How to decide when to use PIC or AVR ?

[Taro]

In my opinion
Avr have several ASM command that can help programmer to write shorter. While PIC have little, it easy to remember, but hard to write.

So, I agree with previous post reply, If someone would like to use PIC. It is better to choose tool, such as PIC basic compiler, C Compiler.

 

[Alexander Prad]

Re: PIC or AVR how to decide

Documentation for PICs is most comprehensible for beginners. But finnaly choice depends of project.

 

[Mercury]

Re: PIC or AVR how to decide

My presonal advice is to use AVR, since the assemlber is somewhat easier to use and there is more beginner reference that with PICs. Also I recommend reading the www.avrfreaks.com and www.avr-asm-tutorial.de

 

[hugo_nz]

Re: PIC or AVR how to decide

Go with the AVR- the architechture is much easier for a beginner to understand, and the Assembly is easier. C compilers work better due to the richer instruction set, and there is a good free c compiler (gcc) and associated tools. It is possible to program them without any hardware, just a wire from a PC's parallel port (and 4 optional resistors). Most of the AVR's have hardware UARTs which always seem to come in handy. The only draw back i guess is that i don't think there are any rom or eprom or otp ones (at least that i have used or seen) and they are all flash, so they may be slightly more expensive in large quantities. avrfreaks.net is a very comprehensive resource, and if you have any problems there are litterally thousands or 'freaks' to help you out. so definately go with the AVR.

 

[shine angel]

Re: PIC or AVR how to decide

Very nice subject and some very good answers. With some I'm agree, with others not... :wink:

In my opinion as three (or four?) years PIC microcontroller user (and book writer in loonly nights, when my wife was just slipping...) there aren't good or bad solutions. There are just some solutions which match better with your project or ideas. In my country PIC are too expensive. The only one which is quite acceptable for consumer applications is PIC12xxx. If you'll start writting a PIC code in assembler or in C, and this is for the first time, is possible to gave up, because none of them aren't friendly enough. You may jump to Basic but this will be almost a tragedy. So maybe try Jal which is friendly enough, but have some lack in mathematics. If not, then Forth or Pascal ? I think there are a few things which may put you on the right direction, no matter which microcontroller you'll choose:

1. finding easy a complete documentation and developing tools for that microcontroller, which must be different that those offered by the producer ( just to have to choose in quality and price :? if you can't build yourself)
2. all these tools must ( or may :wink: ) be free and downloable from the net (or being cheap, or very easy to build... see for example the 4 wire LVP programmer for PIC)
3. finding as many free example written for your favorite microcontroller (not only in one low or high level language)
4. the price of your microcontroler and the availability in your region

I'll do not vote for PIC, but searching for applications between PIC or AVR you'll see that PIC is represented at least three time more than AVR on the net (as founding records).

best regards and succes,
shine angel