A first idea for a super simple RS232 temperature probe with the temp PIC: ftp://panteltje.com/pub/PIC_RS232_temperature_probe_img_1439.jpg
The PIC is powered from DTR and RTS, both normally +. It will send the temp like this at 9600 Baud 1 start bit, 8 data bits and 1 stop bit:
27°C
28°C
28°C
28°C
29°C
29°C
29°C
29°C
29°C
etc.. Holding my finger on it :-)
This is nice if you want to monitor some heatsink while testing. That way you can log temps too :-)
I am dedicating a web page to that temp-PIC, the source code is there too:
This diagram will be there once I build it (do not hold your breath). It should also work with RS232 to USB adaptors (just measured about 6.8 volts from these), and with my terminal program ptlrc in Linux:
Note: In this diagram pins 8,7,6 of the PIC go to ground, not very clear here.