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Issue #204 July 2007
Are You Up for 16 Bits?
A look at Microchip's Family of 16 -Bit Microcontrollers
by Jeff Bachiochi
Start | Microchip's 16-Bit Family |Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Moe | PIC24F | PIC24H | Need DSP? | dsPIC30/33 | Standard Features | Peripheral Pin Select | DSP | DMA | Jump-Start PCBs | SMPS for $750 | Think, Enter, Win | Sources & PDF
MICROCHIP’S 16-BIT FAMILY
If
you have experience working with Microchip’s 8-bit microcontrollers, you
won’t be surprised that Microchip’s policy has been smooth migration from
the lowest (six-pin) 8-bit MPU to the highest (100-pin) 16-bit DSC. The
code compatibility, packaging, and tools remain remarkably consistent
when migrating between families.
One of the best ways to present the advantages of the 16-bit family is to compare it to its 8-bit counterpart. Table 1 shows the total 8-bit family (which is extremely flavorful) compared to the two groups in the 16-bit embedded controller family. You may be surprised by the cost comparison in the last row of the table. There is no large premium for moving up to the higher-performance family.
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