How choose the right PIC based on the hardware i want?

Thread Starter

PaulaCH

Joined Jan 21, 2017
6
Hello, my point is, let's say i have a tft display and a led, how do i know how many program memory, RAM, timers, etc this hardware need?
I tried looking in datasheets of the devices but i dont't know where it says.

I know this question may be silly but i hope to find the answer here, thanks!
 

MaxHeadRoom

Joined Jul 18, 2013
28,619
Hello, my point is, let's say i have a tft display and a led, how do i know how many program memory, RAM, timers, etc this hardware need?
You won't find it anywhere because this is subject to the requirements of your individual program, which nobody knows.
Come up with the program and see what requirements you need.
Max.
 

AlbertHall

Joined Jun 4, 2014
12,345
Choose a device with lots of memory. Write your program, debug in the IDE, then you will know much memory you will actually need before selecting the device you will actually use.
 

TQFP44

Joined Sep 3, 2016
51
My advice would be not to try and select the device at step one, a simple development board would be a good place to start, as Albert H post, lots of memory, and speed too , the more IO the better, build a prototype , with me a projects requirements and spec changes many times ...
 

shteii01

Joined Feb 19, 2010
4,644
Does Micrcochip still provide software emulator for their PICs?

I don't know if Microchip free software has code size limit.
 

AlbertHall

Joined Jun 4, 2014
12,345
Does Micrcochip still provide software emulator for their PICs?

I don't know if Microchip free software has code size limit.
Yes.
No it doesn't. Though the free C compiler seems to deliberately add wasted instructions so they can say how much better the optimisation in the paid for version is.
 

shteii01

Joined Feb 19, 2010
4,644
Yes.
No it doesn't. Though the free C compiler seems to deliberately add wasted instructions so they can say how much better the optimisation in the paid for version is.
Yo, PHC, there you have it. Get Microchip free software, write your code, run the code in software emulation, see which PIC chips work for you. No need to buy anything.
 

ErnieM

Joined Apr 24, 2011
8,377
Buy the biggest device in the series you want. Get all the memory you can. If unsure then get more I/O pins too. Once your breadboard is complete you can trim things down.

Nothing is worst than sitting there wishing you had another few K of memory, or just one more damn pin.

Go big or go home !

And leave the in circuit programming pins completely free from any use in your circuit as they can also be used for in circuit debugging.

No simulator will ever be as good a test platform as your very own hardware.

Microchip includes some TFT display libraries and even an MPLABX plug in to design graphic touchscreen displays.
 

DNA Robotics

Joined Jun 13, 2014
647
I thought Microchip had an online app to suggest chips based on requirements. Like right now, I may want a PIC with a hardware quadrature decoder but couldn't find that page to suggest chips.
 

shteii01

Joined Feb 19, 2010
4,644
I thought Microchip had an online app to suggest chips based on requirements. Like right now, I may want a PIC with a hardware quadrature decoder but couldn't find that page to suggest chips.
The trouble is that OP has not figured out yet what they need.

Also. If you and I are thinking about the same app, then I don't know about half of all the stuff they list there.
 

GopherT

Joined Nov 23, 2012
8,009
For development or prototype or custom (one-off) project, get the chip with the most pins and memory - it is generally a few dollars more than the base chip. Then write your program and debug. Once you have what you want, decide how much memory was required and, if you are making more units, buy the cheaper chips for additional units.

Note: If you are making only five or ten units, you may get a better deal buying 5 or 10 of the same chip (Max memory) from the distributor because of bulk discounts - wiping out any savings of chips with reduced memory.
 
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