also pleasse tell me how to program my PIC ? which is the best compiler in terms of taking the minimum time to learn ?

The PICSTART Plus development programmer is an easy-to-use, low-cost, prototype programmer. It connects to the PC via a COM (RS-232) port. MPLAB Integrated Development Environment software makes using the programmer simple and efficient. The PICSTART Plus development programmer supports most PIC micro devices up to 40 pins.

 

Thank you everyone

I was surfing the net and I found an option for directly ordering a PIC development board. How useful is it ?

 

Thank you everyone

I was surfing the net and I found an option for directly ordering a PIC development board. How useful is it ?

That would depend on which board you found.

I would definitely recommend getting a dev board. You thus start with a wired and tested piece of hardware, and if it comes with sample programs you can build and run and tweak to something else all the better.

I don't recommend the PICSTART Plus, it cannot do debugging. Get a dev board that can use the PicKit (2 or 3).

 

That would depend on which board you found.

I would definitely recommend getting a dev board. You thus start with a wired and tested piece of hardware, and if it comes with sample programs you can build and run and tweak to something else all the better.

I don't recommend the PICSTART Plus, it cannot do debugging. Get a dev board that can use the PicKit (2 or 3).

That's right juhi1107! I am out of touch of MC programming since long time. Just informed you from my earlier recollections which might already be obsoleted, so plz do some research before buying any thing in this regard.

 

You do not realy need a development board. you need a programmer that can program your PIC. And that was a PIC16F877A if I remember correct. Then go for a PICKIT 3 or a PICKIT 2. Build your system so you can program the PIC in circuit. No need to take it in and out from circuit for programming.

 

the development board I was talking about is

http://store.extremeelectronics.co.in/40-PIN-PIC-Development-Board.html

and the PIC burner

http://store.extremeelectronics.co.in/eXtreme-Burner-PIC.html


Correct me if I am wrong -
Ill need to program the pic with the help of the burner and then put it in the develpemt board and then using the male female conections Ill get all the pins on a veroboard where I can build my circuit ? !

 

hey - where is everybody ? - please comment on the dev board and the burner

 

Hello,

The shown development board has an ICSP connector.
With this connector you can program the PIC in circuit.

Here is a page from sprits that shows some porgrammers and ICSP connections for pics:
http://www.sprut.de/electronic/pic/icsp/icsp.htm

As the page is in german I used google to translate it for you:
http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=de&tl=en&js=n&prev=_t&hl=nl&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sprut.de%2Felectronic%2Fpic%2Ficsp%2Ficsp.htm&act=url

I see that the development board uses 6 pins in stead of the normal 5 pins.
As I am not familiar with pics I unfortunately can not tell what the extra pin does.

Bertus

 

hello everyone

There is some clarity now on how to go about the project.
Now I need to write the code in C .
Please help me out.
Basically I want to use 2 photo resistors compare their output and rotate the tracker in the direction of the one whose output is greater.
Please tell me how to connect to the PIC16f877a and how to program it.

 

Which vendor's C are you using?

Post your most recent schematic.

And, the most important question:
Have you learned humility? We are here to help out if we feel like it, not the other way around.

 

@thatoneguy Thank you for your time. But I Didnt understand what put you off.
I am new to forums .. this is my first time. Bear with me please.
I am using MPLAB IDE and Hi Tech C

 

Do you have a PICKit 2 or PICKit 3?

If not, post when you have one, a PIC Kit is vital for programming, the DIY knockoffs cause more headaches than any $10 saved, $35 for the PICKit 2 from microchipdirect.com

 

I dont have a PICKit

I have a PIC development board and extreme burner PIC.
Is it really necesary to buy PICkit ?

 

Write a simple program, like blinking an LED.

If that works, you ae set.

There really isn't a "standard" for hooking up the extra parts you have, just pick I/Opins that you aren't using for something else, and talk to them with whatever interface they have (see datasheets for PIC and for your sensors to find what will work)

 

yes a simple program for led blinking did work.
I dont know how to begin with the programmimg for using the inbuilt comparator.
I understand the logic but I dont know how to program it.

 

yes a simple program for led blinking did work.
I dont know how to begin with the programmimg for using the inbuilt comparator.
I understand the logic but I dont know how to program it.

Start with the datasheet. Read the comparator section until you understand how to use it. That exercise is something all PIC programmer have to go through. Every time they want to do some programming