Hey,
i'm pretty new to this forum aswell as the world of microcontrollers. I do have a background using hte 8051, but want to move into PICs aswell

can anyone recommend a decent PIC programmer they have used, that is realtively cheap (CAN$65 and under)? and if so, can u tell me the website and cost u paid?

USB interface would be preferencial, though Parallel ports are fine too. Potential ICSP capacity would also be good.

Thanx in advance for any help/advice

 

Hi,

I use a picstart plus but that is a bit more than you wanted to pay (over here anyway), I initially got a pickit 1 but soon after I sold it on Ebay, it would only program the "smaller" pics, otherwise it was ok, comes with a few LED's and a couple of switches onboard so you can get started without any additional hardware.

I also tried a velleman kit, but I had problems with it, so I went and got the picstart plus.

There are plenty of DIY ones on the net, which will probably work out a lot cheaper, if my picstart ever broke then I'd probably make one.

 

Try the P16PRO40, you can buy kits, or the circuit is freely available to build yourself (including on my site below).

__________________
PIC programmer software, and PIC Tutorials at:
http://www.winpicprog.co.uk

 

Ohhh, I was in such a rush when I replies, I forgot about Nigels ! I havnt used one myself, however if the programmer is as good as his tutorials then I cant imagine there being a better one around.

 

The P16PRO40 isn't my design, but it's how I would have designed one myself :lol:

It's basically an upgraded David Tait design, David Tait is the 'father of parallel port PIC programmers', the majority of homemade programmers are offshoots from his original design.

I suspect David Tait is probably more responsible for the popularity of PIC's than any other individual - he actually works at Manchester University in the UK - but no longer maintains his PIC archive.

__________________
PIC programmer software, and PIC Tutorials at:
http://www.winpicprog.co.uk

 

try the ones from kitsrus. You can buy them from Dontronics. I use the KIT150 but the KIT128 looks good. They work well, use USB and have ICSP too.

 

i made my own LPT PIC programer and i use it whith WinPIC

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Il give you shocking experience.

 

I use this one http://electronickits.com/kit/complete/prog/ck1708.htm

It works great.

__________________
"There is no way to peace, peace is the way!"

 

Why not to Build an ICD2 ?!
It's a cool programmer and also a debugger! It uses MPLAB so you can program *any* PIC you want. This is a nice ICD2 Clone:
http://stolz.de.be/

Enjoy!

__________________
"I share, thus I am"
Jay.slovak
Read this!
ICD2 Clone
Best PIC/DsPIC Bootloader

Read my Inchworm ICD2 review!

 

Very nice link. I'm sorry I did not visit this forum earlier. I broke down and bought an ICD2 from Microchip. I'm not sad about it though, it works great.

I wanted to get started with PIC development and also experiment with USB. I considered getting a PICDEM USB board but decided an ICD2 was a better investment in the long term. Microchips 2 free samples in 40 days is a great deal that I've already taken advantage of: just received a PIC18F2550 in a DIP package! Works great so far. I'm just waiting for an assortment of crystals and other miscellanoeus parts to arrive so I can actually load and run the PICDEM USB code from off Microchip's website.

Here's a picture of my current development setup:

__________________
The Dreamcast is not dead!

 

I think of www.olimex.com whenever say bout PIC programmer.

ICPROG 1.05D is now great enough.

for beginner, try with PG2C of olimex

further, try with PG3B

then, you should need ICD2 to work on PIC and dsPIC.

I'll post my own PG2C PCB somedays.

__________________
Falleaf
mail@falleaf.net
English forums at PIC Vietnam - Vietnamese Electronics forums
R&P Trading and Forwarding Co. Ltd.
Distributor of Microchip in Vietnam

 

I'm using RCD programmer, based to the JDM programmer.

So far it give me no problem to program F628, F88 and F688.

http://feng3.cool.ne.jp/en/rcd.html, this site give full of list supported PIC..

you may try it...work fine with IC-Prog and WinProg..

 

Hey

sorry haven't been able to check forum in a while.. school is killing me. Anyways, thanx for the suggestions. I have come across the many "build your own" programmers. I tried one but it didn't work. So ithought I'd buy one instead to get started. There is too much doubt for me, when i build the programmers, b/c i dont know whats goign wrong, whether its s/w or h/w or whatever. Thats why i went with buying one. Since i'm just starting i didn't want to spend alot until i'm comfortalbe with them.

I saw the DIY programmers. Been eyeing the K128, and K149. its areasonable cost with lots of support for many models. But they've been updating them as they go thru h/w and s/w methods.
Any feedback on these updates?

I also noticed the K128 only programs flash PICS (the one with 'F'). Is that a problem? dont most applications use Flash PICS? When ever is it advantagous to use CMOS (the ones with 'C') over the FLASH? I think i'll do another thread for that question.

 

K149BC is the best kit to buy since it supports Serial & USB interface and it programs using high voltage voltage programming method. Update to this kit is supplied in the form of HEX file which you need to burn in another 16F628A and replace it with the one on the programmer. Other plus point of this programmer is that it performs all operations with a blazing speed.
P.S: K149BC is same as CK1708 which I mentioned in my previous post.

K128 uses low voltage programming, so it can program only limited number of devices.

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"There is no way to peace, peace is the way!"

 

C PIC's are old and not used anymore. C does not stand for "CMOS", it stands for EPROM Program memory (the one that has to be erased using UV). So don't worry about it. F "FLASH" versions are used in 99%...

__________________
"I share, thus I am"
Jay.slovak
Read this!
ICD2 Clone
Best PIC/DsPIC Bootloader

Read my Inchworm ICD2 review!