Basic Compiler for a PIC "Clone" IC Possible?

[madhan7710]

Hi,

I came across a chinese MCU which is a PIC clone. Seems very cheaper. The company recommends PICC 9.83 as compiler. Though it has few additional features than PIC which some minor changes are needed with device header files. Is it possible to use proton or pbp to add a new device to make the clone device to work with basic compilers? Has anyone tried to add a new device in any of these compilers?

[TucoRamirez]

any link or name of the component?

[papy_bidouille]

clone of which pic 10fxx, 12fxx, 16fxx 18, 24, 32 ??

picss there are many

[madhan7710]

any link or name of the component?

MDT series. I can attach a datasheet tomorrow.

[Sideshow Bob]

MDT series. I can attach a datasheet tomorrow.

Post a link like you should have on your first post. Anyway be sure they do not have OTP rom. OTP is an abbreviation for one time programmable. So for a hobbyist that is not very smart. And they do most probably lack any debug options. You will not save anything on these chips

[sadman]

Hi,

I came across a chinese MCU which is a PIC clone. Seems very cheaper. The company recommends PICC 9.83 as compiler. Though it has few additional features than PIC which some minor changes are needed with device header files. Is it possible to use proton or pbp to add a new device to make the clone device to work with basic compilers? Has anyone tried to add a new device in any of these compilers?

Better share link to that web page so every one can check and analyze

[madhan7710]

Post a link like you should have on your first post. Anyway be sure they do not have OTP rom. OTP is an abbreviation for one time programmable. So for a hobbyist that is not very smart. And they do most probably lack any debug options. You will not save anything on these chips

Ofcourse OTP is not useful for many and this is not OTP...

Link:
http://www.origin-gd.com/

Attached a datasheet for reference. unfortunately there is no English datasheet available for now. Though the MCU is based on PIC16 Coreit cannot be programmed with PICKIT2 or PK3. They have changed the programming protocol to their own which needs a dedicated programmer from them. Its something like LGT MCU which is a AVR clone.

Note: They have 2 types of PIC clone. One starts with MDT and another series starts with MS which the later series is the latest one.

EDIT : Attached datasheet is equivalent to PIC16F630.

[Ahmad_k]

As i can see the assembly language syntax is different, so no you cannot use PROTON or any other compiler made specially and only for PIC series . Maybe you can take the assembly file generated by your favorite compiler, change assembly syntax and rebuild it using MPLAB or MPASM command line.

I have searched all resources on HITECH, those are supported. So maybe this company will provide you with a modified version of C compiler

[madhan7710]

They have sent the same Hitech picc 9.83 version only to compile. They have sent few sample codes too. If you are interested i can send them to you... The price of the mcu is so cheap and that's the reason i thought  we should give a try.

[Ahmad_k]

I am not interrested and i won't even give it a try. i don't trust those kind of chips. Genuine PIC16 microchip is also very cheap in bulk quantity.

[Sideshow Bob]

I do not understand. The firm Hitech was acquired by Microchip in about 2012. Any Hitech PIC C compiler has not been maintained since then. And you can not use a standard PIC programmer. The site is only in Chinese. And the same goes for the documentation. Unless you can read Chinese fluent. I do not see how these chips can be good for you. And I am also sure the pricing is for a minimum order of 1000 or more. Do you need that many chips?

[pickit2]

I find it strange that Microchip state on their datasheets, Not to be used for Medical Projects.
most members here will use a device that is well supported, users that need to buy devices in bulk.
will do so with deals.
Most will tend to use the same devices they learnt at school, or their workplace.

[Sideshow Bob]

I find it strange that Microchip state on their datasheets, Not to be used for Medical Projects.
most members here will use a device that is well supported, users that need to buy devices in bulk.
will do so with deals.
Most will tend to use the same devices they learnt at school, or their workplace.

I think that is more related to an exclusion of liability for the US market. Like we told you not to do that. So do not even think to sue us. 

[madhan7710]

There is no MOQ and the approximate price for a 2K flash MCU is 0.1 USD + shipping & other taxes.

Edit : Seems they are microchip official design partner. Though am not sure if it is true.

[pickit2]

There is no MOQ and the approximate price for a 2K flash MCU is 0.1 USD + shipping & other taxes.

Edit : Seems they are microchip official design partner. Though am not sure if it is true.

they could be cheap microchip devices like the ones from the start of the production run.
they don't meet the full specs, or the tail end still out of spec.
or even a special order from microchip, with limited pinouts- or even re-ordered pins.
a company I word for ordered a special run that was two devices put on the same raft,
I had a photo of before it was encased, above my work bench, we had a site visit and one of the visitors
said 'we knew you done something like that, it took a while to workout what you had done.'
that photo was missing after the midday break. 

[Vineyards]

I find it strange that Microchip state on their datasheets, Not to be used for Medical Projects.

They are just walking in the footsteps of their bigger brother. Check this one out from Intel's website:

"Use of Intel Products: Intel products are not intended for use in medical, life saving, life sustaining applications. UNLESS OTHERWISE AGREED IN WRITING BY INTEL, THE INTEL PRODUCTS ARE NOT DESIGNED NOR INTENDED FOR ANY APPLICATION IN WHICH THE FAILURE OF THE INTEL PRODUCT COULD CREATE A SITUATION WHERE PERSONAL INJURY OR DEATH MAY OCCUR."

[madhan7710]

As pickit2 said they seem to manufacture only the baseline device from microchip. Maybe be they must have taken license to manufacture these out-of-date MCU with minor modifications from microchip. i have got the device selection guide and they don't have a MCU with greater than 4K flash and highest pin count is 20. Still seems good for some kind of bulk manufacturing to replace any digital logic ic to save space and cost. They do have OTP and they are half of their flash MCU cost.

[Sideshow Bob]

Well just order some and see how it goes. I would like to hear how it went.

[Manuel]

Like Sideshow Bob,

waiting for news.....

X!

[TucoRamirez]

how long a partner certificate last?  theirs is from 2007?

[madhan7710]

Sideshow Bob & Manuel... Ordered few samples and a programmer. Dont know when it will reach my hand because of shipping delay. Will test and post an update as soon as i get them.

Don't know if they are still microchips design partner. I think it must have a validity of 2 to 5 years only.

[tomywong]

I still use MDT2005 and MDT2020 at the moment. It is cheap, but it only can program once. I use CC5X C compiler for development. The chip quality not bad.