Distinguishing a PIC from an AXE

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alband

Senior Member
Some of you may have heard about my recent fiasco with Rapid, but netresult was they dealt with it well and let me keep the wrong items they sent free or charge.
Five of these items were PIC chips. Rapid sells PICAXE chips and ordinary PIC's so I was wondering if there is an easy way to tell which ones they are, without building a circuit. e.g. Does Rev-Ed mark them in any way?
They are PIC16F627A 's. I can't remember if that is the 18X base chip, and I'm sure there was a thread with a conversion table but I can't find it.
Thanks in advance,
David.
 
E

eclectic

Moderator
David.
Manual 1 page 12.

Label the Pic chips yourself. A tippex pen works great.

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hippy

hippy

Ex-Staff (retired)
No, there's no way to tell a PICAXE from a PICmicro by examining the physical chip itself. Rev-Ed sell metallised stick-on labels which can be added after purchase but do not mark the chips at manufacturing.

Running a Firmware Check is the only reliable way to determine a PICAXE is indeed a PICAXE. If dealing with a lot of PICAXE and PICmicro devices, building a small PCB, vero-board or strip-board circuit which has a download cable interface and a selection of appropriately sized sockets for PICAXE on would make sense. For a one-off check, the same can often be built on bread-board as and when required.

An unprogrammed PICAXE defaults its fixed outputs to output low after turn-on and an unprogrammed PICmicro ( usually - check the datasheets ) defaults those to input ( high-Z, tri-state ) so it could be possible to produce hardware which can discriminate between the two without requiring a Firmware Check.
 
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manuka

Senior Member
Allband: It's easy -just hold them up to the light, or flat spin them on a bench top. Apparently all the Rev. Ed goody bits congregate at the ends, making the PIC act like a spun hardboiled egg. Yes- there are some diehards who even swear by a floatation test, but IMHO all those damp pins are akin to changing babies.

Relax- just teasing!- a quick breadboard programming trial is usually all you need. FWIW I've had far more problems with students confusing 08s with 555s, or 14Ms etc with logic ICs. I personally have long insisted that all PICAXEs are suitably labelled. Rev.Ed versions are great, but it's easy enough to roll your own- see below. Stan
 

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W

westaust55

Moderator
Since you were intending to buy PICAXE in the first place you presume you have a suitable board with serial programming capability so just use the Programme Editor to check (by firmware) if it is a PICAXE.
 
A

alband

Senior Member
I actual intended to buy some other stuff (LM339's) but I ended up with these five PIC's. I would breadboard test them, but my board is allready chock full of esentials. Besides, that table in your post manuka: There is no mention of a PIC16F627A so I can assume they are PIC's.
Should soon be clear though, so I can test them then.

I'm not familiar with PIC's though. PE does have a PICmicro assembler though, so do I just right ordinary code, or do I need to learn a new language?

PS was really getting hopeful about that hold them up to the light thing, I'm so gullible.:rolleyes:
 
E

eclectic

Moderator
alband said:
I actual intended to buy some other stuff (LM339's) but I ended up with these five PIC's. I would breadboard test them, but my board is allready chock full of esentials. Besides, that table in your post manuka: There is no mention of a PIC16F627A so I can assume they are PIC's.
Should soon be clear though, so I can test them then.

I'm not familiar with PIC's though. PE does have a PICmicro assembler though, so do I just right ordinary code, or do I need to learn a new language?

PS was really getting hopeful about that hold them up to the light thing, I'm so gullible.:rolleyes:
Click to expand...
@Alband.

Suggestion 1. Buy another breadboard. They're cheap enough.
Suggestion 2. Re PIC16F27A
Look at post #2 and the Manual page reference.

Suggestion 3. Search for BAS800, on the Forum, then in the Rev Ed store.


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D

Dippy

Moderator
A ecelctic has said (twice?) check the manual (page 10 of the one I'm looking at)
"PICAXE-18 PIC16F627(A)"

So, they could be a PICAXE 18 (not X).

Do, as suggested above. Wire them up using the download circuit and check for firmware.

I have no experience of the BAS, but I believe there are limitations.
I can't see the point in parting with a wedge of cash just for 5 PICs.
Up to you, but check the spec in store first.

If, however, they are PICAXEs then you have got as close to winning the Lottery as you ever will (maybe).
 
A

alband

Senior Member
The breadboard will be free before I can buy another one, so no need to buy another.

I can now see this page on the manual, so yes it could be PICAXE.

Just to clarify what happened; I bought some stuff from rapid and they sent the wrong stuff (including these chips) and eventually sent the right stuff and said I could keep these.

So, for now, I'll just wait until breadboard is free, then check then. I just wanted to know if there was a way of telling the difference other that Firmware checks.
 
A

alband

Senior Member
Breadboard is free and I've wired one up as per standard 18X/18A. I tried the firmware button and it says nothing is connected. I've done the relevant test's I'd do on an 18X that wasn't responding and there is nothing wrong. Does this then suggest it is indeed a PIC?
 
A

alband

Senior Member
Afraid not, I thought that too. I do know that the circuit is very likely to be correct, as I have a few other chips next to "the suspect" powered off the same stuff using the same cable etc...

Edit: Might be able to borrow one on Monday though.
 
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