Microcontroller Programming Kit

Microcontroller Programming Kit

This kit includes everything you need to create your own microcontroller projects, including a book, comprehensive tutorials, development software including C compiler, hardware boards and a PICKIT 4 programmer and debugger.

PICKit 4 is unavailable but SNAP is in stock - see
MICRO-X-SNAP

It is based on one of the latest PIC microcontrollers from Microchip, PIC16F1789, and uses their MPLAB X development environment and the latest XC8 C compiler. It teaches you microcontroller programming from the beginning and covers all you need to know to build your own projects and learn embedded C programming.

Microcontroller Course

The browser based tutorials, coupled with the book and loads of sample projects, teach you all about microcontrollers from scratch and how to program them in assembly language or C, using a professional integrated development environment (IDE). This is the ultimate Arduino alternative as you will discover how the PIC microcontroller actually works, where as Arduino hides the microcontroller from you and doesn't teach you anything about real embedded C programming. It may be more work to start with but you will gain a real understanding of what you need to know to be an effective embedded system programmer.

• Microcontroller layout and structure
• Numbering systems and logic
• Program planning
• How to use MPLAB IDE properly
• Programming in assembly language
• Programming in C
• How to download and debug a project
• How to setup and use the microcontroller peripherals
• Discover how to interface UART, LCD, keypads, sensors and much more
• Learn to to re-use code and library files to create a complex project
• Create your own projects

Microchip PICKit4

The kit contains a genuine Microchip PICKit4 debugger and programmer. This tool both downloads code to the board and acts as an In Circuit Emulator (ICE) so you can debug your code in real time. Writing code without being able to single step through the program and see that silly bug is like using a pencil instead of a computer, yes you can do it but it is awfully hard work. This is another reason why this kit is such a good Arduino alternative.
PICKit4 can also be run from its own programming software, which makes it great for small scale production as you don't need to use the development environment for programming. PICKit4 can also power the target so no external power supply is needed.

Modular Hardware

The kit hardware allows extra modules (shields in Arduino speak) to be attached when you need them and a complete, custom, project can be assembled in one simple stack ready to fit into a project box. Flexibility is the concept and this allows you to set it up as needed.

Extra modules, sensors, keypad, LCD and prototyping boards come with mounting pillars and leads and can easily be fitted to the main board or built onto other modules as required.

Main Board
The main board is compact but has sockets for all 8, 14, 20, 28 and 40-pin PIC microcontrollers, so you can change to a different device when you like. It comes with a 40-pin PIC16F1789 fitted - see below for all the advantages of this chip. It is fitted with a 8MHz crystal but can run at 32 MHz if required. It has expansion headers for all the port pind and other modules, like the training board, can be easily attached. It has a USB connector that appears as a virtual serial port on your PC unlike most microcontroller boards that are still fitted with a standard 9-pin serial port. The board can also be powered through this USB connector. It has I2C bus connectors and 3.3 and 5V power rails.



Training Board
The training board is mounted onto the main board using pillars and ports are connected using ribbon cables to give complete flexibility. It has 8 switches and LEDS, analog voltage pot, buzzer, serial EEPROM memory socket and I2C bus interfaces. Sample code in assembler and C covers these features and many more and the tutorials describe them completely.



PIC16F1789 Benefits
This is one of the latest Microchip PIC 40-pin microcontrollers and bears about as much resemblance to the once popular PIC16F877 as a modern car does to the Model-T Ford.

• Faster - up to 32MHz
• More program memory - 32KB of code space, not 8KB
• More SRAM data memory - for more efficient C code
• Lower power consumption and wider voltage range
• More peripherals, protection and brownout features
• AND it is much cheaper

It compares favourably to the AVR range and eats the ATmega328P commonly used by Arduino kits for breakfast.

Modular design

This kit is modular so once you have learnt microcontroller programming, you can just plug in extra modules such as LCD and keypad or use the prototyping boards to create your own circuits. Kanda sell a range of accessory boards including sensors for gas, temperature, humidity, soil moisture and many more. Other modules can also be connected so you can create your own custom project using the same hardware - the kit that grows with you.

PIC18F series Microcontrollers
The board also supports PIC18F series microcontrollers as they have the same pin-out as PIC16F. PICKIT4 also supports PIC18F in program and debug mode. There are some PIC18 assembler and C projects on the CD that cover all the basics. See related products for a suitable PIC18F4221 microcontroller.