About PIC Trainer kit for Students

[Mithun_K_Das]

What the facilities should have in a PIC Trainer kit for starting students? Recently I'm having this project to make PIC trainer kits for beginners. We are professional but I can't decide what the facilities a student may desire for his/her trainer kit.

I made a short list here for the project but need your suggestion so that I can make something that will be really helpful for students.

My List:
a. A programmer with separate zip socket.
b. 40 pin zip for all PIC MCU.
c. 4X4 keyboard.
d. 16X2 LCD with contrast.
e. 4Digit 7segment Display
f. UART/RS232 connection port
g. +5V, +12V DC PS.
h. Relay (SPDT)
i. Dip Selectable switches
j. A Project board
k. RTC with Battery Socket
l. Buzzer
m. 3 different POT(10K,100K,500K) for variable voltage source.
o. 8 LED lamps.
p. A LDR, IR Receiver, an Op-Amp, an ULN2003 Driver.
q. Selectable Crystal option with DIP switch.
r. A series of SIP-8 10K resistor for general purpose.
s. i2c pin out.
t. A Variable power supply with LM317.

This is what I've listed. Please suggest me if anything more need to be added or something need to be cut.

Thanks in advance.

_MKDas

 

[horace1]

ideas
1. heater with temperature sensor - students can do ON/CFF or PID control to a set temperature
2. DC motor - speed control using PWM
3. USB interface so one can have programs on a PC controling the kit

 

[embpic]

i think simple dev board should have
16x2 lcd, 4x4 matrix keypad, rs-232, EEPROM, RTC and USB if possible.
otherwise board will become bulky.

 

[Mithun_K_Das]

I don't want to make the board bulky and it should be simple. Otherwise students will be afraid of starting the kit at the first glance. They are not professionals as ours, the are just the beginners. So the kit must be simple but all the necessary interface should be build in.

 

[jpanhalt]

I suggest adding ICSP capability to the protoboard. ZIP's are nice, but can become unreliable. It is quite frustrating to not know whether it is the program or the ZIP connections. ICSP may also enhance the debugging ability.

John