PICmicro Microcontroller Pocket Reference [Paperback]

Myke Predko (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0071361758 | ISBN-13: 978-0071361750 | Publication Date: November 17, 2000 | Edition: 1

Designed to complement Programming & Customizing the PICMICRO, this book contains a minimum of verbiage and serves as an immediate device, code and circuit lookup for experienced PICMICRO applications designers.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Device, code, and circuit data on one of the most popular microcontrollers around--it's in your pocket with this guide. You'll never again get stuck in the World Wide Wait or shuffle through coffee-stained printouts, looking for the facts you need. Used alone or with Myke Predko's Programming and Customizing the PIC Microcontroller, this data source saves you from searching for:

*Complete pin-out mappings
*Device feature comparisons
*Processor instructions
*Multi-tier data tables
*Frequently used code snippets
*Clock tables
*Power consumption tables
*Debugging hints
*Common external device interfaces with sample code
*Other handy data

Short on verbiage, and long on facts, this is the ideal data tool for the experienced applications designer.

About the Author

Myke Predko is a New Product Test Engineer at Celestica in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, where he works with new electronic product designers, and the author of technical books. He has worked as a test engineer, product engineer, and manufacturing manager for some of the world’s largest computer manufacturers. He is author of Programming and Customizing the PIC Microcontroller 2/e, a comprehensive guide to the device covered by this book; Programming and Customizing the 8081 Microcontroller; The Handbook of Microcontrollers; PC Ph.D.; and PC Interfacing Pocket Reference. Mr. Predko has a patent pending related to an automated test for PC motherboards. He is a graduate of the University of Waterloo in electrical engineering.

Product Details

• Paperback: 704 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill/TAB Electronics; 1 edition (November 17, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0071361758
• ISBN-13: 978-0071361750
• Product Dimensions: 5.9 x 4 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,410,409 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #66 in Books > Computers & Technology > Hardware > Microprocessors & System Design > PIC Microcontroller

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars It's the accuracy, stupid. This is a reference book., November 15, 2001

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: PICmicro Microcontroller Pocket Reference (Paperback)

There's a lot of great information in this companion to Myke's "Programming and Customizing PICmicro Microcontrollers".

But it's inexcusable to repeat the poor organization, spelling, and accuracy of that book. That book began, "Though may (sic) name is on the cover of this book...". Okay, it's a typo and we all know what he meant. But in this "reference work", errors still abound. To cite just one example, some of the pin-out diagrams on page 12 are wrong. "Hey Myke, we're using this information to solder circuits here. Can someone check this stuff before it gets printed!"

Much of the content originates with the source book, but the choice of what is included is odd. For example, using the index, one can easily find wiring diagrams and code to connect LCD panels. But looking up some common programming commands requires going to broad information categories, rather than indexing all of the reserved words.

This book is still extremely useful and the Author is VERY knowledgeable. But he also frustrates his readers. For the same reasons that carpenters say "Measure twice, cut once" this book could have benefited from more careful planning and proofing.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A nice compact Microchip PIC Reference Book., December 21, 2000

By 

Ben Wirz (Boston, MA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: PICmicro Microcontroller Pocket Reference (Paperback)

I haven't seen a lot of interest in this book yet and I just wanted to point out to people what a great little reference book this is. Predko has nicely summarized all the information that is required by PIC developers. I was surprised to discover the book is almost 700 pages in length. Going through the book, there wasn't any information that I felt I needed that wasn't included. Along with PIC instruction sets, register definitions and addresses, there is a lot of source code that covers virtually every aspect of PIC interfacing. There is code for handling interrupts, interfacing to the built in serial ports, timers and so on. Along with PIC specific information, there is a lot of information on different devices that the PIC can interface to (including the PC) as well as several chapters devoted to the information (like ASCII tables) and formulas that I am always looking for when I am developing my own applications. This book will really clean off your workbench!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Needs a better format, January 29, 2003

By 

Steven R. Nickels (Westminster, CO USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: PICmicro Microcontroller Pocket Reference (Paperback)

It would greatly help this book if it had tabs or some other way to help you index into the book. For example, if I want to look up an instruction, I open the book somewhere near the front 1/4 and spin the pages until I see the tables for the instruction set. Ah, but then I have to make sure I'm looking at the correct instruction set (low, mid, 17xx, 18xx) by going to the first page of the table to see its heading (the editor should emphasize on each page to which instruction set we are looking at. I have had to add mini Post-It(TM) notes to each section to help me index faster.

Coverage of the instruction sets are lacking (one page should be dedicated to each instruction and examples for the use of that instruction should be given). Don't make me turn the book side-ways. Put separation lines between each instruction if you can't put each instruction on a separate page.

I think the author should think more about what kind of information people would reference most. My feeling is that they would reference the instruction set and details about the instruction set the most. So that is where he should spend the most time getting a good format.

Where would I go to look for IC pin identification? The data sheet of course; not this book. Where would I go to see examples of how to hook up an LCD. Perhaps to the Programming and Customizing" book, but not in a reference book.

One last comment about the size and shape. I would rather see a book that's 6"x4" and 1/4" deep rather than 3"x2" and 1" deep. The current size and shape require multiple pages to cover topics, make indexing into the book harder because there are more pages to spin through, and the book doesn't stay open unless you turn it over. (how can I refer to the text and type on my PC at the same time if the book is face down?)

I, personally, am going to look on the web for a better reference document that is easier to use. I wish one could get their money back for books that don't meet your expectations. I usually get books through inter-library loan and check it out to see it's good enough to purchase. I guess I should have done that with this book.