Customer Reviews

Programming 16-Bit PIC Microcontrollers in C: Learning to Fly the PIC 24 (Embedded Technology)

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

There are many books published on how to program or use Microchip's PIC product in various application categories. For networking, Fred Eady's, "Networking and Internetworking With Microcontrollers", ISBN 0-7506-7698, Keith Curtis, "Embedded Multitasking", ISBN 0-7506-7918-2, and Creed Huddleston's, "Intelligent Sensor Design", ISBN 0-7506-7755-4, are but 3 of my favorites (there are more). This book is a deserving the serious PIC programmer's attention; that is, if you want to really use the PIC24 or dsPIC. This book does not is not written for the dsPIC, but the architecture is similar enough that, aside from the DSP engine, you can learn almost all of the non-DSP features of the dsPIC (save for a select few dsPIC features).

Lucio has managed to put together a real interesting collection of material to help you learn the PIC24 and in a fun way. Lucio's theme is "Learning to Fly the PIC24". The book addresses primarily C developers, with plenty of example code. Assembly programmers are not left out, however as the format of each chapter is: a flight plan, the flight, post flight briefing, and notes for PIC experts, and assembly language experts. Lucio is a PIC expert at Microchip so you will learn from the best. The book includes a CD-ROM with source code in C and the student version of the C30 compiler. The book is not written for "absolute" beginners. Some familiarity with assembly language and basic understanding of the C language. Prior exposure to the PIC architecture would be helpfull as well.

Part I is about the basics of the PIC24. Chapter 1 takes you through the basics of programming the PIC24; Compiling, linking, building a project, port initialization, and other tips and tricks. Chapter 2 introduces logic operators, while loops, timers and, a neat feature of Microchips MPLAB, the logic analyzer. Chapter 3 introduces do loops, variable declarations, and arrays. Chapter 4 discusses data types, optimization, testing, integer multiplication, and complex data types. Chapter 5 is covers interrupts, the secondary oscillator, and the real-time clock calendar (RTCC), Chapter 6 discusses memory allocation, the program space visibility (PSV), the compiler map, pointers, the heap, and C30 memory models.

Part II, chapter 7 takes you through he serial interface , parallel interface, SPI, read status register, writing to the EEPROM and the new nonvolatile storage library using the 25LC245 serial EEPROM. Chapter 8 is about more UART examples and a console library. Chapter 9 presents interfacing with the LCD using the HD44780 controller. Chapter 9 is about analog-to-digital conversion with a good example of using the TC1047 analog temperature measurement chip.

Part III is more advance material. Chapter 11 covers input capture, simulation, PS/2 interfacing (including key code decoding), and I/O polling. Chapter 12 is really cool and discusses techniques to interface to a TV screen or display using composite video. Chapter 13 is about mass storage using the SD/MMC card interface. Chapter 14 discusses file I/O, the file allocation table (FAT), the fopenM() and freadM() functions. Chapter 15 is the grand finale using the PIC24 OC modules to develop a WAVE file player using PWM output.

The reason I summarized the chapters, in detail, above is that the chapter titles do not do the chapter contents justice in title alone. The chapters are:

1. The first flight
2. A loop in the Pattern
3. More Pattern Work, More Loops
4. Numbers
5. Interrupts
6. Taking a Look Under the Hood
7. Communication
8. Asynchronous Communications
9. Glass Bliss
10. It's an Analog World
11. Capturing Inputs
12. The Dark Screen
13. Mass Storage
14. File I/O
15. Volare

This is an interresting and organized compilation of projects which walks you through the daunting experience of microcontroller use. I am an RF hardware engineer with little programming experience, but have worked on several projects which included microcontroller or DSP control. I've never touched an 8 bit device, but jumped directly into the 16 bit family. In my past experience, someone else has always done the controler functions. Lucio presents a methodology for someone without too much experience and a lot of desire to learn a very complex subject with the starting point in the 16 bit arena.

His use of C programming takes you through an easier learning curve than if you were to approach this with machine language. The Explorer 16 gives you plenty of practial applications to play around with the technology and monkey around with things yourself. The chekclists are invaluable. especially in the early stages of using the tools.

Perhaps the most refreshing thing I found was that Lucio personally answers emails and gives you educational insights if you ask him questions. I have taken on learning the PIC controller on my own and Lucio has helped me over a hurdle or two in this adventure.

One other note: The microchip applications team is ecellent. I have had a few issues with a real project using the PIC device and the local FAE stopped by on a number of ocassions to help troubleshoot both the HW/SW issues I couldn't overcome on my own. What better way to learn than with the guys who work with it every day.

Well Done!!

Paul

I just bought this book and managed to read through it over a few days. I must say that I'm very impressed by it! The book covers programming the PIC24 in C using MPLAB's C30 C compiler. It covers the PIC24 architecture and peripherals in as much detail as required by a C programmer as well as various non-ANSI C PIC24 specific addons available in the C30 compiler. It also includes a myriad of cool interfacing projects with minimal additional hardware (SPI EEPROM , 3 resistors for the video example flash card, PS2 interfacing e.t.c.) Finally it also introduces all the debugging tools available in MPLAB such as the simulator/logic analyzer and stimulus generator. This book is not for the absolute microcontroller / programming in C beginner however. Its target audience is embedded systems programmers considering to switch to Microchip's PIC24 family and EE students/hobbyists with some background in embedded systems/ microcontrollers / C programming.

The analogy with piloting aircraft aside...

This book takes a very practical approach, using the tools on the CD and doing exercises with C code. The explanations are clear. Be aware that though introductory, this is a technical book.

I have thouroughly enjoyed reading and using this great publication. It is absolutely the best introduction to PIC24 in particular and C30 as well. This book makes a great companion for the Explorer 16 development board from Microchip.
I look forward to a follow up edition with a few more projects and peripheral code segments.

Very Well Done Lucio

I wanted to love this book, especially after all the great reviews. Unfortunately, it is way outdated, even from the first few pages. When setting up the very first "hello" project, the processor that you are told to select isn't even a selection in the new software. So it goes downhill from there. If you go to the author's website ([...]), it even links you to purchasing a development kit that Microchip doesn't recommend you purchase since its been superseded. It's a shame, since I enjoy the author's writing style and the way he presents things. But if you are looking for something to get you started on a real project, you better go elsewhere or hope for an updated release of this book soon.

This ia good book but I wander what audience it was written for. The book assumes the reader is very well familiar with micro controllers and can just by glancing at the controller's diagram figure out what signals to send and where. At the same time it assumes that the reader is an absolute dummy in C. This would a hard to find combination though.
If you just want to start working with PIC24 family and want to buy a single goto book this is definitely not one of them.

I've bought several books on microcontrollers, and most of them have been poorly written. This book is exceptional: the writing is clear, it has been professionally edited, and the audience focus is clearly stated. It contains a lot of valuable background that only someone who works at Microchip would know.

I have to take off a star because the book does not mention the numerous hardware problems these microcontrollers have. All microprocessors have some issues, but the errata for PIC24F parts is unusually lengthy. Jasio neatly sidesteps the hardware minefields, for example by using an SPI communication protocol rather than the more elegant I2C. Don't get me wrong: I'm a big fan of these parts, and I think everyone who designs with microprocessors should look at them seriously. Still, I can't believe that someone could write a book like this and not mention the errata.

I already had a problem to solve in my mind when I statred to read this book. The book worked out for me in two ways: First, the topics of the book cover my problems very well, and secondly the code in the book worked well as I tested them project by project as a learning process. Also, I agree with the points other reviewers made before my review. So, no need to repeat them. I am not an EE and new to microcontroller. To understand a topic of the book I still need to cross-check some sections in the data sheet of a PIC24 and its corresponding C header file. This slows down my reading, but turns out to give me a better understanding. I completely recommend this book.

David W. at Ferndale, MI, USA

Lucio has taken what is often presented in a very complex way, and made it understandable. Each chapter ( lesson ) builds on teh previous, and by the end of the book, I was left with a much better understanding of 16bit micros, and I feel much more confident to attack some projects.

If you are going to get into 16bit PIC's, this is a must have book. I look forward to its sequel.