16. July 2009 by admin.

“Time’n and Count’n”    is an intermediate level book on 16-bit timing and counting applications using Microchip Technology’s PIC ® microcontrollers. More opportunities for creating fun projects are described. Learning to use timer 1 (TMR1) with it’s powerful capture, compare and pulse width modulation (PWM) modes will expand your PIC microcontroller design capabilities significantly. TMR1, which is an on-board feature of many of the mid-range PIC microcontrollers, is a 16-bit timer/counter. The maximum count is 65,535 vs. 255 for timer 0 (TMR0). This is a big help! TMR1 used in conjunction with the capture, compare, PWM (CCP) module may be programmed to do useful things unattended leaving the PIC free to perform other tasks. A special pin may be used for external inputs to TMR1 and another special pin may be used as an external output from TMR1. The techniques presented in the book are useful for generating single time intervals and free running outputs as well as for measuring period and frequency. PWM using TMR1 unattended is also described. These timing and counting techniques serve as the basis for designing and building your own period and frequency generating and measuring test equipment as described in the book. By David Benson (8-1/2 x 11 format, 218 pages, $34.95).

Download the code at http://www.sq-1.com/srccode.html

Posted in Timing, SQUARE 1 ELECTRONICS, Source Code, 8-bit, Books | Print | 1 Comment »

11. May 2009 by admin.

“Serial Communications”  is a comprehensive advanced level book which details various methods for implementing serial communications between a Microchip PIC microcontroller and an external device. Asynchronous serial communications is covered both by using an on-chip USART and by bit-bang methods. The RS-232 standard is explained. A discussion of synchronous serial communications includes the I2C (Philips Semiconductors), SPI (Motorola) and Microwire (National Semiconductor) protocols. The Dallas Semiconductor 1-Wire bus is described. Many code examples are included as modules which will provide the basis for the reader’s own PIC microcontroller applications. By Roger Stevens (8-1/2 x 11 format, 566 pages, $49.95).

Download the code at http://www.sq-1.com/srccode.html

Posted in SPI, I²C, Microwire, SQUARE 1 ELECTRONICS, RS-232, PIC, Serial Communications, Source Code, Books | Print | 1 Comment »

9. April 2009 by admin.

“MICROCONTROL’N APPS”   (formerally “Pic n Up the Pace”) is an intermediate level applications guide covering Microchip Technology’s PIC ® Microcontrollers. Serial communication as a means of transferring data between PIC microcontrollers and peripheral chips and also between two or more PIC microcontrollers is described. Use of the 93C46 serial EEPROM is detailed as an example. Since we live in an analog world, A/D and D/A are discussed with several methods illustrated for each. Conditioning signals from sensors with an analog voltage output is described. Interfacing PIC microcontroller-controlled systems with humans requires some math, binary to decimal conversion and vice versa, alphanumeric LCD interfacing and scanning keypads. Single wire serial communication with a PIC-controlled LCD module which can be built by the reader is included. A digital thermometer project brings these topics together as an example. The book also explains how to establish serial communication between a PIC microcontroller and a PC via a RS-232 conversion circuit and a terminal program. These techniques are used in a digital voltmeter/data logger experiment for uploading data to a PC for display plus graphing using a spreadsheet program. Moving up or down from the now familiar PIC16F84 to other devices is covered in detail so that you will easily be able to work with the new devices being introduced by Microchip. Finally, use of the Microchip in-circuit debugger (ICD2) is described. “Microcontrol’n Apps” gives the reader the tools to design, build, and debug intermediate level microcontroller-based instrumentation and systems. By David Benson (8-1/2 x 11 format, 437 pages, $44.95). 

Download the code from http://www.sq-1.com/srccode.html

Posted in Source Code, RS-232, SQUARE 1 ELECTRONICS, LCD, Debugger, Serial Communications, Books, PIC, 8-bit, MPLAB | Print | 2 Comments »