What would you want in a PIC development board?

Thread Starter

blueroomelectronics

Joined Jul 22, 2007
1,757
If you could design a PIC development PCB...

Examples of development boards.
EasyPIC6
LAB-XT

PCB size will affect the cost, so remember smaller is cheaper. I would like it to be either so it can be put into a 2 or 3 ring binder.
It will be a double sided FR4 PCB with top & bottom solder masks and silkscreen on the top layer.
Design goals are to use mostly common readily available parts, also avoiding surface mount for ease of assembly and repair.

Standard features (No built in programmer)
Programming connector ICD2 (RJ12), Junebug/Inchworm (2x5) or PICkit2 (RA 1x6)
2mm coax power jack with bridge rectifier (round or square?)
5V LM7805 or LM2940 regulator
Jumperable USB-B connector & 0.47uF for 18F4550
Crystal socket with jumpers for A6 & A7
16 pin inline 2x16 LCD connector
One 10K pot with jumpers for several I/O configurations
RS232 port with MAX232 (DTE or DCE?)

What onboard features do you consider important for a development board

Space around 40 pin socket to support a ZIF socket
35 LEDs one per Output pin
36 pushbuttons one per Input pin
4x4 keyboard matrix
pushbutton type joystick keypad (as seen on EasyPIC6)
dsPIC30F4013 socket
28 pin socket
18 pin socket
8 pin socket
Solderless breadboard, Large, Medium or Small
4.096V voltage reference (not exactly a common part though)
RS485 (SN75176 or MAX485 etc...)
I2C EEPROM
SPI EEPROM
I2C RTC (DS1307) will require battery
2x5 I/O headers (as seen on EasyPIC boards)
128x64 GLCD 20pin header
3pin 1wire connector
4 digit 7 segment mux display

Comments
PS I'll edit this post with additional features
 
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maxpower097

Joined Feb 20, 2009
816
Ok not sure this is what your looking for but heres what I would like to see.

A board that would break out a MC E16 PIM's to DIP for breadboarding with out using the E16 and cards like some sort of techno jenga.
 

Markd77

Joined Sep 7, 2009
2,806
Zif sounds good, maybe a few 7 segment displays, maybe a few 4mm sockets for extra power supply inputs. I quite like dip switches too but they could just go into one of the sockets.
 

Thread Starter

blueroomelectronics

Joined Jul 22, 2007
1,757
I'm not familiar with E16 PIM, what is that?

I'll add a 4 digit 7 segment mux display (like EasyPIC4's I assume) to the list.
It's like going to a desert island, you can't take it all just what you consider essential.
 

t06afre

Joined May 11, 2009
5,934
I have just purchased a Pickit 2 with a 16f690. I will soon replace this with 40 pin dil PIC in the 18F series. I am planing to build a new "trainer" on a prototype board (solder type). I will have a crystal onboard, and run the whole thing on max speed if I want. I will have Max232 circuit. will put most of the IO on mini screw connectors. Jumpers on several I/O pins also, for LEDs. I think 8 or perhaps 16 will do. Then I will let the system grow as needed.
 

Thread Starter

blueroomelectronics

Joined Jul 22, 2007
1,757
The 16F887, 877x, 18F4620 are all pin compatible. As for LEDs I've personally never been sold on one per pin (I prefer a matrix, maybe an 8x8 would be fun).
 

maxpower097

Joined Feb 20, 2009
816
I'm not familiar with E16 PIM, what is that.
Microchip's Explorer 16 Plug in Modules, or even just microchip plug in modules. I dream of a dev board that can handle PIC18 pims - PIC32 pims. Since the PIMS are the standard for microchip now I would like to see more stuff I could use the PIM's I already own on. Heres why I think a simple PIM breakout board would work. Now that I have my circuit programmed on the explorer 16 I'd like to actually breadboard out the circuit removing all stuff that is not needed. To do this I will need to buy a bitwhacker for $30, buy a breakout board from ebay and manually solder a 100pin chip onto a a board with a microscope. Or if someone could just make a breakout board for the PIM's that would convert them to DIP I'd buy one in a heartbeat.

http://www.microchipdirect.com/ProductDetails.aspx?Catalog=BuyMicrochip&Category=Plug-in%20Modules&mid=14&treeid=6
 
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