Easypic 6 - what are you views?

[cubanflyer]

Hi

I am looking at getting an Easypic 6 to replace my current development system. I like the idea of actual being able to use the target pic on the board.

I have a project that may benifit from touch screen technology and it has that fuction available as an extra.

Does anyone have any views or comments on this unit?

 

[wp100]

Hi,

Well have not used the EasyPic boards myself, but did follow a friend though the same process you are looking at now - he did buy the EasyPic4 though in hindsight he says he wished he hadn't, though he never said what else he thought he should have bought.

The main problems with the EP4 board, and I assume it will still be the same with the EP6 is that you cannot use it with Mplab directly, you have have to program with Mikros own programmer software - a small point but it is amplified when you want to run debugger -again thats not possible from Mplab.
Basically it ties you to their software - if you are happy to stay with that it does have all the trinkets, software libraries, hardware modules like touch screen glcd etc.

To me the board is really over kill if you like doing your own circuit building.
Who is going to use all those leds and switches ? - its got plenty of pic sockets granted, using zif sockets would be so much better.

So at least you have one view - you did not say what your existing setup is and what are its shortcomings that make you look at buying something else ?

 

[cubanflyer]

Hi

Thanks for your comments

I currently use the Crownhill development board, it is bit limited in that is only 16f877 based. again it is not compatiable directly with Mplab, but I also have the picstart plus programmer and pickit1. I am looking at get the either the pickit 2 or 3. It is that just feel it might be easier if I am able to work directly with the chip I plan on using, at the moment a use a couple of the pic software simulators as well.

 

[wp100]

Hi,

Well that Crowhill looks a neat enough starter board though cannot see any circuit diagram for it , but cannot see why it could not be easy enough to rewire so you could program and run your programs in circuit ( bootloader removed ) and so with Debugger if using a PK2.

You do not say what other chips you want to use but there are a few like the 18f4520 that are plug in replacements for the 16F877.

Again don't know if you want to build things or buy them ready made - though finding a flexible dev board might be hard to find - thats why I built my own boards, simple but effective.

I know the ep6 looks attractive but as my friend found he bought a Pk2 and connected that to the EP4 to bypass its onboard programmer so he could program and debug directly from mplab as he did not want to stick with Mikros software.

 

[cubanflyer]

Hi,


I am working with a different number of chips from 14 pin devices at this moment in time, creating small projects for people in the flying club I am a member of. On the crownhill site you can download the manual which contains the cirucit diagram. I like the idea of making a small daughter board to plug into the develpoment system, I had not given that idea any thought, so thanks for that bit of inspiration. Have you any experience of pickit 3?

 

[taroot]

it good for development. i am using that. it give u all type of interfaces. also you can shifted to a higher level of learning.try it man. u feel the diffrence

 

[wp100]

Hi,
I am working with a different number of chips from 14 pin devices at this moment in time, creating small projects for people in the flying club I am a member of. On the crownhill site you can download the manual which contains the cirucit diagram. I like the idea of making a small daughter board to plug into the develpoment system, I had not given that idea any thought, so thanks for that bit of inspiration. Have you any experience of pickit 3?

Hi,

Yes I did download the manual but could not see the circuit ..??

I think you could easily make daugter boards that plug into the expansion connector, just remove your 877 and you should be away.
Maplin do some nice dot matrix boards for building on.

The PK2 / PK3 is a hotly contested issue - some reckon the PK3 is to inferior to the Pk2, yet others say it works well; though the PK3 still seems over priced; of course the PK3 is being updated to handle the new chips but not the PK2 - though folk are getting round that in some instances by adding there own device info.
Farnells and RS stock them both , you can buy online from them.
You could build your own Pk2 for about £12 - may posts in this forum about doing that - my own diy version below, built as backup to my Microchip one.

 

[cubanflyer]

Hi

Just found the manual on my system, it does not give the schematic as 1 diagram, it shows the individual sections.

I have attached it.

 

[wp100]

Hi

Just found the manual on my system, it does not give the schematic as 1 diagram, it shows the individual sections.

I have attached it.

Hi,

Thanks for that, I was looking for a complete diagram and originally disregarded the individual sections.

The key thing is how are the three programming lines set up. Mclre, RB7/PGD and RB6/PGC - well they are fine.

Looks like you can simply remove the 877, connect a cable to the 40 pin link socket and build up your own circuit board, using all the ancillary devices on the Proton board.

Dont forget , just to prove it works, you can build the circuit on the breadboard.

An old PC IDC cable should fit if you have some kicking around - but whatever you use keep the distance between the boards as short as possible.
I have found a total wire length more that 12" from the Pickit2 can lead to programming failure.

Two things to bear in mind, The two programing lines PGC and PCD + Mclre should be kept clear of anything other than switches in your working circuit so you can program them instantly.
On smaller chips you may want to use those pins for some active devices, in which case you will have to fit a DP switch to isolate them while programming.

Similary to run the hardware debugger from mpab via the Pk2/3 you must have those 3 lines clear, but be aware that not all chips, particulary the smaller ones have the Debugger feature.
Its not an essintial tool but it can be easier/interesting to monitor your program /circuit.