Q. Does the PicBasic Compiler or the PicBasic Pro Compiler work with the PIC16C5x (505, 52, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58) parts?
A. Neither compiler supports the base-line 16C5x series PICmicros. Their 12-bit core only has a 2-level stack and the compiler requires the 8-level stack of the mid-range 14-bit core PICmicros. There are suitable pin-compatible replacements for the 54, 56 and 58. The PIC16C554, 556, 558, 620, 621 and 622 are an updated version of those 16C5x parts and are available in about the same price range. They have expanded features and work well with either the PicBasic Compiler or the PicBasic Pro Compiler.
Q. What about the PIC12C508, 509, 12CE518 and 519?
A. These 8-pin PICmicros also have the 12-bit core and thus only a 2-level stack. The 8-pin PIC12C671, 672, 12CE673 and 674 have the 14-bit core and work with either compiler.
Q. I want to run a serial port at a baud rate other than 300, 1200, 2400 or 9600. Can either compiler do this?
A. There are several ways to run at baud rates other than those listed. PicBasic Pro's DEBUG, SERIN2 and SEROUT2 instructions allow the setting of any baud rate. The simplest way in the standard compiler is to change the clock oscillator to something other than 4Mhz. If you run the PICmicro at 8Mhz and tell it to use 9600 baud, for example, the actual bit rate will be 19,200 baud. Another method is to alter the baud rate table in the compiler library file. This is an ASCII text file that can be changed with any text editor (a backup should be made first). You can also use a PICmicro with a hardware serial port and set the baud rate to just about anything. The hardware USART on the PIC16C63, 65(A), 73(A) or 74(A) may easily be accessed by simply PEEKing and POKEing it with the PicBasic Compiler. See the PicBasic USART sample program for an example. Or it can be set directly with the PicBasic Pro Compiler.
Q. How do I use the A/D converter on a PIC16C7xx device?
A. The A/D converter on the PIC16C7xx series parts may be accessed using either the PicBasic PEEK and POKE instructions or by using the in-line assembler feature. See the PicBasic ADC71 sample program for an example. These registers can be read and written directly using the PicBasic Pro Compiler. See the PicBasic Pro ADC7x sample program for an example.
Q. Can I use PortA (C, D, E) with the PicBasic Compiler?
A. As with the A/D converter above, PortA (and other ports on PICmicros with more pins) may be accessed using either the PicBasic PEEK and POKE instructions or by using the in-line assembler feature. See the PORTA sample program for an example.
Q. How do I use an LCD with PicBasic?
A. Of course, an LCD serial backpack from Scott Edwards Electronics may be used in conjunction with the SEROUT instruction, just as with a BASIC Stamp. Or an LCD module may be connected directly to 6 or 7 PICmicro I/O pins. See the PicBasic LCD sample program or PicBasic Pro LCD sample program for an example.
Q. Do the PicBasic and PicBasic Pro Compilers work with the Microchip programmer?
A. The PicBasic and PicBasic Pro Compilers generate standard .HEX files that can be used with most PICmicro programmers including Microchip's PICStart Plus and Parallax's PICmicro programmers.
Q. Does the EPIC Programmer work with the PIC16C5x (52, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58) parts?
A. The EPIC Programmer does not support the base-line 16C5x series PICmicros. It works with serial-programmed PICmicros (the majority of PICmicros). There are suitable pin-compatible replacements for the 54, 56 and 58. The PIC16C554, 556, 558, 620, 621 and 622 are an updated version of those 16C5x parts and are available in about the same price range. They have expanded features and work well with the EPIC Programmer. It does work with the 14-pin PIC16C505.
Q. How about using the EPIC Programmer or PicBasic Compiler with PIC17Cxxx parts?
A. The EPIC Programmer will not work with PIC17Cxxx microcontrollers. There will be an optional library available for the PicBasic Pro Compiler to support 17Cxxx parts.
Q. What's different between the PicBasic Pro Compiler and the BASIC Stamp II?
A. The main differences between Pro and the BS2, other than Pro programs are faster and can be longer, are some additional instructions and some changes in the way some of the instructions work. There is no nibble data type in Pro. Since Pro can access more RAM, it is usually not a problem to make these byte type variables. The MAX and MIN operators have been altered to work in a more standard manner. Also, since expression operators have precedence, the ordering of math instructions or the addition of parenthesis to specify the order of execution should be examined. SLEEP is uncalibrated. IF..THEN..ELSE..ENDIF provides more than a simple conditional GOTO. Any program code can occur within the structure. And, of course, there are the new LCDOUT and I2C instructions, assembler capability, interrupts and access to more I/O pins.
Q. How do I decide between the PicBasic Compiler and the PicBasic Pro Compiler?
A. The main benefits of PicBasic Pro over the PicBasic Compiler are access to more RAM, programs longer than 2K, arrays, direct access to any I/O pin and register without using PEEK and POKE, BS2 library commands, built-in LCD support, improved I2C implementation to talk to more devices than serial EEPROMS and real IF..THEN..ELSE. There is also a way to tell Pro what clock oscillator you want to operate at instead of the 4Mhz PBC expects. Pro can be used with MPASM for better ICE and simulator compatibility. The standard PicBasic Compiler is still quite capable. If you need maximum BS1 compatibility, or you are using only the smaller PICmicros, the PicBasic Compiler could make alot of sense. It is, of course, also less expensive than Pro.
Q. What about Y2K (year 2000 issues)?
A. None of microEngineering Labs, Inc. products include date information within the product itself. There should be no changes or upgrades necessary to any of our software to address Y2K issues.
