Overview

The PIC 16F84 has been used as a reference device so far because its architecture and operation are relatively simple compared with other PIC microcontrollers. The range of flash memory PIC chips has now expanded such that alternative devices are now available which have more features at a lower unit cost. We will continue to concentrate on PICs that have flash program memory, since these are the best choice for learning about application development, prototyping and producing one-off or low volume products. The main groups of PIC flash devices are shown in Table 8.1. They are divided into three groups, with a different prefix number: the 12XXXX series are 8-pin miniature PICs, the 16XXXX group might be described as the standard series and the 18XXXX devices as the high performance group. Full details of all these devices and the rest of the PIC range are provided at www.microchip.com, from where the individual data sheets can be downloaded as PDF files.