[PIC] Lots of questions on how to Control remotely via Bluetooth a small toy car

[Gajoline Marascino]

My project is to Control remotely via Bluetooth a small toy car .
My teacher told me to use PIC 18FXXX with 2-UART but the ICSP circuit (that I MUST MAKE) can only programm PIC 16F8XX
Assuming that he was confused, i tried to find an 16F with 2-UART but there aren't any !!!

1)So, will i be able to program an 18FXXX with the following ICSP ???
18F23K22 Data Sheet ----> **broken link removed**
2)Can i do such a project with an 16F8XX ??

 

[thylacine1975]

Do you really have to make the ICSP programmer? That seems like an [annoying] distraction to the actual purpose (bluetooth remote control) of the project...

If buying something is even a vague option, splash out and grab a PICKIT #n from Microchip (e.g. **broken link removed**). That $44 will save you a *lot* of faffing about and let you get on with (more interesting aspects of) your life
If it's not, then there might be something relatively quick/easy at http://picpgm.picprojects.net/hardware.html.

Yes - you could [potentially] use a 16Fxx single serial port device by bit-bashing/implementing a second software UART, depending on what baud rate you need (these things get untidy/awkward on underpowered CPUs at high data rates).

My recommendation is to a) BUY an ICSP programming tool*, and b) use the 18F CPU you've linked above. Having lots of CPU power is very useful when you need to get something going quickly - it lets you bypass some of the complications that often arise in time-sensitive embedded programming.


* A ICSP tool will give you *years* of programming pleasure(!) so like all engineering tools, don't just look at it as a one-off expense.

 

[Gajoline Marascino]

Well i am obliged to make this particular ICSP because its part of my final grade !!!
And i am not sure if this can programm the 18F ...

 

[themask]

If you need an ICSP circuit (a programmer) for a PIC18 device, i suggest you create your own pickit2 clone and not some severely-limited serial port-based programmer.

PICkit2, both the original and clone versions, are supported in MPLAB. This will make PIC programming so much easier.