Getting Started with PICs

["Dean Smith" <ukha@xxxxxxx>]

I've seen numerous posts since joining this and other groups that suggests
all manner of smart things are possible if only you can programme your own
PICs!.

Now I have a project in mind - I would like to control a LCD, a few LEDs
(say up to 4) and recieve input from up to 8 buttons. (possibly a DS1820
aswell) And control the whole lot with a single Cat5 via RS232. I'm
guessing
my requirements are therefore: a UART and Enough I/O for LCD(8?) + LEDs +
Buttons. The LCD would have a basic menu structure which I'm hoping would
be
in the PIC rather than the Host Computer.

I can programme the basics(!) in Basic (and have dabbled in C in the past)
but assembler (despite 1 project on a BBC-B upwards of 15 years ago)
remains
a mystery. I assume LCDs are well supported by libraries for the common PIC
so I wont have to reinvent the wheel ?

Despite much googling I still remain a little baffled by the myriad of
possibilities. I've no doubt there is no "correct" answer but
what would
peoples opinions be on a suitable way to get started and what are the
likely
costs ?

Thanks

Dean