Comparison Chart
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(Good) |
(Much Better) |
(Even Better) |
(Best) |
| Minimum Cost | Free Download (Requires Stamp Interpreter Chip set $25.00 or Module $49.95) | Free Download (requires Atom interpreter/bootloader PIC ($20.00 or Module $49.95) | $229.95 plus Pic Programmer $59.95 and PIC $8.00 | $249.95 plus PIC Programmer $59.95 and PIC $8.00 |
| Programming Environment | Windows IDE | Windows IDE | Windows IDE | DOS or 3rd Party Windows IDE included |
| In-Circuit Debugger | Built in using programming ports but requires manually inserted DEBUG statements. | Built in and automatic with DEBUG programming option using RA4 pin programming port w/ access to all variables, special function registers, RAM and Gosub Stack | Built in and automatic with DEBUG programming option using RB6,7 on all PICs w/ access to all variables, special function registers, RAM and Gosub Stack | Requires $50 3rd party debugger that only works with Flash PICs
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| Microchip PICs Supported | Basic Stamp Interpreter chips only | Atom Firmware 16F876 and 16F877 only | PIC12CE673 ,PIC12CE674, PIC12F629, PIC12F675, PIC14000, PIC16C554, PIC16C554A, PIC16C556,PIC16C556A, PIC16C558, PIC16C558A, PIC16C61, PIC16C62, PIC16C620, PIC16C620A, PIC16C621, PIC16C621A, PIC16C622, PIC16C622A, PIC16C62A, PIC16C62B, PIC16C63, PIC16C63A, PIC16C64, PIC16C641, PIC16C642,PIC16C64A, PIC16C65, PIC16C65A, PIC16C65B, PIC16C66, PIC16C661, PIC16C662, PIC16C67, PIC16C70, PIC16C71, PIC16C710, PIC16C711, PIC16C712, PIC16C715, PIC16C716, PIC16C717, PIC16C71A, PIC16C72, PIC16C72A, PIC16C73, PIC16C73A, PIC16C73B, PIC16C74, PIC16C74A, PIC16C74B, PIC16C745, PIC16C76, PIC16C765, PIC16C77, PIC16C770, PIC16C771, PIC16C773, PIC16C774, PIC16C84, PIC16C923, PIC16C924, PIC16CE623, PIC16CE624, PIC16CE625, PIC16F627, PIC16F628, PIC16F83, PIC16F84, PIC16F84A, PIC16F870, PIC16F871, PIC16F872, PIC16F873, PIC16F873A, PIC16F874, PIC16F874A, PIC16F876, PIC16F876A, PIC16F877, PIC16F877A, PIC16F73, PIC16F74, PIC16F76, PIC16F77 | 12C508(A), 12C509(A), 12CE518, 12CE519: Limited support.
12C671, 12C672, 12CE673, 12CE674, 12F629, 12F675: Supported. 14000: Supported. 16C432, 16C433: Supported. 16C505, 16C54(AC), 16C55(A), 16C56(A), 16C57(C), 16C58(B), 16HV540: Limited support. 16C554, 16C557, 16C558, 16C61, 16C62(AB), 16C620(A), 16C621(A), 16C622(A), 16C63(A), 16C64(A), 16C642, 16C65(AB), 16C66, 16C662, 16C67, 16C71, 16C710, 16C711, 16C712, 16C715, 16C716, 16C717, 16C72(A), 16C73(AB), 16C74(AB), 16C745, 16C76, 16C765, 16C77, 16C770, 16C771, 16C773, 16C774, 16C781, 16C782, 16C84, 16C923, 16C924, 16C925, 16C926, 16CE623, 16CE624, 16CE625, 16F54, 16F57, 16F627(A), 16F628(A), 16F630, 16F648A, 16F676, 16F72, 16F73, 16F74, 16F76, 16F77, 16F818, 16F819, 16F83, 16F84(A), 16F870, 16F871, 16F872, 16F873(A), 16F874(A), 16F876(A), 16F877(A): Supported. 17C42A, 17C43, 17C44, 17C752, 17C756(A), 17C762, 17C766: Supported. 18C242, 18C442, 18C252, 18C452, 18C601, 18C658, 18C801, 18C858, 18F1220, 18F1320, 18F2220, 18F2320, 18F242, 18F2439, 18F248, 18F252, 18F2539, 18F258, 18F4220, 18F4320, 18F442, 18F4439, 18F448, 18F452, 18F4539, 18F458, 18F6520, 18F6525, 18F6585, 18F6620, 18F6621, 18F6680, 18F6720, 18F8520, 18F8525, 18F8585, 18F8620, 18F8621, 18F8680, 18F8720: Supported. PicStic1, PicStic2, PicStic3, PicStic4, PicStic1 2k, PicStic2 2k, PicStic3 2k, PicStic4 2k, PicStic5: Supported. rfPIC12C509AF, rfPIC12C509AG, rfPIC12F675F, rfPIC12F675H,
rfPIC12F675K: Supported (select 12C509A or 12F675)
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| Upgrade | Free Download | Free Download | Free update via email with BasicMicro.com | $25 update fee via contact with microEngineering Labs |
| Method of Compile | Isn't a compiler at all.
Firmware in the interpreter chip has all commands preprogrammed in. Programming software just sends tokens to external memory chip. More like interpreted Basic of early computer days. |
Compiler tokenizes all commands and produces a .hex file for programming into any supported PIC. Assembly file and listing files are not available. | Compiler tokenizes all commands and produces a .hex file for programming into any supported PIC. Assembly file and listing files are not available. | True compiler capable of producing listing file, assembly file and industry standard .hex file. |
| Size of .hex file produced | Doesn't produce one. | Very large for small programs but is much more efficient as program grows beyond 3k. | Very large for small programs but is much more efficient as program grows beyond 3k. | Very small .hex file for small to large programs. |
| Floating Point Math | No | Yes | Yes | No, not directly, requires a work around using special add in files. |
| Support for signed 32 bit variables | No | Yes | Yes | No, not directly, requires a work around using special add in files. |
| Execution speed | 4,000 instructions/second @ 20 Mhz | 33,000 instructions/second @ 20 Mhz | 33,000 instructions/second @ 20 Mhz | 40,000+ instructions/second @20Mhz |
| Programming method | RS232 port serial communication | RS232 port bootloader only | Any PIC Programmer or Bootloader | Any PIC Programmer or Bootloader |
| New PICs supported quickly | No | No | Slowly | Fastest in the industry |
| Works in MPLAB | No | No | No | Yes |
| Assembly Language inserts | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Include file inserts | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Interrupts in Basic | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Interrupts in Assembly | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Basic commands for PIC features (A/D, HPWM, Timers, etc) | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| CoMmands to drive LCD | No | Yes | Yes | Yes
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| Books about compiler written by Chuck Hellebuyck |
No | Coming Soon | Coming Soon | Yes!!!! |
| elproducts.com special package pricing | Don't offer it and don't recommend it | OEM Starter Package $99.95 or BasicBoard Starter package $149.95 | MBasic Pro starter package $329.95 | PicBasic Pro Starter Package with bootloader version of BasicBoard $329.95 |