Custom Board Vs Developer Boards

[skygazer]

custom board vs

hi all..
I am new to designing embedded systems. I have been involved with designing small pcb based designs these days. I have never designed a full fledged board with the microcontroller and on-board peripherals.
Is it advisable to design a custom PIC based board or is it better to buy one of those developer boards from the market?

What are the pluses and minuses in these two approachs..

your suggestions plz..

~~skygazer

 

[BobK]

Hi Skygazer,

I have a couple of breadboard/development boxes from Parallax and an EasyPIC 2 board from MikroElectronika. However, I have used small plugin style breadboards. Lately, I have been getting small (3.8" x 2.5") boards made by ExpressPCB for some of my prototype projects. $59 US for 3 boards and I get them in 3 days! Most of the things that I build for customers are real small and fit on these size boards. I try to use them over and over again to try out designs and programs. I used to do a lot of wirewrap and point to point wiring but I'm getting really lazy in my old age (60). I think anyone that is serious about making PIC projects should get something like an EasyPIC board. They are relatively inexpensive and have both an RS232 programmer and a USB programmer right on the board. There are LEDs, switches, A/D pots, and plug in accessory boards to make your life easier. However, aside from all of that, I guess its what can you afford and what are your future plans.
HTH,

BobK

 

[wizpic]

skygazer
I have got a few development boards
the proton development board it's ok but retricted to 40 pins and very limited what you can do also very exspensive for what it is
The esaypic 3 but they now do a esaypic4 with built in ICD. Now I found this to be the best investment I've made it supports 8-40pin PICS will 10way headers for out lets where you can expand,it also has it own usb programmer

The way I do it is use easypic 3 board and if i need to add to it I just build on vero board and get a full working version then once all tested and working then draw up schematic and then design PCB, I've aslo in the past designed pcb plug in for the easypic 3 board that just plugs stright in if it's a simple design
here is a photo off a set up that i'm palying with jsut to show you how easy it is and how good it is worth every penny
The other one is an home built 40pin vesrion and 18 pin vesrion but i never use these now just easypic 3 all the time
I use the GTP plus programmer with a full speed usb and i have never had a mintues trouble with it, it's neve let me down

wizpic

 

[nikhil_damle]

it is always go for a board that has flexibility for i/o configuration so be it a custom board or a develper board check the suitability of the board & its reuse

 

[drabos]

i think it depends on how much is your project, if it is very simple and you maybe you don't need anymore to use the same microcontroller then just use a breadboard first and if the circuit is working then design a pcb. if you want to make a bigger project then you can buy a evaluation board.

 

[jshroff]

A pic has a pretty simploe architecture so you might be better off just designing your own board, I would lay out all the peripherals and then start out by populating only the xtal circuitry and maybe a led that you can blink using an ICSP.

Most of the microchip datasheet show the minimal circuitry needed to get the board up and running.

Even though you might lose some time trying to bring your board up you will have a much better understanding of the hardware and this will help you in the long run. In the end even if you get a dev board you will need to port your circuitry over and by doing a custom board from the beginning you might actually come out ahead in the long run.

 

[Gator59]

All depends on the application. Some off the shelf eval boards may have what you need in HW IOs communications etc. They might not have the approp. connections or interface.

If not, best to develop your own board.

I develop all my boards because I can not find boards to fit my app.

 

[sinanweb]

My 8051 Dev Board.. (AT89C51RC2) (Serial or Usb programmer)

MY PIC Dev Board ( Pic ALL) ( Serial or Usb in circuit programmer)

 

[wizpic]

Like many people day it all depends on your personal choice,

I think that the easpic is the easy option it's got it's own PSU on board programmer, powered from USB or wall socket,

the trouble i found is yes you can wire up or make your own but why go to all that trouble, That's one of the reason I make my own add on boards like the double pannel meter in the photo could you Imagine all the hard wiring on bread board for it thats 8 x 7 segments a lot of wires and easy confusion, It could lead you to think that you have got a bug in your software or you kow you may a wiring fault but it take you ages before you found it not only thtat it will always come in handy may be for the next project, I design my add on baords (like the double panel meter) to be the fianl prodcut sort of thing once you have got it working with any mods to the track you can alter then you already have final PCB designed so you can kill 2 birds with one stone, Even if you don't have any use for it again then you can just use it in your project any way

well that's my thoughts

wizpic

 

[eidtech]

Developer Boards for Prototyping and Development.

Custom Boards for End Application.

 

[skygazer]

hey guys..
can anyone suggest a good PIC programming tutorial?
i was a bit stuck up with the sequence in which the programming is done..
appreciate your help in this regard..

 

[anubismaximus]

my board

 

[zawminoo]

Hi every body,

Anyone can give a circuit for this development board?
For PIC microcontroller.
Please help me if you can.

Zaw

 

[blueroomelectronics]

My PIC development system, MPLAB ICD2 compatible.
**broken link removed**
I've also added this recently. The GLCD screens a little hard to read but it's a simple Osillisope.
**broken link removed**
And this ones coming in July
**broken link removed**

 

[yugal kishor sharma]

hey ,
can any one provide circuit diagram of pic developement board having facility of 16x2 lcd,4 digit led, adc,sound,16key etc ,with software for experiment and software testing and buging
please help me.
yugal

 

[babatundeawe]

good contribution by everyone. but my own opinion to will support geting a developer board than going to all the stress of making a custom board. in addition to wizpic addon boards can also be made if there is the need, depending on the application and your hardware.
i also trongly support the use of easypic range