PICPLD - PIC and CPLD Board

Programmable logic is great for certain jobs. Microcontrollers are great for certain jobs. What could be better than bringing the best of both worlds together?

The PICPLD board is a combination of our GPMPU28 PIC development board, and our PBX84 Xilinx CPLD development board. Integrated into one, you can use the processor and the CPLD in tandem to do tasks that would be difficult to do with either system alone.

Now, the PIC16F873A that ships with the PICPLD is preprogrammed with an easy-to-use boot loader so that you don't need a PIC programmer at all! Of course, if you prefer to use a PIC programmer, you can simply erase the PIC and do whatever you like with it. You can read all about boot loader support.

The full kit provides a PIC16F873A and a XC9572. However, you can use practically any 28-pin PIC (including the PIC18F252) as well as any 84-pin XC95xx CPLD (for example, the XC95108) if you need to handle more complex tasks. Of course, the most exciting prospect is using the CPLD as a "super I/O" device for the PIC. We provide several examples of doing this (coming soon at http://tutor.awce.com), although the only real limit is your imagination. For example, suppose you need many digital outputs and one extra PWM output that runs at all times (in addition to the PIC's built-in PWM). You can program the PICPLD to handle the job. Here's a simple schematic:

Key Links Tutorials About the Boot Loader

The PICIO1 block is provided by AWC. It allows you to shift an 11-bit word into the CPLD. The block provides 4 8-bit ports (the 11-bits include a start bit, a two-bit address, and an 8-bit data byte). Three of these ports are connected to the outside world. However, the fourth port is connected to an AWC-provided PWM block. This 8-bit block produces PWM at a maximum frequency of 10MHz!

The PIC code is equally simple thanks to the AWC library included that works with the PICIO block:

      movlw 3           ; select channel
        movwf chan
        movf dutycycle,w  ; get duty cycle to dbyte
        movwf dbyte
        call sendpld      ; send data to PLD

AWC provides a variety of examples that you can use to read and write data to the CPLD. Of course, you can also roll your own using schematics, Verilog, or VHDL on the CPLD and any language you wish on the PIC.

This opens up a whole new world to PIC programmers and greatly simplifies many CPLD designs. Note that you do need a PIC programmer to program the PIC (or you can use the built-in boot loader). In addition, you need a JTAG interface to program the CPLD (a JTAG board is included with "the works" kit).

Get it Now!

Sorry. These items are out of stock

PICPLD board kit (all parts including XC9572 and JTAG adapter) $99.95

PICPLD board kit with PIC18F252 (all parts including XC9572 and JTAG adapter; no boot loader) $114.95

PICPLD board kit (no JTAG adapter, no PIC chip, and no PLD) $74.95

PICPLD boot loader PIC (16F873with boot loader preprogrammed) $12.50 each

Serial cable (DB9 female to male, 6') $8.99