Recommendation for PIC microcontroller to get started

Submitted by Milovan on Sun, 09/30/2018 - 05:25

Hi,

I have question about recommendation which PIC microcontroller should I buy? I was reading topics on this forum and I didnt find this. I want to learn in next few years to gain knowledge about PIC so I want to know which way to go. Of course, right now I am using PIC16F877A and I am going throught PIC project tutorials but I dont want to limit myself to know how to programming only PIC16 Series.On Microchip forum i was reading about PIC18F4520 PIC18F46K22 for recomendation. 

*To be more specific: Please tell us recommendation for every PIC series (PIC12, PIC16, PIC18, PIC24, PIC32) from "mostly used/many tutorials on internet" standpoint?

I would really appreciate if people who are using PIC for many years tell their opinions. It would be very useful information for every PIC learner.

Greetings from Serbia

I have been using PIC for the past two years and have built some products out of it which are in the market now. Till noe I have worked with around 6-8 PIC series ranging from 8-bit to 32-bit. The selection of a microcontroller really depends on the project/application you are trying to use it in.

In your case if you are a beginner I would recommend the PIC16F877A to start with. Most people including me started with this IC simply because it has a good online community and hence its easier to get help when you are stuck somewhere.

but I dont want to limit myself to know how to programming only PIC16 Series

There is nothing like limiting yourself here, you have to start somewhere. Also once you understand the core concepts of PIC16F series it should be fairy easy for you to use any version of microcontrollers. By the time you master the PIC16F you will know this by yourself, its all about knowing how to understand details from the datasheet and applying it in the code. 

How far have you gone with PIC16F877A tutorials ? I am posting the list of tutorials in ascending order below assess yourself..

  1. Getting started with PIC Microcontroller: Introduction to PIC and MPLABX
  2. Writing Your First Program with PIC Microcontroller and Setting up Configuration Bits
  3. LED Blinking with PIC Microcontroller
  4. LED Blinking Sequence using PIC Microcontroller
  5. Understanding Timers in PIC Microcontroller with LED Blinking Sequence
  6. LCD Interfacing with PIC Microcontroller using MPLABX and XC8
  7. Display Custom Characters on 16x2 LCD using PIC Microcontroller and XC8
  8. 7 Segment Display Interfacing with PIC Microcontroller
  9. Using ADC Module of PIC Microcontroller with MPLAB and XC8
  10. Generating PWM using PIC Microcontroller with MPLAB and XC8
  11. Interfacing Servo Motor with PIC Microcontroller using MPLAB and XC8
  12. UART Communication using PIC Microcontroller
  13. Interfacing Bluetooth Module HC-06 with PIC Microcontroller
  14. Interfacing ESP8266 with PIC16F877A Microcontroller
  15. How to Send E-mail using PIC Microcontroller and ESP8266
  16. How to Save Data using EEPROM in PIC16F877A Microcontroller
  17. How to Use Interrupts in PIC16F877A Microcontroller
  18. GSM module Interfacing with PIC Microcontroller - Make and Receive Calls
  19. SPI communication with PIC
  20. I2C communication with PIC

  Joined May 19, 2015      213
Tuesday at 03:45 PM

Thank you very much for this detailed and friendly response. I am still relatively new to the PIC world and every advice is more than welcome.

Someone changed my title of the topic "recommendation for PIC microcontroller" and added "to get started". This really led to the conclusion that I am asking what is the first microcontroller to start with. This is not the case - I know that I need to start with 16F877A because there are lots of tutorials available.

I would really appreciate if you give me answer on question which are popular PIC microcontrollers from other series (PIC12, PIC16, PIC18, PIC24, PIC32) , such as PIC16F877A in PIC16 series?

I finished only the first 7 lessons but I ask this question right now because I would like to buy them online and waiting for delivery is around 50days. In that time I think I will be able to finish almost all PIC16F877A projects (which are important to my profession) and slowly start coding other series with same/similar projects. It's still a long way in front of me and of course I will learn it firstly with the 16F877A :)

You have so much experience that you even have products on the market, which is really amazing. I hope that one day I will be able to do the same thing. I know that the selection of a microcontroller depends on the project but I only want your opinion which PICs from other series should I buy (from "number of available tutorials” standpoint).

Thank you friend, for the answers and your patient :)

Milovan

  Joined September 29, 2018      2
Saturday at 11:02 AM

Hi,

I finished only the first 7 lessons but I ask this question right now because I would like to buy them online and waiting for delivery is around 50days.

7 Lessons is really a good number, you are doing great just proceed with it.

I would really appreciate if you give me answer on question which are popular PIC microcontrollers from other series (PIC12, PIC16, PIC18, PIC24, PIC32) , such as PIC16F877A in PIC16 series?

As you have stated by yourself, selection of Microcontroller is purely application specific. But Still after you get staurated with PIC16F series if you are hunry for more you can try the following.

  • PIC18F4550 -Full Speed USB 2.0 (12Mbit/s) interface - You can try USB communication with this PIC
  • PIC18F65K80 - This PIC has inbuilt ECAN which you can use to learn CAN protocal 
  • PIC24FJ128GAXX - Lower power consuption 16-bit IC for coin cell projects

I would also like to point out some deficulties you might face. As you go to more recent or adanced PIC controllers you will find them a bit costly and also they will not be available in PDIP form. So you would have to purchase the SMD version and solder them on your test board to program them. 

That being said I would like to suggest the best you can proceed from here. Thing of a product idea or a small scale project wich will have some practical aplication. Then select the best MCU for that project, purchase the IC and code for the project. You will face some intreating hurdles when coding for a project instead of a task specific application. Then build the complete set-up on a PCB and let it run atleast for a month inside a proper encloser, this will put you into lot of problems through which you can learn stuff 

 

  Joined May 19, 2015      213
Tuesday at 03:45 PM

Hi Milovan,

Once you have learnt the PIC16F series, you can try the  PIC24FJ64GB002 or PIC24FJ64GA102.

Which is an ideal choice for beginners. Both the IC come in PDIP 28-pin package which can be directly used on breadboard. Also it also comes with power saving Deep Sleep mode and USB2.0 interface which is available only in other very advanced versions. It is 16-bit MCU so you also get to learn how to program for 16-bit PIC's 

One considerable downside is there is no CAN bus here. 

  Joined August 16, 2016      998
Tuesday at 12:29 AM

Now I understand everything. Thank you friends for sharing your knowledge and experience. I'm really happy because I found this site which has great tutorials and excellent support that responds quickly on the forum. 

Have a nice day :)

  Joined September 29, 2018      2
Saturday at 11:02 AM