Cool little pic ! PIC18F04Q20

[Fanie]

I was looking for a pic with two independent PWM's when I stumbled across the

PIC18F04Q20, 14 pin SOIC.

It is also pin compatible with the 16F684 which I use for many of my apps, except for one pin which has to do with I/O levels ? but may or may not be a problem.

This series pics is apparently new, and well priced at around 1$.

[GDeSantis]

Unfortunately, the 18F04Q20 datasheet has 1058 pages and is not an easy read.

[tumbleweed]

It is also pin compatible with the 16F684 which I use for many of my apps, except for one pin which has to do with I/O levels ?

Yeah, you lose RC2 (pin 8 ), which is now dedicated to the second VDD2 supply input which is the voltage for RC0 and RC1.

The Q20 doesn't have any analog comparators, but it does have a bunch of other peripherals over the 16F.

[top204]

The last time I looked, the newer, and smaller, 18FxxQ20 and Q24 devices were still on hold, and not released yet, so I'll check out their specs and see if I can get the data on them to add them to the compiler.

[trastikata]

18FxxQ20 and Q24 devices were still on hold, and not released yet, so I'll check out their specs and see if I can get the data on them to add them to the compiler.

Hello Les, check your PM. Regards.

[top204]

Many thanks Dyanko.

I look forward to receiving the devices and getting them up and running in the compiler.

I know I keep saying this on the forum, but we have such good people on here, and people I now consider as friends. :-)

Best regards
Les

[Fanie]

The PIC18F04Q20 and PIC18F14Q20 are on offer on Microchip's website, you can buy them.
I haven't had much time to spend on the data sheet, but there may (hopefully) be a workaround for RC2.
I made my board so it can use the 14 pin and 20 pin, narrow and wide.
It is very nice that it is pin compatible with the 16F's.
Many applications require a small micro but with better performance.

Unfortunately, the 18F04Q20 datasheet has 1058 pages and is not an easy read.

I'm just glad you don't have to order the hard copy through mail 

[tumbleweed]

I haven't had much time to spend on the data sheet, but there may (hopefully) be a workaround for RC2.

I don't know what sort of workaround you're looking for, but the Q20 has MVIO (multi-voltage IO) pins and the old RC2 pin is now used for one of the VDD pins for the other RCx IOs...

If you need RC2 then I think you're out of luck.

[John Lawton]

Definitely no port line available, although RC2 does feature in the datasheet.

John

[Fanie]

If Les is not going to support this pic, I won't blame him one bit.

And it's a shame the low voltage 1V62 does not support A/D's... low voltage levels apparently to compensate for digital voltage levels but not for amplifiers for small A/D signals (ie loadcells & thermocouples) which in mho would have been much more useful.

[top204]

I'm busy looking at the data for the new Q20 and Q24 devices, and will add them to the compiler.

They, like most other PIC devices, are just bastardisations of other PIC devices, and they follow the same architecture as the other new Q40 and Q41 devices. However, microchip have a dreadful habit of changing peripheral operations inside the device that should not be changed and have no reason to be changed... But changed they are for some reason!

Watch this space. :-)

[Fanie]

Thank you Les.

I also found the PIC16F17146 which does 12 bit A/D's, have 8 bit D/A's, independent PWM's... and run up to 32MHz, and is also a pin for pin drop in on my board for the 14 pin as well as the 20 pin, both SSOP and SOIC's.  Price is $1.20

One get the impression they design a pic model for each possible application.