Post by thread:Are any of the 8 pin PICs (12C5XX) ready for prime

I haven't heard much talk about using the 12C5XX PICs. This makes me suspect that they aren't widely available yet. I've included my research, so I won't be wasting too much bandwidth. I've read the overview and the datasheet for them, (start at http://www.microchip2.com/products/micros/micros.htm, the datasheet is in PDF). The press release, http://www.microchip2.com/pressrel/12000.htm, says that volume shipments should have started in September at less than $.99 each at quantity 50,000. I'm interested in quantity 25 or 50 of the 12C508 (or 12C509 if they're not much more expensive). It's October. Anyone know who's got them (if anyone) and how much they cost at these small quantities? I checked Digikey's website, http://www.digikey.com, and they weren't listed there yet, I haven't checked any other vendors yet. I've got a PIC-1 programmer from ITU Technologies, http://www.itutech.com/pic-1.htm. It seems like it should be possible to in-circuit program a 12C508 with the PIC-1, almost like programming a 16C84. Has anyone actually done it? I plan on testing my software on 16C84's (because I've got a few). I don't plan on anything very ambitious at first, so I can write most of my code using the subset of features that is common to both the 16C84 and the 12C508. My first program will probably be the classic, blink some LEDs to show it works. Hopefully I'll do it in the form of an earring made with just a 3 volt battery, a 12C508, 4 LEDs, 4 current limiting resistors, and a earring hook. The leads on the LEDs and resistors will form the mechanical structure. I suspect that the batteries will last longer than my wife's desire to wear it. Paul Haas spam_OUTpaulhTakeThisOuThamjudo.com

> I've got a PIC-1 programmer from ITU Technologies, > http://www.itutech.com/pic-1.htm. It seems like it should be possible to > in-circuit program a 12C508 with the PIC-1, almost like programming a 16C84. > Has anyone actually done it? I have built for myself a 12C508 programmer and it took a long time to figure out a mistake I made (you need to read the data sheet really closely); the first location to be programmed is not $0000 as you'd expect (and as the 16C84, 16C71, etc. do it) but instead it's $1FF! It took a lot of head-scratching to figure this out since my code would clearly be "trying" to work but would operate really strangely...

At 12:03 AM 10/6/96 -0400, you wrote: >I haven't heard much talk about using the 12C5XX PICs. This makes me >suspect that they aren't widely available yet. I've included my >research, so I won't be wasting too much bandwidth. > > >I've got a PIC-1 programmer from ITU Technologies, >http://www.itutech.com/pic-1.htm. It seems like it should be possible to >in-circuit program a 12C508 with the PIC-1, almost like programming a 16C84. >Has anyone actually done it? > Actually, programming the 12C5xx parts is different from any and every other PIC so far. You will need a programmer especially designed or updated for the 12c5xx parts. So far parallax is the only one claiming a 12Cxxx programmer although myself and everyone else is there abouts but waiting on sample parts to test first. I also here that there are JW parts coming. -Jim