Microchip Reinforces Commitment to 8-Bit Development with New Offerings

Despite the attention Microchip Technology is currently giving to its 32-bit microcontroller line, the company’s 8-bit PIC microcontroller is very much alive and well. Just in case your head has been working in the upper nibbles, Microchip has revamped its 8-bit development tool chain and associated hardware development boards.

The Microchip Curiosity Development Board is capable of hosting PIC16F microcontrollers that act like their more powerful PIC18F cousins. 8-bit support for Bluetooth Smart, mTouch, mikroBUS, and an integrated programmer/debugger are also part of the Curiosity development environment. A newly remodeled Explorer 8 Development Board and the upgraded PICDEM Lab II Development Board reinforce Microchip’s 8-bit commitment.

Microchip's Curiosity Development Board has an onboard programmer that doubles as a debugger.
(Source: Microchip Technology)

The latest leap has taken the 8-bit PIC microcontroller into the cloud. The 8-bit suborbital flight is powered by MPLab Xpress. MPLab Xpress is an online version of Microchip’s MPLAB X IDE. It is designed to look and feel just like its desktop-bound counterpart. The XC8 C compiler is embedded within the MPLab Xpress package. MPLab Xpress also supports an online version of the MPLab Code Configurator 3.0, which facilitates online code generation.

To utilize the MPLab Xpress environment fully, you will need to establish a no-charge myMicrochip account. Signing into your myMicrochip account enables the MPLab Code Configurator, 10GB of cloud storage, and access to the MPLab Xpress community. The use of external programming/debugging tools, such as the PICkit3, is also enabled with your myMicrochip account.

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It’s rather obvious that MPLab Xpress is aimed at new users. However, MPLab Xpress is sophisticated enough to be a viable tool for the experienced PIC programmer, as well. For those who are new to the ways of Microchip, MPLab Xpress is being offered with an inexpensive 8-bit development board dubbed the MPLab Xpress Evaluation Board. Once you sign into your myMicrochip account, you will find there are plenty of MPLab Xpress Evaluation Board code examples available. The MPLab Xpress examples are a mix of code written by Microchip personnel and independent users in the community.

Microchip's MPLAB Xpress Development Board for its 8-bit MCUs.
(Source: Microchip Technology)

The MPLab Xpress Evaluation Board has an onboard programmer, which is attached to a host personal computer via a USB portal. Once connected, the MPLab Xpress Evaluation Board takes on the look of a mass storage device. Programming and running an application is as easy as compiling the source code using MPLab Xpress and dragging-and-dropping the resultant hex file into the Xpress folder.

The Microchip Curiosity Development Board offers both programming and debugging functions. Like the MPLab Xpress Evaluation Board, the Curiosity sports an onboard programmer, which also doubles as a debugger. MPLab Xpress uses a Java-based USB Bridge application to connect to the Curiosity’s programmer/debugger through the Web browser. The USB Bridge requires the user’s computer to have the latest Java Runtime Environment installed. MPLab Xpress prompts the user to download the latest Java Runtime Environment each time the USB Bridge application is invoked. Once the JRE is installed, it is not necessary to select the JRE installation procedure when the USB Bridge application is requested. The MPLAB Code Configurator is also invoked similarly via Java and mirrors the JRE requirements of the USB Bridge application.

If you choose to use the new Explorer 8 Development Board with MPLab Xpress, your programmer/debugger will be a PICkit3. The PICkit3 is also supported by the USB Bridge application.

I’ve been watching the MPLab Xpress Wiki and code examples page. The example count grows daily, and a schematic of the MPLab Xpress Evaluation Board was recently added, showing that Microchip is solidly behind MPLab Xpress and its 8-bit line of microcontrollers. If you’re in need of an 8-bit solution or just sitting on the fence, you should take a look at MPLab Xpress.

Fred Eady is the owner of EDTP Electronics, which was established in 1988 following the publication of his first magazine article. Since the formation of EDTP Electronics, Fred has written thousands of magazine articles. He has written for all of the major electronic magazines, including Radio Electronics, Electronics Now, Nuts and Volts, Servo, MicroComputer Journal, and Circuit Cellar. To date, he has authored four books and contributed to a fifth. He currently works as a PIC microcontroller consultant and is a Microchip Authorized Design Partner. Fred also authors monthly columns in Nuts and Volts and Servo magazines. His customers include machine shops, specialty startup companies, medical machine manufacturers, coin-operated device businesses, and various other research and development companies. He has a very close working relationship with Microchip Technology, the manufacturer of PIC microcontrollers, and has taught Ethernet and WiFi classes at Microchip's annual Masters Conference.

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