Colleagues,
Until now I've only worked with the 12, 16 and 17-series of PICs.
There doesn't seem to be a clear and simple explanation on
Microchip's
website of the dsPIC series, in terms of what they are good for and when you
would use them in preference to the other families. I wonder what specific
strengths and weaknesses they have.
Could anyone elucidate?
Thanks,
SteveT
dsPIC?
Started by ●September 29, 2008
Reply by ●September 29, 20082008-09-29
The dsPIC is an entirely diffferent animal than the 8 bit parts, but it is
closely related to the PIC24 parts.
I suspect that over the longer term, only the most basic or power sensitive
applications will continue to be built on the 8 bit PICs. The 16 bit parts
are only barely more expensive, and a LOT more capable. Indeed, except for
the focus on determinism, it is hard to recognize them as PICs.
The 16 bit PICs are much larger and faster. Flash sizes up to 512K bytes
are available and RAM sizes up to 32K. While the 8 bit parts cover the
range from 4 to 10 MIPS, the 16 bit parts are available in 16-40 MIPS. Like
other PICs, there are four clock ticks per instruction cycle, with a few
exceptions. The exceptions are greater in number and sometimes greater in
number of cycles (divide for example). The instruction set is huge compared
to the 8 bit parts. Although there are some attempts to look like the 8 bit
instruction set, in my opinion, they failed in that attempt.
The 16 bit parts realy shine when it comes to programming in C. The C
compiler for the 16 bit parts is a variant of gcc, the enourmously popular
multi-target Linux C compiler. The availability of a sizeable amount of RAM
means you don't have to fret over the stack nearly as badly as on the 8 bit
parts, and in general, C programming feels more like C programming.
Microchip also has a number of libraries that actually work (sorry, my
experience with microchip's 8 bit libraries has been less than stellar).
The 16 bit parts are more power hungry than the 8 bit parts, although not
horribly so if run at similar clock speeds. Like the 8 bit parts, power
consumption is a function of voltage and clock speed.
The dsPIC30F series is the only 5 volt series. Microchip claims that this
can result in better A/D performance. All the others are 3.3 volt. Like
the 8 bot parts, most will run down to 2 volts, perhaps at reduced
performance.
PIC24F - 16 MIPS, dsPIC30F - 30 MIPS, PIC24H 40 MIPS, dsPIC33F 40 MIPS.
According to a seminar last spring, the main difference between the 24F and
24H is the size and power consumption of the sense amps. So the 24H's tend
to be a little smaller in memory and higher in power consumption.
The dsPICs (obviously) include a DSP engine which the PIC24's do not.
Otherwise, the instruction set is identical. There are a couple of other
relatively fundamental differences. None of the 24F's contain EEPROM
(although all are FLASH writeable). Some of the PIC24's include the ability
to redirect the peripherals to different pins. This can sometimes lead to a
smaller pin count, hence a cheaper part and circuit board.
Some of the 16 bit parts include peripherals that aren't available on the 8
bit parts, and some of those that are, are much more elaborate on the 16 bit
parts. Not only are there A/D's available up to 2 million samples per
second, but the A/D's will do everything but wash the dishes for you. While
this is good, sometimes it takes quite a bit of studying the datasheet to
get your head around some of these peripherals.
So that's my spin. I do like the 16 bit parts for some things, but I'm not
above applying a 16F716 when I want a PIC for a buck!
72/73 de WB8RCR http://www.qsl.net/wb8rcr
didileydadidah QRP-L #1446 Code Warriors #35
----- Original Message -----
From: "Staiger"
To:
Sent: Monday, September 29, 2008 10:00 AM
Subject: [piclist] dsPIC?
> Colleagues,
>
> Until now I've only worked with the 12, 16 and 17-series of PICs.
>
> There doesn't seem to be a clear and simple explanation on Microchip's
> website of the dsPIC series, in terms of what they are good for and when
> you
> would use them in preference to the other families. I wonder what
> specific
> strengths and weaknesses they have.
>
> Could anyone elucidate?
>
> Thanks,
>
> SteveT
>
>
> to unsubscribe, go to http://www.yahoogroups.com and follow the
> instructions
closely related to the PIC24 parts.
I suspect that over the longer term, only the most basic or power sensitive
applications will continue to be built on the 8 bit PICs. The 16 bit parts
are only barely more expensive, and a LOT more capable. Indeed, except for
the focus on determinism, it is hard to recognize them as PICs.
The 16 bit PICs are much larger and faster. Flash sizes up to 512K bytes
are available and RAM sizes up to 32K. While the 8 bit parts cover the
range from 4 to 10 MIPS, the 16 bit parts are available in 16-40 MIPS. Like
other PICs, there are four clock ticks per instruction cycle, with a few
exceptions. The exceptions are greater in number and sometimes greater in
number of cycles (divide for example). The instruction set is huge compared
to the 8 bit parts. Although there are some attempts to look like the 8 bit
instruction set, in my opinion, they failed in that attempt.
The 16 bit parts realy shine when it comes to programming in C. The C
compiler for the 16 bit parts is a variant of gcc, the enourmously popular
multi-target Linux C compiler. The availability of a sizeable amount of RAM
means you don't have to fret over the stack nearly as badly as on the 8 bit
parts, and in general, C programming feels more like C programming.
Microchip also has a number of libraries that actually work (sorry, my
experience with microchip's 8 bit libraries has been less than stellar).
The 16 bit parts are more power hungry than the 8 bit parts, although not
horribly so if run at similar clock speeds. Like the 8 bit parts, power
consumption is a function of voltage and clock speed.
The dsPIC30F series is the only 5 volt series. Microchip claims that this
can result in better A/D performance. All the others are 3.3 volt. Like
the 8 bot parts, most will run down to 2 volts, perhaps at reduced
performance.
PIC24F - 16 MIPS, dsPIC30F - 30 MIPS, PIC24H 40 MIPS, dsPIC33F 40 MIPS.
According to a seminar last spring, the main difference between the 24F and
24H is the size and power consumption of the sense amps. So the 24H's tend
to be a little smaller in memory and higher in power consumption.
The dsPICs (obviously) include a DSP engine which the PIC24's do not.
Otherwise, the instruction set is identical. There are a couple of other
relatively fundamental differences. None of the 24F's contain EEPROM
(although all are FLASH writeable). Some of the PIC24's include the ability
to redirect the peripherals to different pins. This can sometimes lead to a
smaller pin count, hence a cheaper part and circuit board.
Some of the 16 bit parts include peripherals that aren't available on the 8
bit parts, and some of those that are, are much more elaborate on the 16 bit
parts. Not only are there A/D's available up to 2 million samples per
second, but the A/D's will do everything but wash the dishes for you. While
this is good, sometimes it takes quite a bit of studying the datasheet to
get your head around some of these peripherals.
So that's my spin. I do like the 16 bit parts for some things, but I'm not
above applying a 16F716 when I want a PIC for a buck!
72/73 de WB8RCR http://www.qsl.net/wb8rcr
didileydadidah QRP-L #1446 Code Warriors #35
----- Original Message -----
From: "Staiger"
To:
Sent: Monday, September 29, 2008 10:00 AM
Subject: [piclist] dsPIC?
> Colleagues,
>
> Until now I've only worked with the 12, 16 and 17-series of PICs.
>
> There doesn't seem to be a clear and simple explanation on Microchip's
> website of the dsPIC series, in terms of what they are good for and when
> you
> would use them in preference to the other families. I wonder what
> specific
> strengths and weaknesses they have.
>
> Could anyone elucidate?
>
> Thanks,
>
> SteveT
>
>
> to unsubscribe, go to http://www.yahoogroups.com and follow the
> instructions
Reply by ●September 29, 20082008-09-29
> I suspect that over the longer term, only the most
basic or power sensitive
> applications will continue to be built on the 8 bit PICs.
Add: cost or size sensitive! No 16-bit (or even 18F) rivals yet for the
10F's ...
--
Wouter van Ooijen
-- -------
Van Ooijen Technische Informatica: www.voti.nl
consultancy, development, PICmicro products
docent Hogeschool van Utrecht: www.voti.nl/hvu
> applications will continue to be built on the 8 bit PICs.
Add: cost or size sensitive! No 16-bit (or even 18F) rivals yet for the
10F's ...
--
Wouter van Ooijen
-- -------
Van Ooijen Technische Informatica: www.voti.nl
consultancy, development, PICmicro products
docent Hogeschool van Utrecht: www.voti.nl/hvu
Reply by ●September 29, 20082008-09-29
----- Original Message -----
From: "Wouter van Ooijen"
To:
Sent: Monday, September 29, 2008 11:05 AM
Subject: Re: [piclist] dsPIC?
> Add: cost or size sensitive! No 16-bit (or even 18F) rivals yet for the
> 10F's ...
No doubt. Once your part starts to get up two around two bucks, tho, you
get a lot more for the same price in the 16 bitters. But under that, still
no 16 bit alternatives. And nothing under 18 pins, either.
72/73 de WB8RCR http://www.qsl.net/wb8rcr
didileydadidah QRP-L #1446 Code Warriors #35
From: "Wouter van Ooijen"
To:
Sent: Monday, September 29, 2008 11:05 AM
Subject: Re: [piclist] dsPIC?
> Add: cost or size sensitive! No 16-bit (or even 18F) rivals yet for the
> 10F's ...
No doubt. Once your part starts to get up two around two bucks, tho, you
get a lot more for the same price in the 16 bitters. But under that, still
no 16 bit alternatives. And nothing under 18 pins, either.
72/73 de WB8RCR http://www.qsl.net/wb8rcr
didileydadidah QRP-L #1446 Code Warriors #35
Reply by ●September 30, 20082008-09-30
Thanks, John, for a superb summary of the various PIC families! Something
like this really ought to be on Microchip's website.
Cheers,
SteveT
-------------------
From: p... [mailto:p...] On Behalf Of
John J. McDonough, WB8RCR
Sent: 29 September 2008 15:39
To: p...
Subject: Re: [piclist] dsPIC?
The dsPIC is an entirely diffferent animal than the 8 bit parts, but it is
closely related to the PIC24 parts..........
like this really ought to be on Microchip's website.
Cheers,
SteveT
-------------------
From: p... [mailto:p...] On Behalf Of
John J. McDonough, WB8RCR
Sent: 29 September 2008 15:39
To: p...
Subject: Re: [piclist] dsPIC?
The dsPIC is an entirely diffferent animal than the 8 bit parts, but it is
closely related to the PIC24 parts..........
