Development tool selector guide
Microchip provides development tool support for all our silicon products.
These tools range from simple circuit boards that allow customers to gain access to fine pitch leads, high end debug tools like the Real Ice through to C Compilers for our 32-Bit PIC MCUs.
Whilst many of our products can be used in a variety of applications we often develop tools that show how our devices may be used in specific vertical markets e.g. Metering , Motor Control & Power Supplies. Microchip continues to offer world class support for our tools through www.microchip.com/support, here, customers can seek advice / request service – our aim is to keep Microchip customers developing products using our tools.
Starter kit
Starter kits provide users with a fully working ‘out of the box’ solution - customers will typically only require a PC to power / program and debug the kit. Starter kits are available for 8-/16-/32-Bit PIC® MCUs and some memory products. Starter kits may require users to download and install a copy of Microchip’s free MPLAB® IDE.
Demo Boards
General purpose demo boards typically require users to have a PICKit™, MPLAB® ICD 3 or REAL ICE™ in order to program and debug code loaded onto the MCU on the demo board . Most demo boards provide access to all the MCU pins and include prototyping space. Some boards allow the MCU to be changed, either through use of a Plug in Module (PIM) or via DIP sockets on the demo board.
Debugger
Microchip provide a range of debuggers, from the low cost PICKit™3, MPLAB® ICD3 through to the top end REAL ICE™. All our debuggers can also program our Flash PIC® Microcontrollers. Debugging typically requires access to 5 pins on the PIC MCU so for some MCUs including low pin count parts we offer ICD Headers that ‘rebuild’ the pins used up in the debug process.
PICtail™
The Microchip PICtail is a small circuit board that provides specific functionality. The ever increasing range of PICtails covers Real Time Clock Calendars, USB, Ethernet, Graphics, Wireless etc. PICtails may be plugged into various demo boards. Note that there are two types of PICtail; PICtail and PICtail Plus, please ensure you understand the compatibility of each when you are considering using them.
Analog
Microchip has a growing range of high performance Analog parts, whilst many of these analog demo boards simply provide easy access to the pin outs of some of the very small parts – others analog dev tools are more like reference designs that customers can use directly in the design of their end products.
Power Supplies
Microchip’s Power Supply development tools include simple LDO solutions, Buck, Boost and PWM, through to full Digital Control designs. Regardless of the topology, all our designs share a common goal of maximum efficiency.
Battery Chargers
Microchip’s dedicated Li-ion Charger ICs and PWM controllers are incorporated into various demo boards that can form the basis of various Battery Charging Solutions.
Wireless
A comprehensive range of certified Bluetooth, Wi-fi®, 2.4 GHz and Sub GHz wireless modules complements Microchip’s extensive range of MCUs. For modules that do not feature on board software stacks, Microchip provides license free software stacks including ZigBee, TCP/IP and Microchip’s proprietary MiWi™ networking solution.
Graphics
Microchip’s graphic offering includes: PIC® Microcontrollers that can directly drive between 60 and 480 LCD segments, PIC MCUs that support various graphical displays, either directly or indirectly and a full suite of development tools that can accelerate your designs.
Automotive
Microchip offer tools to support CAN and LIN development, these include CAN/LIN Analysers and various boards supporting our MCUs / Transceivers and Interfaces.
Metering
Microchip features heavily in many metering designs, our PIC® Microcontrollers can be found in Gas, Water, Electricity and Energy Meters whilst our Analog Front End ( AFEs ) Metering ICs provide very accurate measurement through their 16-/24-bit sigma delta ADCs. In addition our Serial Eeproms and RTCCs offer the best endurance in the Industry.
Memory
Microchip Memory tools include our popular MPLAB® Serial Eeprom Programmer, a simple UNI/O serial eeprom demonstrator and various PICtail™ boards that enable developers to add serial eeproms, serial flash, parallel flash and RTCCs to existing Microchip Demo Boards.
Motor Control
Microchip tools support the simplest of DC Brushed Motors – all the way through to much more complex AC and DC brushless designs. Fan speed control is supported by various solutions including our MTD6505 3-Phase BLDC Sensorless Fan Controller Demo Board.
Touch / Gesture
Microchip offer various development tools that can accelerate the design of capacitive touch sensing for buttons / sliders / graphical displays and touch pads. We also support resistive touch sensing for graphical displays.
Programming
Microchip provides various options when it comes to the programming of PIC® Microcontrollers, many customers will program through our in-circuit serial programming ( ICSP ) method whilst others will programme devices prior to fitting to the PCB. A comprehensive range of programming adapters supports our PM3 production programmer.
Plug in Modules
PIMs are small PCBs that contain a target MCU that may be used to configure Microchip Development Boards for a particular family of PIC® Microcontroller. Care needs to be taken when selecting the compatibility of certain PIMs to certain Development Boards.
XLP
Microchip provides various development tools that have been designed with eXtreme Low Power in mind. These boards minimise the power demands external to the PIC® Microcontroller so that users can understand / appreciate the various low power modes of XLP MCUs.
Audio
Microchip’s audio solutions demonstrate how various PIC® Microcontrollers may be used for recording, playback and mixing of speech and music. An I2S interface can be found on certain dsPIC and PIC32 MCUs.
PIC32
PIC32 hardware development may be carried out using PIC32 PIMs fitted to the Explorer 16 demo board, alternatively specific PIC32 demo boards and starter kits may be more suitable for some design work.
USB
Microchip’s range of tools support our USB enabled PIC® Microcontrollers, USB to UART Bridges, USB to SPI Bridges, USB Hubs, USB to Ethernet Controllers, USB Flash Media Controllers and USB Transceivers.
Ethernet
Microchip’s range of tools support our Ethernet enabled PIC® Microcontrollers, Standalone Ethernet Controllers, USB to Ethernet Controllers, USB and Ethernet Controllers, Ethernet Switches and Ethernet Transceivers.
Education
Microchip has various tools that are particularly suitable for educational purposes, many of these tools feature built in debug/programming or are shipped with a low cost programmer/debugger. Please consult your local Farnell Sales Office for discounts available to Schools / Universities and Colleges on selected Microchip Development Tools.
Lighting
Microchip products can be found in many lighting applications, notably ballasts, occupancy sensors, luminance controllers and various communications and controls systems.
Our recent Supertex acquisition includes LED drivers that can be found within the actual LED light bulb / tube.