What a wonderful time to get into microcontrollers Bill, with your level of electronics skill it should be an easy enough learn, and you would be making amazing stuff in no time!

@ Bill,

I agree and would like to send you a small gift to help you get motivated. Just PM your mailing address to me, and I will send you one of my little PIC 8-Pin Breadboard Adapter kits.

 

That's awesome. Course, Bill will need to have a programmer to use it.

 

That's awesome. Course, Bill will need to have a programmer to use it.

Thanks for the compliment. I think he bought a PICkit 3 several months ago.

 

Yep, and never opened it.

I've been trying to fix my computer over the last couple of days. Reinstalled the OS, and I'm still getting the occasional serious error. I suspect the CPU has gone mushy on me.

Dangit

I'll get back with you on you offer, I'm still installing the basics, like PDF. Thank you.

Started with a simple little project. I've added quite a few drawing to PaintCAD, and am trying to learn Sketchup.

 

Yep, and never opened it.

I have to confess that getting started with PICs has been quite a challenge for me, but I don't have the base knowledge that you have. Judging from your posts and blogs, I truly think you will love PICs when you get going.

My offer stands with no strings attached. The adapter really does alleviate some of the repetitive setup steps in breadboarding eight-pin PIC circuits.

 

It's funny, I started to complete a really simple project (a mono preamp for a wireless microphone PA setup), decided to make the cover of the box with a 3D print. Meanwhile, my old sick computer demonstrated it wasn't able to do the basics anymore. So I reinstalled the OS, first time in over 5 years. Like I said, it is still sick, but more functional. I hate to admit it, but I needed that refresher too. Just updating the XP with all the service packs and extra crap takes around 12 hours on a FIOS internet setup.

So I've been drawing new hardware for my PaintCAD templates, and learning Sketchup, a really neat 3D drawing package that is pretty easy to use. If you are interested Google it, it has a free version. The output can be used by 3D printers.

Did I say easy to use? I'm still learning it, but then I never really learned any real CAD programs before. The video tutorials appear to be excellent.

 

Do you have a 3D printer Bill?

 

Nope, but one of my best friends does. She built one from scratch, wasn't happy with it (though it worked well), sold it, and bought a commercial beta one from the funds of the previous unit (it paid for more than half the costs). She gets a better printer, the guy who designed it (who happens to live in the same city) gets problems to solve so he can go prime time with a well tested product.

Me, I'm just testing it. They are fun to watch though, but after a while it resembles paint drying. It has made a lot of kids toys already. Something like this cover ought to take less than 15 minutes. We'll see.