microcontroller-faq/PIC Summary: This article is a collection of information sources for the MicroChip PIC series of microcontrollers This Version Produced: 04 Dec 1995 02:49:39 GMT Last Modified: 04 Dec 1995 02:48:36 GMT The following topics are addressed: 0 ) Index <You're reading it> 1.0) ABOUT THIS FAQ 1.1) Who put this FAQ together? 1.2) How can I contribute to this FAQ? 1.3) What newsgroups will this FAQ be posted to? 1.4) Mailing lists of interest to PIC wranglers 1.5) Other FAQs of possible interest 1.6) Can I distribute this FAQ or post it somewhere else? 2.0) ABOUT THE PIC 2.1) The PIC micro controller 2.2) PIC variants 2.3) PIC contacts and representatives 3.0) PIC Utilities 3.1) FTP sites for the PIC 3.2) BBSs that support the PIC 3.3) Programming languages (3rd Party) 3.4) Programming hardware (3rd Party) 3.5) Programming Hardware (D.I.Y.) 4.0) PIC DOCUMENTATION 4.1) Periodicals that cover the PIC 4.2) Books on the PIC 4.3) Miscellaneous documentation on the PIC 5.0) Notes for programmers 5.1) Useful Code Routines [Index] 6.0) Attributions * * 1) ABOUT THIS FAQ * * 1.1) Who put this FAQ together? Tom Kellett TAKDesignS Warrington England [the above is not a postal address, merely a locator] If you like this FAQ; tell people that usenet is a good place. If not, tell *me* what changes you would like to see. * * 1.2) How can I contribute to this list? Please, if you have any suggestions corrections or additions, notify me by E-MAIL. : Tom@takdsign.demon.co.uk Thank you. * * 1.3) What newsgroups will this FAQ be posted to? This FAQ will be posted to the following newsgroups: sci.electronics comp.robotics.misc comp.arch.embedded comp.realtime And will soon be, once again, archived at; Archive: rtfm.mit.edu : <plus all mirror sites> /pub/usenet/comp.answers/microcontroller-faq/PIC /pub/usenet/sci.answers/microcontroller-faq/PIC /pub/usenet/news.answers/microcontroller-faq/PIC The schedule for posting will be monthly * * 1.4) Mailing lists of interest To subscribe to the PICLIST mailing list; Mail to: listserv@mitvma.mit.edu Header: () leave blank, not used. Text: SUBscribe PICLIST to subscribe or UNSUBscribe PICLIST to un subscribe or HELP to get help or INFO REFCARD for a listserve reference card The pic list address is: PICLIST@mitvma.mit.edu To receive the mailing list as a digest, send a message to the listserv@mitvma.mit.edu In the body of the message have the single line: SET PICLIST DIGEST * * 1.5) Other FAQs of possible interest Other Microcontroller FAQs Subject: 8051 microcontrollers Newsgroups: comp.realtime comp.robotics sci.electronics Archive: rtfm.mit.edu : <plus all mirror sites> /pub/usenet/comp.answers/microcontroller-faq/8051 /pub/usenet/sci.answers/microcontroller-faq/8051 /pub/usenet/news.answers/microcontroller-faq/8051 Maintainer: Russ Hersch Email: sibit@datasrv.co.il Subject: 68hc11 microcontrollers Newsgroups: comp.realtime comp.robotics sci.electronics Archive: rtfm.mit.edu : <plus all mirror sites> /pub/usenet/comp.answers/microcontroller-faq/68hc11 /pub/usenet/sci.answers/microcontroller-faq/68hc11 /pub/usenet/news.answers/microcontroller-faq/68hc11 Maintainer: Russ Hersch Email: sibit@datasrv.co.il Subject: Microcontroller primer and FAQ Newsgroups: comp.sys.intel comp.realtime comp.robotics sci.electronics alt.comp.hardware.homebuilt Archive: rtfm.mit.edu : <plus all mirror sites> /pub/usenet/comp.answers/microcontroller-faq/primer /pub/usenet/sci.answers/microcontroller-faq/primer /pub/usenet/news.answers/microcontroller-faq/primer Maintainer: Russ Hersch Email: sibit@datasrv.co.il Additional FAQs of interest Subject: Robotics Newsgroups: comp.robotics Maintainer: Kevin Dowling (412)268-8830 Email: nivek@ri.cmu.edu Smail: Carnegie Mellon University The Robotics Institute Pittsburgh, PA 15213 Subject: Electronics Newsgroups: sci.electronics Comments: There are a number of FAQs available in this newsgroup on various subjects. Among some of the subjects covered are: LCDs, stepper motors, etc. FAQ subject: Real-time Newsgroups: comp.realtime, comp.answers, news.answers Archive: rtfm.mit.edu : pub/usenet/comp.realtime Maintainer: Mark Linimon Lonesome Dove Computing Services Roanoke, Virginia Email: linimon@nominil.lonesome.com. Subject: Motorola 68K microprocessor line Newsgroups: comp.sys.m68k Archive: bode.ee.ualberta.ca : pub/motorola/general ftp.luth.se : /pub/misc/motorola/faq file name of archive is m68kfaq?.zip (? is version) Maintainer: Robert Boys - Ontario, Canada Email: r.boys@genie.geis.com or fboys@uoguelph.ca For more information on various microcontrollers and their features, refer to the Microcontroller primer and FAQ listed above. * * 1.6) Can I post this FAQ to my local BBS? I am putting no restrictions on the use of this FAQ but please, * * * * * * * * * SEE COPYRIGHT NOTICE AT END OF FAQ * * * * * * * * * * * REMEMBER ! If you choose to upload this FAQ to any BBS or ftp site, then *YOU* are responsible for updating it regularly. * * 2.0) ABOUT THE PIC micro controller The PIC series are eprom based 8-bit micro controllers developed by Microchip Technology * * 2.1) The PIC micro controller Back in 1965, GI formed a Microelectronics Division, and indeed used this division to generate some of the earliest viable EPROM and EEPROM memory architectures. As you may be aware, the GI Microelectronucs Division were also responsible for a wide variety of digital and analog functions, in the AY3-xxxx and AY5-xxxx families. GI also generated a 16 bit microprocessor, called the CP1600, in the early 70s. This was a reasonable microprocessor, but not particularly good at handling i/os. For some very specific applications where good i/o handling was needed, GI designed a Peripheral Interface Controller (or PIC for short), in around 1975. It was designed to be very fast, since it was i/o handling for a 16 bit machine, but didn't need a huge amount of functionality, so its microcoded instruction set was small. Hopefully, you can see what's coming....yes, the architecture designed in '75 is substantially the PIC16C5x architecure today. Granted, the1975 version was manufactured in NMOS, and was only available in masked ROM versions, but still a good little uC. The market, however, didn't particularly think so, and the PIC remained designed in at a handful of large customers only. During the early 80s, GI took a long hard look at their business, and restructured, leaving them to concentrate on their core activities, which is essentially power semiconductors. Indeed they are still doing this very successfully now. GI Microelectronics Division became GI Microelectronics Inc (a wholly owned subsidiary), which in 85 was finally sold to venture capital investors, including the fab in Chandler, Arizona. The venture capital people took a long hard look at the products in the business, and got rid of most of it - all the AY3- and AY5- parts and a whole bunch of other stuff, leaving the core business of the PIC and the serial and parallel EEPROMs and the parallel EPROMs. A decision was taken to restart the new company, named Arizona Microchip Technology, with embedded control as its differentiator from the rest of the pack. As part of this strategy, the PIC165x NMOS family was redesigned to use one of the other things that the fledgling company was good at, i.e. EPROM - the concept of the CMOS based, OTP and eraseable EPROM program memory PIC16C5x family was born. Contributed by Alex R. Baker <alex@microchp.demon.co.uk> Actually, the PIC architecture was first integrated by Signetics for a company in San Jose (Scientific Memory Systems as I recall) using Bipolar technology and dubbed the 8X300. Prior to that, the architecture had been a scientific curiosity since its invention by Harvard University in a Defense Department funded competition that pitted Princeton against Harvard. Princeton won the competition because the MTBF of th...
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