If adam555 is willing to do a little soldering, there are several prototype boards that convert SOIC to DIP. I just saw this one: http://www.microcenter.com/product/419362/EZ_127mm_Pitch_SOIC_to_DIP_Adapter

MicroCenter is mainly in Ohio. We have Internet, so it is possibly local to him. I actually have some the Velleman (I think) prototyping pcb's with multiple configurations and use them on occasion.

John

 

I've been looking through my shop's website, and this is all they have (only the last one is not DIP):

PIC 16F628 DIP-18 (Flash)
PIC 12C508A 8-BIT DIP-8
PIC 12C509A 8-BIT DIP-8
PIC 12C519 8-BIT DIP-8
PIC 12F629 8-BIT DIP-8
PIC 12F675 8-BIT DIP-8
PIC 12F683 DIP-8 PICAXE-08M
PIC 16C52 DIP-18
PIC 16C54 DIP-18
PIC 16C625 DIP-18 --
PIC 16C71 DIP-18
PIC 16C76 DIP-28 --
PIC 16F84 DIP-18
PIC 16F84-10P DIP-18
PIC 16F873 DIP-28
PIC 16F876 04SP DIP-28
PIC 16F877 DIP-40
PIC 16F88 DIP-18
PIC 17C42A-25P DIP-40
PIC 18F452 DIP-40
PIC 16F876 SMD
​

They look quite expensive to me; I was expecting $2, but the ones in DIP-40 are €8 to €15, DIP-18 from €8, and DIP-8 from €3. There's no way I can use a DIP-8 or even a DIP-18 for my project; if I need at least 12 inputs/outputs.

And the programmer is €60 (around $75)

 

If adam555 is willing to do a little soldering, there are several prototype boards that convert SOIC to DIP. I just saw this one: http://www.microcenter.com/product/419362/EZ_127mm_Pitch_SOIC_to_DIP_Adapter

MicroCenter is mainly in Ohio. We have Internet, so it is possibly local to him. I actually have some the Velleman (I think) prototyping pcb's with multiple configurations and use them on occasion.

John

I've been looking at the programmers on ebay, and I found some that already bring adapters from SOIC to DIP; like this one:

 

I've been looking through my shop's website, and this is all they have

These are mostly very old parts at the end of their production life (some already out of production). That's why they're so expensive. Look at the Microchip website. They have bulk prices there too.

 

I've check that list against the microcontroller selection tools posted above, looking for UART and enough I/O pins, and this is the only one that fits...

... The problem is that I'm not sure about the rest of specs. Any thoughts?

PIC16F88
P.Memory (Kbytes) 7 Flash
P.Memory (KWords) 4
Self-Write Flash Yes
RAM (Bytes) 368
EEPROM (Bytes) 256
DMA Ram
Auxiliary/Boot
Flash Emu. Flash Yes
Dual Boot Flash Write
I/O Pins 16
Max CPU Speed 20 MHz (5 MIPS)
Internal OSC 8MHz
Code Guard™ Security None
System Mgmt Features POR, WDT
Analog Peripherals 2-Comparators, Bandgap - No; 1A/D, 7x ADC Mode-1 10-bit @ 30ksps; ADC Mode-2 0-bit @ 0ksps
Digital Comm. Peripherals 1-UART, 1-SPI™, 1-I2C™
Connectivity
Digital Peripherals 1-CCP, 10-bit PWM
Application Peripherals No
Digital Timers 2x8-bit, 1x16-bit
Debug/Development Features ICSP
Package (Pins) PDIP, QFN, SOIC, SSOP (18)
Operating Voltage (2V-5.5V)
Temperature Ranges (-40 to +125)

 

These are mostly very old parts at the end of their production life (some already out of production). That's why they're so expensive. Look at the Microchip website. They have bulk prices there too.

I realized that, and I tried many times to buy my components online in places like Digikey, but the problem are the P&P costs. Last time I checked the minimum was €20 (around $30).

I mainly end up buying on ebay, most often than not from China; but I have to wait a month for anything to arrive... if it does.

 

Did you look at the enhanced mid-range, such as the 16F1516 or 16F1518. They are available in 28 pin DIP with 16 MHz internal oscillator?

What spec's are you concerned about? You do not have to utilize all of the features.

What are your "must have" specifications?

John

 

Did you look at the enhanced mid-range, such as the 16F1516 or 16F1518. They are available in 28 pin DIP with 16 MHz internal oscillator?

What spec's are you concerned about? You do not have to utilize all of the features.

What are your "must have" specifications?

John

For now I only looked at the ones available in my local shop (the ones on the list above); and the PIC16F88 is the only one that at least has an UART and enough I/O pins.

The problem with the specs is that I'm not sure about them; I don't want to buy something that I later find to be unsuitable for my project.

I basically need something that would replace what I'm trying to do with Arduino: send and receive data through the USB cable to a COM port on the computer, and around 12 I/O pins to monitor a couple of pots and buttons and send info to an LCD screen or 7-segment LEDs.

 

I realized that, and I tried many times to buy my components online in places like Digikey, but the problem are the P&P costs. Last time I checked the minimum was €20 (around $30).

I mainly end up buying on ebay, most often than not from China; but I have to wait a month for anything to arrive... if it does.

You will need other stuff too. So, when you start doing order, you'll end up with way more than $30.

If you go to production, you probably will order PCB from a manufacturer in China. They will make PCB for you, solder everything on. Many of them may also find good deals on components and buy them for you. If you commit to the production order, they may even make you prototype boards for free. Your only worry is to find a good manufacturer and a good deal. They will be charging extra for TH components because of the holes they need to drill and parts they need to solder in manually.

If you only need UART from the PIC, you need a very simple one, which will definitely cost less than a $1 in production quantities.

 

I basically need something that would replace what I'm trying to do with Arduino: send and receive data through the USB cable to a COM port on the computer, and around 12 I/O pins to monitor a couple of pots and buttons and send info to an LCD screen or 7-segment LEDs.

UART is not enough to talk USB. It is not even enough to talk to a hardware COM port. You'll need to add an UART-to-USB module or chip. It is easier/cheaper to go with a PIC with built-in USB. Of these, PIC16F1459 is probably the least expensive.

 

Found an PIC16F1459 on ebay at £3.37 + £3 P&P (in the UK). I think I'll get that one and give it a try, and also visit my local shop tomorrow and get the PIC16F88 for €3 and an Arduino Yun for other tests and future projects. This way I can also advance a bit until the PIC16F1459 arrives next week.

 

Now: the programmer...

How difficult would it be for a complete beginner like me to program those PICs without the programmer board + companion software?

 

Now: the programmer...

How difficult would it be for a complete beginner like me to program those PICs without the programmer board + companion software?

You need a programmer. Most use starter level PICKit3. There are cheap clones from Olimex and others.

Software is free (well, you can buy a "pro" C compiler for $1000, but free version should be ok). Download from Microchip. It's called MPLAB. They have assembler and C. There are other compilers as well.

It is a little bit more difficult than Arduino, but nothing too bad.

 

This is about the cheapest I could find on the internet (from China) for £22 -if I buy it from the same guy in the UK as the PIC is twice that price-.

How does it look to you?

And this is the one from the guy in the UK for £46

And this is the one from my local shop at €55

 

The first one is definitely a clone. It'll probably work the same as original, but who knows ...

The second one is genuine Microchip's. DigiKey sells it for $63 canadians, probably around £35. Gives you a chance to get their minimum and order lots of extra stuff.

You probably do not need a socket like pictured with the first one. When you test something, you do not really want to move the PIC from your circuit to the socket every time you want to program it. The easiest way is to stick everything (including programmer) into a breadboard.

 

Get THIS one:

Don't get any others. DO NOT GET A CLONE.

If you really want to remove a PIC to program it you can use this one.

If you'd rather leave the PIC in your board to program it you can use this one.

If you'd like to debug the PIC code while it runs on your board to program it you can use this one.

 

I'll get the Microhip board with the PIC from the same seller then. Hope it comes with the extras (IC socket, USB cable, power, and some SOIC to DIP adaptors would be nice). The seller states that the picture is just for illustration purposes; so I'll contact him first.

These are the board specs anyway:

PROGRAMMER, IN-CCT DEBUGGER, PICKIT 3 (PG164130)

• Core ArchitectureIC, dsPIC
• IC Product Type:In-Circuit Debugger
• Features: Graphical User Interface, RJ-11 To ICSP Adaptor
• SVHC:No SVHC (18-Jun-2012)
• Development Tool Type: Debugger
• MCU Supported Families: Flash based PIC MCUs
• Tool / Board Application: Debugging / Programming
• Type: Debugger / Programmer

 

If you don't need the really absolute latest PIC versions, the Pikit2 has a stand alone programmer and a signal generator and 3 ch logic analyzer which can be very useful.
It was dropped in the Pickit 3 ver.
Max.

 

The same seller has one for £6 less; it's not much of a difference. Are those extras you mentioned software or hardware? If they're software; can't I download them anyway?

 

. Are those extras you mentioned software or hardware? If they're software; can't I download them anyway?

Both S/W and hardware, they did not continue the features over to the Pickit 3 for some reason, Just see Dave Jones rant on Utube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjfIS65mwn8
Max.