem, pcb, and PIC hex & C source code available. More […]
App note: Use and calibration of the internal temperature indicator
Use and calibration of the internal temperature indicator (PDF!), an application note from Microchip: Many PIC16 family devices include an internal temperature indicator. These devices include the PIC16F72X device family, PIC16F1XXX device family, and the PIC12F1XXX device family. The temperature indicator is internally connected to the input multiplexer of the ADC (Figure 1). Refer to […]
App note: High-Precision 16-Bit PWM
Technical brief from Microchip on their high-precision 16-Bit PWM modules found on various PIC16 devices. PDF link here The high-precision 16-bit PWM available in various PIC16 devices such as the PIC16F1574, delivers advanced features beyond those found on standard PWM modules. These innovative features allow the user to easily vary phase, duty cycle and offset […]
App note: 16-Bit multiplication and addition by using the Math accelerator peripheral on PIC16(L)F161X
16-Bit multiplication and addition by using the Math accelerator peripheral on PIC16(L)F161X (PDF!) application note from Microchip: Several products in the PIC® device family have a Math Accelerator module to do a 16-bit multiplication and addition in hardware. This technical brief describes briefly how the module works, how to use this module in users’ applications, and […]
App note: 1-Wire communication with PIC microcontroller
An application note (PDF!) from Microchip on 1-Wire communication with PIC microcontroller: This application note introduces the user to the 1-Wire® communication protocol and describes how a 1-Wire device can be interfaced to the PIC® microcontrollers. 1-Wire protocol is a registered trade mark of Maxim/Dallas Semiconductor. A software stack for the basic, standard speed, 1-Wire master communication […]
A PIC based SHF audio / video workstation
Tekman has shared his 1.2 GHz band SHF workstation in the forum: This is a SHF workstation that I built to work the satellite frequencies. Centered around 1.2 GHz, I used this workstation in conjunction with my dish driver software to map the sky for various Free to air and AV sats. The various band LNB’s […]
App note: Using a hardware or software CRC with enhanced core PIC16F1XXX in class B applications
An app note from Microchip: Using a hardware or software CRC with enhanced core PIC16F1XXX in class B applications (PDF!) Class B safety routines are increasingly used in microcontrollers to detect faults in safety-critical applications. The primary method for detecting faults in microcontroller program memory is by using a Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC) as defined by the […]
Serial AVR and PIC programmer
Dr. Ayman Shalaby over at Electronics Lab posted another project, a serial AVR and PIC programmer: This is a dual MCU programmer which supports both AVR and PIC mcu and there is a switch to select between them. It’s easy to manufacture and have only through hole parts. Features – RS232 Serial interface – AC-DC […]
Chipstomp assembly – Digital side
Here’s Catmacey’s digital side of the Chipstomp. He wrote a post on his blog detailing its assembly: I started with the digital side of things. The first task being to get the PIC and it’s supporting circuitry up and running and confirm that all was ok by attempting to talk to it with my PicKit […]
GTP USB lite SMD board
Here’s a PIC programer SMD board for the GTP USB lite pic programmer by cmardone: I created a pic programer smd board for the gtp usb lite pic programmer. Was made using EagleCADSOFT 5.0 2 layer board 0603 footprint for most smd components !! uses a 18F2550 SMD chip from microchip has a mini-A USB connector schematic […]
Microchip PIC chips could have been the Power Behind Arduino
Gerry Sweeney writes: As I understand it Microchip are in the silicon chip business selling micro-controllers – actually Microchip make some really awesome parts and I am guessing here but I suspect they probably want to sell lots and lots of those awesome parts right? So why do they suppress their developer community with crippled […]
App note: using external memory with PIC24F/24H/dsPIC33F devices
Here’s an app note from Microchip on Interfacing external memories using Parallel Master Port (PMP) module. This application note describes the methodology to use the Parallel Master Port (PMP) module to interface with external data memory; either external Flash or external RAM. This application note also lists the APIs and describes how to implement different […]
Si4707 weather radio
Charles has been working on a Si4707 weather band radio project: Right now on the bench the PIC powers up, resets and powers up the radio, then tunes the radio via I2C to 162.55MHz. It finishes up by reading back the status and then dumps the Tuned Frequency and RSSI ( Received Signal Strength Indicator ) […]
App note: PICmicro device programming, what you always wanted to know (but didn’t know who to ask)
The basics of how to get your firmware into your PIC microcontroller. App note can be found here. For more than a decade, Microchip has published a lot of information about programming its 8-bit microcontrollers. There is now so much information out there, in fact, that it’s sometimes hard for engineers and technicians who are […]
App note: Low-Cost Shunt Energy Meter using MCP3909 and PIC18F25K20
Here’s a low-cost single phase energy metering solution using Microchip’s MCP3909 metering ADC and PIC18F25K20 8-bit microcontroller. App note can be found here. The meter was tested for a range of current from 0.1A to 20A using the Fluke 6100A Electrical Power Standard. Measurement results are visible on the LCD or on the Pulse Output. […]