What I should use...dev board or simulator?

[tonyyy]

Hi.
What I should use? A development Board or simulation software ?
Want to learn ethernet, rs232, rs485, pic ecc...

Thanks

 

[ZASto]

Dev board definitely.
Simulators are notorious PITA.

 

[tpetar]

Hi.
What I should use? A development Board or simulation software ?
Want to learn ethernet, rs232, rs485, pic ecc...

Thanks

Development board is necessarily for developing.

Simulators can be used for well known design when you know how design should work, and usually is wasting of time for developing new designs in lots of cases.

 

[tonyyy]

Thanks for you reply. Actually I would like to create my own hadrware design. I have posted this question because I realized that the software was working correctly on the simulation while on the hardware I faced with many other issues ( the most due the lack of components or wrong cabling). That's why I tought let's work with a board with a proto-area where I can extend my design and then when the firmare works as expected I would create my own pcb board. Let's assume that my firmware works with the demo board...how do I migrate the project to a new board starting from zero? With the demo board i will also get the orginal schematic circuit? I was thinking to create my project using two pics, one for rs485 (as master handling all slaves data) and another for ethernet (sending data to a remote server) and splt the tasks between them, using a consumer/producer model. Are there any board that fit with my goal? Thanks in advance.

 

[tpetar]

For some project similar to your needs two development boards are needed. Always you can improvise one side on protoboard and other on dev board. Also you can make testing-developing PCB for your project with toner transfer or with some other technique, and when you finish with your testing then you make final PCB as first version of device. When first PCB pass all testing then you make massive production of PCBs if needed.