sku: DEV-00021
Description: If you need lots of Analog to Digital channels, or plenty of program space (up to 32K!), this one is for you! Prototype board for 40 pin PIC microcontrollers with power supply circuit, 20MHz crystal oscillator circuit, RS232 port, ICSP/ICD programming port.
Documents:
Excellent USB tutorial using the 18F4550 by Dan Overholt.
Here is the original PIC-P40 datasheet for boards that shipped from 2004 to Q3 2005: pic-p40b.pdf
Board does not come with PIC installed. Please see a list of related ICs below.
WIG-08601
SparkFun Project Case - BlackCAB-00065
Serial Cable DB9 M/F - 6 FootCOM-00233
PIC 40 Pin 48MHz 16K 13A/D USB - 18F4550PRT-00139
USB Female Type B ConnectorCOM-11106
PIC 28 Pin 40MHz - PIC18F2520-I/SP (PTH)TOL-00298
Wall Adapter Power Supply - 9VDC 650mAPGM-09667
MPLAB Compatible Mini USB PIC ProgrammerCOM-11105
PIC 18 Pin 8MHz - PIC16F88-I/SOCOM-00226
PIC 40 Pin 20MHz 8K 8A/D - 16F877ACOM-11104
PIC 28 Pin 48MHz - PIC18F2550PGM-09671
MPLAB Compatible USB PIC Programmer
Comments 3 comments
I love this board! I’ve used it for two different projects (Vdd=5V) and will buy another for my next project. Documentation is sparse, but following traces will help you figure it out. In addition to the note by Cpr. Crunch about voltage, note that the TX and RX labels should be connected to the RX and TX pins of your PIC’s EUSART respectively. If you look at the RS-232 pinouts, MAX232 datasheet, and PIC datasheet, you’ll see what I mean.
I just thought I’d mention that the ICSP connector on this defaults to to connecting to RB3 for the PGM pin, but can easily be moved to RB5 for chips such as the PIC18F4431.
First off, I’d like to say this board is awesome. I will definitely buy more for my next projects. How can they build these so cheap??
However, I do have a few cons, which if fixed, would make this item over the top:
1. The one I got is not like the picture shows. Most of the installed parts near the edge of the board are shifted around. Don’t plan on putting your own connector on the same side of the board as the power and serial port if you get a board like I did.
2. The holes in the side rows of the PCB are Vcc and GND. It is hard to catch this with the eye, so don’t plan on using those holes for anything other than their intended purpose (it got me!), unless of course you want to drill a hole or cut etch.
3. TX and RX on the board white print are labeled wrong (in my opinion). Just remember that you need to hook up the white RX on the dev board to TX on the PIC, and the white TX on the dev board to RX on the PIC. Another user previously noted this.
4. The regulator is a LM317, which allows you to use on an on-board jumper to change from default 5V to 3.3V rail for Vcc (how cool is this??). The product description says 78L05 part, but it’s not. Even the schematic shows this. Also, if you buy a Sparkfun Project Case for this, the regulator is soldered on the board and sits so high that you won’t be able to close the lid. I bent mine (too much work to desolder/resolder for me) at an angle and barely got it to fit just right, just looks crummy now in clear case. :( Also, keep in mind the arrangement of parts on the board I got has the back of the regulator up against some electrolytic capacitors, so no room for a heat sink.
5. J3, as shown in schematic, is not a header jumper. There are 3 surface pads located under the PIC on the bottom of the board and you must solder alter this jumper to change it.
Sparkfun, looks like you need to overhaul this project description and update to the latest picture. The new arrangement of parts threw me for a quick redesign of my project, and luckily I had other options to handle not getting the board in the picture. A quick rewrite of the description and picture update would alert potential buyers to the above main cons I have.
Even with the above issues, this board is awesome and I will be buying again, and again.