On Sun, 27 Apr 2008 16:48:01 -0400, RFI-EMI-GUY wrote:

I have a project I would like to build, and this would be for me a first
time PIC controller project.

I am looking for a PIC to do the following:

1. Address 17 parallel binary weighted bits (need at least 17 I/O's in
addition to inputs from (2) below and outputs for LCD (3) below. 2. Have
a keypad or rotary encoder to select combinations of the above bits. 3.
An LCD display of a frequency generated by the PLL device attached to it
per instructions below in (4).
4. Be able to enter a frequency such as 2300.6375 MHz, and do the math
to subtract an IF frequency and divide the resultant frequency by some
multiplier to address the parallel bits.

The PIC should be available with an evaluation board containing an LCD
display a keypad or rotary encoder. I do not want to have to design a
circuit board for a one time project.

For background, I have a Scientific Atlanta synthesizer that is designed
to generate a frequency in the range of 100.2x to 110.7x MHz to phase
lock a microwave brick oscillator used for a C band satellite up and
downconvertor. The unit has an external BCD switch which is designed to
display 3200.XX to 4200.XX MHz and I wish to re purpose it for a
different frequency band.

Any recommendations?


I really wouldn't bother about using an evaluation board for this. By the
time you've found one that will do exactly what you want without having
to add anything it will probably work out *very* expensive.

I would suggest a 28-pin (26 I/O) PIC16LF876A for one version:
17 (IO) + 6 (LCD) +2 (Rotary encoder or 1 analogue input for a resistance
string keypad)

Or maybe a 40-pin (38 I/O) PIC18F4585, which would easily give enough
pins for a keypad.

Both of these include a 4MHz internal clock oscillator which should be
perfectly ok for this job. They both use standard DIL sockets too so you
could build your project on stripboard.

Personally, I think you are being quite brave tackling this as a first
PIC project! The hardware is the easy bit.

--
Mick (Working in a M$-free zone!)
Web: http://www.nascom.info http://mixpix.batcave.net
Filtering everything posted from googlegroups to kill spam.