16f688 For Newbie, newbie questions Options

[murrayatuptownga...]

Hi:

There sure are alot of uC's out there these days! I had an 8085 class in 1979 and an 8088 class in 1985 or so.

I have a project to repair a miniature electronic instrument whose tiny meter movement died. The meter is viewed optically, kind of like an SLR camera. New ones are out of my economic realm.

So, basically I need to measure a sensor voltage, scale it to proper units and display it (possibly backward) on a digital display.

I can either assume I have some experience long ago or not a have a clue where to start. I looked at Silicon Labs 8051 (F300 family), got a $20 TI '430 USB stick, and remembered hearing good things about PIC's.

I chose one, a 16F688 and a Maxim Charlieplex display interface chip. I chose the 16F688 because, uh, kid in a candy store, I guess. I picked an 8-bit part with about the most memory I could find because I didn't expect my programming to be very efficient. I also hope to add features some day.

I downloaded Either BoostBasic or a package that included it (not installed yet).

I would like to approach this with DIY hardware. It looks like it doesn't need a sophisticated hardware kit. Unfortunately I have been down the path of buying development kits a number of times & not doing a doggone thing with them (68HCx05, Z8000, goodbye, both gone now).

I like what I have read her on this forum so far. Impressive knowledge base, etc.

Obviously, I need to know how to get started with basics. After getting a couple 16F688's, I realized how little info I found on them on forums.

So now I have to figure out how to get started. I think I found MPLAB too, or something like that. Maybe I'll learn C soon. I have a co-worker who knows C and AVR's. He's half-interested in PIC's & already is changing his bias from looking at the '688 data sheet.

I would like to use a basic DIY programming interface like Byron Jeff's or I guess I could spring for a USB interface because it WOULD cut the cable headaches. But I did choose the SOIC (I can solder little stuff)..might need a SOIC-DIP adapter board.

There is alot of basic beginner stuff on the web, even with the 1998 dead links etc. I would rather not go back to a 16?84 & just learn on the platform I chose, unless it's a really weird one I chose for all the wrong reasons.

So, what is the simplest hardware programming interface you recommend?

Is there a feature in BoostBasic that 'plays' with programming, or is there another software stage to look for?

Hopefully some day I will be able to contribute something here.

Thank you.

Murray/Michigan

[Dileglut73]

I dont understand how to you use this, I which to create a bootloader for a 18F4321 -can you help, I read & re-read the documents posted on Claudius web page - but dont get it ?

Phil