T&L Publications

Like I said in a different thread - I really don't recommend trainers. You won't use them for long enough to justify the costs. Especially for a motha like the easypic5.
http://forum.servomagazine.com/viewtopi ... =4&t=14227

I had the same problem. went with angelfire. Over it's good with the exception of their on-line web authoring tools. YUCK.

Thanks brandonl, I've been giving them a lot of consideration lately. I'm thinking of purchasing their EasyPIC5 + mikroC kit, which includes their new pro version of their C compiler. I'm a little strapped for cash right now, so I may have to wait a bit. I was looking at another compiler called Boo...

A bit late to this thread but... I'm playing with Boost C right now. It appears to be of pretty high quality. it does integrate into MPLAB (above statement was incorrect). You can download and use the lite version for free. Only the pro version is allowed to be used for commercial products. A couple...

Well, Kronos uses BASIC so you could just use that. Or, you could spend a little more time and learn C. I'd go with BASIC if you aren't planning to do much beyond play around and C if you are planning more serious use of Microcontrollers. There is also assembly language but I don't think that's goin...

Hi, philba: Doesnt that 35 dollar PicKit2 require a pc board in order to program any ICs ? The 50 dollar kit includes a low pin count (up to 20 pin devices) pc board that the chip can plug into. The 35 dollar kit doesnt have a socket for any IC chip of any kind, just a connector, right? Well, you n...

I don't know where you got that price from but you can buy the pickit2 from $35 from lots of places. Mouser, for example: http://www.mouser.com/Search/ProductDetail.aspx?qs=FF3lEoAMV0v%252b04QthdnDhQ%3d%3d You can get clones slightly cheaper but I'd not take the risk. Yes, you can put that on a brea...

you're paying for the programming and the environment. And, the hand-holding which you clearly never got. Those articles are part of their marketing plan, it seems that they work... A suggestion if you want to go PIC. Get a PICKit2 - $35 and buy a PIC18F4550 (~$5.50). The interface is via USB and wo...

A related subject - I don't understand why people use Kronos and Basic Stamp. Sure, it's nicely packaged up but it locks you into an expensive solution. Maybe it's ok for a trainer but for me the point of microcontrollers is to build interesting devices, they are VERY expensive solutions. For about ...

Clearly, he's not going push 1KW through an array of LEDs so it might just work out for awg 14. Gotta do the math though.

Either way, it means a LOT more copper in the walls...

You can get punch down keystone jacks just about anywhere. I think I saw some at 7-11... Seriously, home depot carries them. and lots of on-line stores have them as well. should be around $3 on-line, $5 from brick and mortar places. The ones from home despot usually have an el-cheapo punchdown tool....

I would look at this the same way I'd look at using a lighting control system like Lutron Homeworks or similar. Bascially all the lighting loads are wired in a home run configuration (aka Star) back to the central controller. Control wires are run from the switch boxes to the controller as well. We ...

Another approach is to get an RJ45 jack, http://us.st12.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/a2zcables_2021_8821432 cut off your broken connector and punchdown the wires on the jack. Get a surface mount box and put the jack in that. http://ep.yimg.com/ip/I/broadbandutopia_2051_7900257 Then use a standard rj45 ...

Hey Philba, You found the same calculator I did. Search engines are great, aren't they? An on-line calculator >here<. CeaSaR You got me there. I have a hard time seeing links without rolling over them. It would be nice if the BB SW automatically set up links to have a different color. I didn't see ...

Actually, more modern stepper controllers use a fixed off time. Allegro has a number that do this. You still have control of the approximate frequency but it requires selecting the off time with respect to the likely on-time. On-time is based on how long it takes the motor coil current to reach the ...