Introduction
Embedded programming has become a very popular hobby. Arduino boards are used in creative projects posted all over the internet. Although it is a wonderful way to build embedded systems, it may not be for you. If any of the following apply, then this guide may be for you:
- You want to be able to build embedded projects for very little cost.
- You are interested in learning the inner-workings of a microcontroller.
- You find it satisfying to build something from scratch.
- You already know one of the other embedded platforms and wish to expand your knowledge.
This guide makes the following assumptions:
- You know basic electrical theory such as Ohm's law.
- You have at least some programming experience in C.
- You have basic knowledge of electrical components.
- You have a digital multimeter and know how to use it.
- You have a PICkit2 or PICkit3 programmer.
- You have a PIC16F690 microcontroller.
It is not necessary to use a PIC16F690 to follow this guide, however this guide assumes you will. This means that there might be slight differences in my guide to your chip. Refer to your particular chip's datasheet for more information.
Best of luck and happy programming!