[PIC] Where do I start learning micro controllers and using them?

I am near retirement at my job where I have been working for 25 years doing software engineering. I want to get back to my first love which is electronics and I figure that I will join my profession to my first love so, I have opted to get into micro controllers.

The formal education I got before I got into doing the bachelors for computer was electronics engineering technology. I just want to marry the two in my old age.

There are so many micro controllers to choose from or actually disciplines. I see basic stamp, PIC Arduino ...etc. From what I have read, Arduino as well as basic stamp is sort of a development platform to design and build circuits that get powered by a micro controller. Plus, the cost to purchase just a basic stamp is sort of steep as compared to a PIC.

So, by my way of thinking, PIC is the way to go as far as a good place to start and learn about.

From the training I had back in the day as my final design project was a Z80 microprocessor system that did some A to D to control temperature and display the results...etc. I do have the knowledge to work on the hardware side.

Pic appears to be very similar to what I did back in the day except back in the day, I had to program the PROMs using assembler where today using a PIC, one has a higher level language such as C or C++.

Can anyone give me any ideas or tell me if I am wrong in my way of thinking? Can any recommendations be made?

Sir, as you have mentioned you already have experience with Z-80 the good old days micro....
If you don't mind then I will request you to soil your hand with Arduino, BeagleBone, cubieboard are few of the good platforms.

though these are programmed with c/c++ or dialect of these. and they also can incorporate an operating system, which takes care of low level hardware handling. so you can concentrate on the features you wan to implement.

Sir,
For starters, you can buy an 8/16 bit PIC development board from www.microchipdirect.com or https://www.mikroe.com/pic/development-boards and start practicing.
You can get many documentation and support for PIC controllers...
The Programming IDE & Compiler also you can get for free...

- Sathya

As someone in a similar situation, I would suggest going right back to basics and starting with a simple PIC and DIY hardware. I'm guessing what you want is satisfaction from a hobby rather than being fastest to market with a new product. Arduino, Beaglebone, Raspberry Pi and the likes are all excellent products but there's something about using a hot soldering iron that they skip over.

As you have experience with Z80, you will find things are MUCH easier these days. PICs (my favorites) have a tiny amount of memory compared to most Z80 systems but they are so much more code efficient and they have most of the peripherals you would need built right on the silicon. Theoretically, you can make a working PIC computer system with only two components, a capacitor across the supply pins and the PIC itself!

Brian.

I'll second the suggestion of getting a PIC evaluation board. I have a similar background as yours but I was more 8080/85. I started using PICs at work (I design test equipment) since others here used them so I had a knowledge base to tap into. I purchased a PICKit 3 programmer and evaluation board combo (PN DV164131) for $70 USD. I figured I would need the programmer anyway so it was a good learning experience using the evaluation board that came in the package.

I see nothing wrong with any of the suggestions - I think many of us have similar backgrounds
If you wanted you could build your own dev kit on veroboard - a 40 pin PIC - 2x16 display - 4x4 keyboard
is easy enough (I knocked one together myself not so long ago - added some voice chips and had a pretty useful
demo box in no time ) - and you can have USB and ports of all sorts to play with. Or you could buy a dev
board as suggested if you already have an end product in mind. My prefered toolchain is mikroe.

Thank you very much folks for the great information. I am using the information received here and I am certain I will be successful. Again, thanks!