We think the P-Star 25K50 Micro is a compelling alternative to just buying a PIC18F25K50 in the SPDIP package because the P-Star has many features that make the PIC18F25K50 easier to use:
- Integrated Micro-USB connector
- Three user-controllable LEDs
- Precision 16 MHz crystal
- Can be powered either from USB or an external 5.5 V to 15 V supply without the need to change any jumpers
- Ships with a proprietary USB bootloader developed by Pololu for the P-Star
- Bootloader is usable from Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X with open source software
For more information, check out the P-Star 25K50 Micro page, and let us know what you think!
By the way, I also posted this on the Microchip forum.
--David Grayson