I'm reviewing a system that uses two PIC 18 microcontrollers...
PIC18F4550-44TQFP
PIC18F97J60-I/PF

Question 1: What do the suffix's mean... 44TQFP and I/PF ?
I assume they describe package type and whatever... but some help and details would save me some time.

Question 2: I see Microchip offers an Explorer 8 Development Board on Mouser for $100.
What alternatives should I look at, if any.

Question 3: What development software/IDE should I consider?

Question 4: I guess C would be the most popular language for these now... maybe C++... but will the IDE still allow you to write Assembly Language?

Thanks for any help and saving me some research time on these questions.

 

I use Win 10, MPLABX 5.50, PICkit4 (for programming and debugging) only in Assembly (non C conversant myself).
Pic-as 2.32 in use. As soon as I complete my current project, will download v 2.35.

Always on a proto board.

 

I'm reviewing a system that uses two PIC 18 microcontrollers...
PIC18F4550-44TQFP
PIC18F97J60-I/PF

Question 1: What do the suffix's mean... 44TQFP and I/PF ?
I assume they describe package type and whatever... but some help and details would save me some time.

Question 2: I see Microchip offers an Explorer 8 Development Board on Mouser for $100.
What alternatives should I look at, if any.

Question 3: What development software/IDE should I consider?

Question 4: I guess C would be the most popular language for these now... maybe C++... but will the IDE still allow you to write Assembly Language?

Thanks for any help and saving me some research time on these questions.

Hi,
I use mplabx with xc8 compiler and pickit 3 on a linux mint V20.2
Works perfect.
I do not use the mcc ( Microchip Code Creator tool) . I did give it a try but it's only producing problems.
Just C#

Please report if you face any difficulties.

Picbuster

( I don't know anything from window ops but some win lovers must be able to help you installing mplabx.
Any way: the C code files are interchangeable between windows and the beautiful linux version of mplabx)