Matrix user forums

I am further developing one of my projects and i am running out of I/O Ports,

I am using a Pic 16F887 with :-
9 x analouge inputs on ports B and E ,
1 x Lcd Display on port D
Digital Inputs on port A
Digital outputs on port C
I now wish to add coms to this project but with no spare ports was thinking on the following options

using a MCP23S17 port expander to drive the digital inputs and the lcd display

OR

Splitting up my project to have two pics with a possable RS232 Link between the Boards
1 Board for analouge and digital outputs
1 board for Lcd display, Digital Inputs, Comms

Anybody got any sujestions / Thoughts

Steve

Just looking a the data sheet for the PIC16F887
at chapter 13.0 page 179 also table 3 on page 7

To use the master synchronous serial port (MSSP)
Are all the pins required ? I.E (NOT SS) ,SCK/SCL, SDI/SDA, SDO

As these conections are across two ports which makes things worse

steve

Go down the ECIO route, on board comms built in. I use the ECIO40 andcomms are so simple.

Ian

You might be able to use the same pins for the digital i/o and the LCD.