Picaxe Microcontrollers

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The 28x1 Chip

The PICAXE 28x1 chip is a microcontroller.

It uses the PIC16F886 from microchip.com and the data sheet is here.
The chip has been pre-programmed by Revolution Education Ltd to allow PICAXE BASIC programs to run on it.
There are three key manuals for PICAXE ...
- 1) Getting Started
- 2) BASIC Programming
- 3) Interfacing. This is full of project ideas.
- Download the AQA Instructions starting from page 3.
The chip has two eight bit I/O ports called PORTA and PORTB
The chip has four analogue inputs with built in analogue to digital conversion.
The chip has a 4 or 16 MHz clock.
This chip includes the AQA Assembler instruction set.
Simple programs can be written using the sixteen AQA instructions.
By using PICAXE BASIC, much more interesting programs can be written.
The AQA exams will not include PICAXE BASIC.

These boards make the PICAXE safer for students to use.

The boards have power supply polarity protection and on-board 5 Volt supply regulation.
There is mechanical safety with less chance of chip legs broken off.
There is some electronic safety with built-in current limiting resistors.
A wire connecting the power terminals labelled 9 to 5 will destroy the Picaxe chip!!!

PX CCT.GIF

Here is the board layout.

Port C allows input and output.
Port B is output only.
The ADC inputs are shown.
There are some power supply connections labelled 5 5 0 0 0 0 9 9.
The 5 lines carry 5 Volts.
The 0 lines are the ground connection.
The 9 lines carry the external power supply voltage which could be 9V but is whatever your power supply provides.

PX Board.jpg

Here is the acetate mask used to make the boards.

PX LYT.GIF