macOS Calling PIC programmers - little advice please

[costabunny]

Hi

I am going to spend the next few months getting to grips with digital electronics (primarily aimed at simple projects and PIC's and programming them in c)

My C is okish but as part of this Ill refresh and learn lots more (all in prep for my Uni course Computer Systems Integration).

My need is this;

A kit (or simple shopping list) for getting a PIC (or some microprocessor) up and running simple projects. I need to find something I can use easily with my Mac (via its USB port).

So who on here has experience with this sort of thing and what advice can you give me? (I have spent hours looking at book reviews and have about three short-listed for purchase from Amazon.

I have also seen the USB NerdKit (not an actual PIC but similar microprocessor and bread board).

little pointers int he right direction from a mac perspective is what I seek.

Help a girl out please?

Thanks peeps

 

[dukebound85]

you can get like quite a few free sample pics from their website

i have used the 16f88 and 16f84 pics

 

[costabunny]

you can get like quite a few free sample pics from their website

i have used the 16f88 and 16f84 pics

any suggestions as to a kit that is a) cheap for students, and b) works ok on the Mac? (without running windows)

 

[bericd]

any suggestions as to a kit that is a) cheap for students, and b) works ok on the Mac? (without running windows)

http://www.arduino.cc/

This is a board ($30) that you plug in via usb, and can program in a c-style language. Fairly easy to be up and running, and works natively on Mac as well as PC and linux.

 

[Thom_Edwards]

arduino is pretty slick. check out make magazine, too, as they have kind of "adopted" it and have a lot of podcasts, blogs and other info.

 

[Flynnstone]

I was programming a PicKit 2 with a PIC16F690 from my MacBook.
I was using Parallels 3 & XP.
I have downloaded the Hi Tech C port of Eclipse but haven't spent time getting it going.
The Pickit 2 is about $50 US & uses the USB.
Learning the use of Eclipse I don't think is a bad thing.