In this section we will consider how the PICmicro hardware works, how it is arranged and how we control it from C. We will also look at a few computing terms, and how they are applied to the PICmicro and C programs.

We will learn just enough about each PICmicro feature to enable us to use it. These notes are not a replacement for the PICmicro datasheet, but they should serve as a more gentle introduction to the PICmicro hardware.

Once you have got the hang of the device you should be able to read the datasheet with no fear!

However, before we can get to grips with the PICmicro we must consider some computing and hardware terms, and the way that numbers are represented.

View the datasheet for the PIC16F8X range of chips (including the PIC16F84 used in the PICmicro development board).

Other datasheets are available from the Arizona Microchip web site at http://www.microchip.com.