This website has PicIoChips
software that is free to Hobbists
Over the last few years it has become clear that USB-controlled devices are the best method to control many low-cost electronic devices. Most all PCs now come standard with USB ports and the cost of the microcontroller required to use USB on a project has dropped dramatically.
The project being developed can be the developer's main focus while you leave the complex and time consuming tasks required to develop USB communications to the PicIo Chip and its partner DLL
Here is what kind of IO will be possible using the PicIo Chip
Besides offering manys lines of digital IO for reading switches or setting hardware, the smallest PicIo chip can read 5 analog lines. The analog lines are a great way to read a simple knob or even read things like a low-cost temperature sensor.
Plus with the built in I2C support you have the easy choice of attaching a very large array of components to very easily add digital to analog ability (DACs) as well as digital pots or even more digital IO.
If this sounds like the approach for you, skip ahead to save time.
Does the PicIo approach to a project match your needs as a developer?
The idea of the PicIo chip approach is to allow developers of USB-controlled projects to get started quickly on the end-project without getting discouraged in the details and complexities required in the full 'start from scratch' approach to using USB with Pic microcomputers.
I have seen many cases of people getting discouraged from all the detail and hurdles to be overcome in developing electronic and software projects from scratch. All of the software and hardware required to make USB-based projects based on Pic microcomputers from scratch is available on the web in various locations along with programmers such as my favorite, the Warp-13 .
Do not underestimate the task of a ground up approach. Here are the key points to consider in deciding if the PicIo Chip is the best choice for your next project.
Are you new to making electronic projects or is the time you want to spend developing the project limited? If you answered 'Yes' then the PicIo approach will lower the hurdles significantly.
Is your goal to learn about the detailed software issues involved in USB slave devices? Are you planning on spending many days or weeks developing a system so that you can learn and grow from a technical education point of view? Do you need this project to be controlled form a Linux or Mac PC? Have you solved technical issues with developing electronic projects before? If you can truthfully answer yes so some of these questions AND you understand that you will spend quite a long time developing the project, you may be better off in the ground up approach. Of course you could still consider getting your feet wet with a simple PicIo chip as a warm-up project (-;
Have you ever developed microprocessor-based hardware/software systems or coded in assembly language or debugged multi-module electronic systems and do you own a scope or at least a logic probe? If the previous question generated any 'no' answers I suggest you strongly consider the PicIo chip appraoch.
Here is all you have to do to get started
Here are the steps that need to be taken to get going with your very own USB-controlled project for fun or learning. These steps are given in more detail using the 'Getting Started' link to the left as well as documents included in the downloadable and examples.
1) Download
and setup the
sample project, DLL, schematic and HID driver.
2) Get the parts, burn the free bits in the download, and construct the hardware. See 'Ordering PicIo Chips' page.
3) Setup and make the project OR run the executables as they are now.
4) Run and have fun. Keep modifying and running your program for changes ...
2) Get the parts, burn the free bits in the download, and construct the hardware. See 'Ordering PicIo Chips' page.
3) Setup and make the project OR run the executables as they are now.
4) Run and have fun. Keep modifying and running your program for changes ...
As can be easily seen, using the PicIo Chip is a great way to get a very low cost hardware setup running between most any PC and your own hardware.
Free Application And Chip Firmware Package
You can use this starting project as a head start for your own project or just as examples to see how things are done. The .hex file is there to burn your own part and the ReadyToRun directory contains the sample project 'ready to run'. For XP just plug in the USB and a new HID device will show up in Device Manager if all is well. I took the Visual Basic project off of this download because I am not keeping it up to date. The zip unpacks to 1 directory and the main vcproj make is the one to be using with Visual C++ 7.0 ( .NET 2003 ). As I have time other application code may appear here for Visual Basic.
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DOWNLOAD FIRST
BECAUSE THE LINK BELOW MAY NOT RETURN TO HERE.
BECAUSE THE LINK BELOW MAY NOT RETURN TO HERE.
BELOW IS THE ZIP DOWNLOAD FREE FOR PERSONAL USE
This free software is offered as-is for personal usage only. The user of this software assumes all responsibility for the consequences of its usage.
(I blame society for the need to have the above disclaimer)
Visual Studio C++ 7.0
(.NET) project, ready to go program, and PicIo bits
(If you cannot get or burn a part yourself, see the Ordering PicIo page)
(If you cannot get or burn a part yourself, see the Ordering PicIo page)
The PicIo chip bits to burn your own part are the .hex file and the schematic and project build instructions are also in the zip. You do not need the HID driver for XP but may need it for Windows 2000. The software is only tested on XP. AND do not forget that you can get the (still free) DbgView message viewer that PicIoApi.Dll supports from the most excellent debug site of www.SysInternals.com
