diff --git a/rp2040-hal/examples/pio_proc_blink.rs b/rp2040-hal/examples/pio_proc_blink.rs
index d395e2d..b82658a 100644
--- a/rp2040-hal/examples/pio_proc_blink.rs
+++ b/rp2040-hal/examples/pio_proc_blink.rs
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ fn main() -> ! {
         .clock_divisor(div)
         .build(sm0);
     // The GPIO pin needs to be configured as an output.
-    sm.set_pindirs_with_mask(1 << led_pin_id, 1 << led_pin_id);
+    sm.set_pindirs([(led_pin_id, hal::pio::PinDir::Output)]);
     sm.start();
 
     // PIO runs in background, independently from CPU
diff --git a/rp2040-hal/src/pio.rs b/rp2040-hal/src/pio.rs
index 8b87d9f..01ceb78 100644
--- a/rp2040-hal/src/pio.rs
+++ b/rp2040-hal/src/pio.rs
@@ -360,6 +360,28 @@ impl<P: PIOExt, SM: StateMachineIndex> ValidStateMachine for (P, SM) {
     }
 }
 
+/// Pin State in the PIO
+///
+/// Note the GPIO is able to override/invert that.
+#[derive(Debug, PartialEq, Eq, Clone, Copy)]
+pub enum PinState {
+    /// Pin in Low state.
+    High,
+    /// Pin in Low state.
+    Low,
+}
+
+/// Pin direction in the PIO
+///
+/// Note the GPIO is able to override/invert that.
+#[derive(Debug, PartialEq, Eq, Clone, Copy)]
+pub enum PinDir {
+    /// Pin set as an Input
+    Input,
+    /// Pin set as an Output.
+    Output,
+}
+
 /// PIO State Machine (uninitialized, without a program).
 #[derive(Debug)]
 pub struct UninitStateMachine<SM: ValidStateMachine> {
@@ -500,56 +522,58 @@ impl<SM: ValidStateMachine> StateMachine<SM, Stopped> {
         }
     }
 
-    /// Sets the pin directions for the specified pins.
+    /// Sets the pin state for the specified pins.
     ///
-    /// The `pins` parameter specifies a set of pins as a mask, and `pindir` contains the
-    /// directions that are configured for these pins. The bits in both masks correspond to the pin
-    /// number. The user has to make sure that they do not select any pins that are in use by any
+    /// The user has to make sure that they do not select any pins that are in use by any
     /// other state machines of the same PIO block.
     ///
-    /// This function needs to be called for sideset pins if they are supposed to be used as
-    /// output pins.
-    pub fn set_pindirs_with_mask(&mut self, mut pins: u32, pindir: u32) {
-        let mut pin = 0;
-        let prev_pinctrl = self.sm.sm().sm_pinctrl.read().bits();
-        // For each pin in the mask, we select the pin as a SET pin and then execute "set PINDIRS,
-        // <direction>".
-        while pins != 0 {
-            if (pins & 1) != 0 {
-                self.sm.sm().sm_pinctrl.write(|w| {
-                    unsafe {
-                        w.set_count().bits(1);
-                        w.set_base().bits(pin as u8);
-                    }
-                    w
-                });
-                let set_pindirs = pio::Instruction {
-                    operands: pio::InstructionOperands::SET {
-                        destination: pio::SetDestination::PINDIRS,
-                        data: ((pindir >> pin) & 0x1) as u8,
-                    },
-                    delay: 0,
-                    side_set: None,
+    /// The iterator's item are pairs of `(pin_number, pin_state)`.
+    pub fn set_pins(&mut self, pins: impl IntoIterator<Item = (u8, PinState)>) {
+        let saved_ctrl = self.sm.sm().sm_pinctrl.read();
+        for (pin_num, pin_state) in pins {
+            self.sm
+                .sm()
+                .sm_pinctrl
+                .write(|w| unsafe { w.set_base().bits(pin_num).set_count().bits(1) });
+            self.set_instruction(
+                pio::InstructionOperands::SET {
+                    destination: pio::SetDestination::PINS,
+                    data: if PinState::High == pin_state { 1 } else { 0 },
                 }
-                .encode(SideSet::new(false, 0, false));
-                self.sm.sm().sm_instr.write(|w| {
-                    unsafe {
-                        w.sm0_instr().bits(set_pindirs);
-                    }
-                    w
-                });
-            }
-            pin += 1;
-            pins >>= 1;
+                .encode(),
+            );
         }
-        // We modified PINCTRL, yet the program assumes a certain configuration, so restore the
-        // previous value.
-        self.sm.sm().sm_pinctrl.write(|w| {
-            unsafe {
-                w.bits(prev_pinctrl);
-            }
-            w
-        });
+        self.sm
+            .sm()
+            .sm_pinctrl
+            .write(|w| unsafe { w.bits(saved_ctrl.bits()) });
+    }
+
+    /// Set pin directions.
+    ///
+    /// The user has to make sure that they do not select any pins that are in use by any
+    /// other state machines of the same PIO block.
+    ///
+    /// The iterator's item are pairs of `(pin_number, pin_dir)`.
+    pub fn set_pindirs(&mut self, pindirs: impl IntoIterator<Item = (u8, PinDir)>) {
+        let saved_ctrl = self.sm.sm().sm_pinctrl.read();
+        for (pinnum, pin_dir) in pindirs {
+            self.sm
+                .sm()
+                .sm_pinctrl
+                .write(|w| unsafe { w.set_base().bits(pinnum).set_count().bits(1) });
+            self.set_instruction(
+                pio::InstructionOperands::SET {
+                    destination: pio::SetDestination::PINDIRS,
+                    data: if PinDir::Output == pin_dir { 1 } else { 0 },
+                }
+                .encode(),
+            );
+        }
+        self.sm
+            .sm()
+            .sm_pinctrl
+            .write(|w| unsafe { w.bits(saved_ctrl.bits()) });
     }
 }