For all those who develop using Microchip PICs, I just found the ET PIC Stamp module, which uses the 18F8722. Maybe some of you already know about this, but some might not, so I thought I would post it for everyone. I have never dealt with Futurlec though, so don’t know if they are decent or not, but they sure have an interesting selection of products.
I am definitely getting one of these. Just check the datasheet for all the features, including 128K Flash (without external memory) two MSSP’s that can each do I2C and SPI, two regular UARTs, external memory bus for up to 2 MB of added memory, and far to many other neat features to mention. I think one of these will become WALTER’s new main brain. I much prefer regular DIP parts, but this 18F8722 is just too good for me to pass up.
I have dealt with futurlec before. The problem with them is that they seem to neglect to tell you when items are not in stock. My order was very late without any notice from them, when I emailed them, they told me that some parts were not in stock. I then requested that they send the parts that were in stock and revome the other items, and they came reasonably quickly.
I would recomend emailing them shortly after (or even before if you want) placing your order to see if it is actually there and being sent, just so you know what is going on, cause they don’t seem to tell you unless you ask.
I would deal with them again because they are so cheap, but maybe not if I needed something in a hurry, and I would definately contact them about my order after placing it.
Hope this helps.
Did they charge you for the entire order even though some stuff was not in stock? I think I will have to e-mail them before I order to make sure the ET PIC Stamp is actually in stock before I order. I am thinking about getting two of them instead of just one.
After reading a long thread with current replies on the Electro Tech forums, I have decided to NOT do business with Futurlec, no matter that they have some very interesting products. I won’t be considering Futurlec further for anything I want.
Heh, and if you want to pay the most you can possibly pay for shipping give Heilind Electronics a try sometime.
Edit: oh, hey, futurlec is not who I was thinking of at all… they are some podunk webstore thing. I was thinking of Future Electronics which is actually a pretty big component distributor (and therefore my reference to Heilind who is also a component distributor) that is not really well slated towards hobbyists any more. Future Electronics absorbed Active Electronics (think Jameco or Digikey 10 years ago) some years ago and for awhile it was like the hobbist had opened the wide door to real electronic component distribution. Ah well, I guess digikey and mouser have picked up the slack over the years… I think I got a 10lb digikey catalog the other day, it’s like they are trying to consume more trees per catalog than Newark these days.
Ya, Digikey has better than doubled the size of their catalog in the past couple years. I didn’t notice it until a couple weeks ago when we got ours(they send us 5 at a time too, jeez).
I have never dealt with Futurlec though, so don’t know if they are decent or not, but they sure have an interesting selection of products.
