Program PICs without a PC! Isn't is so cool? - Electronic Circuits Projects Diagrams Free

Funny NYPD · 13th April 2008, 04:25 AM

The recent released Microchip PICkit 2 programmer V2.50 finally supports the programmer-to-go feature, which also clears the confuse why there is two 24LC512 on board.

We did some quick test and cannot say enough how much we love this feature.

Finally, we can Program PICs without a PC with a very low cost tool. Isn't it so cool?

donniedj · 13th April 2008, 06:26 PM

Very nice. I tested it just now. But is there a feature to Power the device after programming as it does when connected to the PC? Still figuring this one out because I use the PICkit2 as my main source of board power.

Funny NYPD · 15th April 2008, 05:15 PM

With my enhanced PICkit 2 design, the BB0703 (PICkit 2) has a dedicated power regulator and power connector to generate a +5V supply.

If you turn off the "programmer-to-go" feature on your PICkit 2 and your target chip/board consume small current (e.g. <20 mA), you should be able to use it to power the target chip/board directly.

When I developed the PIC12F508, I did use the regulated +5V from BB0703 (PICkit 2), and the PIC12F508 chip drives 5 running-LED directly, it seems working fine.

If your target board consume large current, I strongly recommend use an external power supply.

**Jay.slovak** · 15th April 2008, 05:42 PM

This is a nice little feature, you can build yourself a mini programming line, sort of.

BTW the program you want to 'burn' to the PICs has a length restriction, some 100 thousand bytes (2*512 K of onboard EEPROM ), but there is an official guide how you can extend this two times by changing the EEPROM chips and patching the PICkit2 program's ini file...

Funny NYPD · 15th April 2008, 06:37 PM

True, you can hack the EEPROM system to about 256K bytes. And Microchip has a document to teach you how.

blueroomelectronics · 15th April 2008, 06:44 PM

Can you point to or post the document?

**Jay.slovak** · 15th April 2008, 06:48 PM

Sure, here you go:

http://ww1.microchip.com/downloads/e...er%20Guide.pdf

Funny NYPD · 15th April 2008, 07:06 PM

Here is a step by step guide for PICkit2 "programmer-to-go" feature.
http://www.auelectronics.com/UserMan...rammerToGo.htm

An Au Group Electronics BB0703 (Enhanced version of PICkit 2) has been used as a demonstration, any other versions of PICkit 2 (compatible with Microchip recommended schematic) can be used too.

A pdf version will be loaded to this forum under electric books section too.
(I am having some issue to get it attached. Hope some forum Moderator can help.)

Funny NYPD · 17th April 2008, 04:16 PM

A you tube video on "programmer-to-go, program without a PC" feature has been loaded on the following webpage:
http://www.auelectronics.com/System-PICkit2.htm

LabRat · 18th April 2008, 06:30 PM

Bill,

Any thoughts to a JuneBug daughter board? (Why?? Why not?!!)

blueroomelectronics · 18th April 2008, 06:56 PM

Sure, a DIY board is possible. It would be the addition of one or two 24LC512 or 24LC1024 EEPROMs. I could draw up a PCB layout that would go in the long top connector if anyone wants it. Maybe add a 5V (4xAA NiMH) connector for power instead of USB or AC adapter.
By far the most portible if you use the feature alot; would be a Genuine PICkit2 as they are really small.

LabRat · 18th April 2008, 07:59 PM

I was going through this and saw two possibilities.

1. Something to plug in off the top connector (as you indicated)
2. Pop the 18F2550 and put in a board that would "sandwich" in between the 18F2550 and the socket. Given the small size of the 24LCxxx's, the board might just fit with a mild canti-lever over top of the caps/etc that are there.
(but not far enough to overhang the LED's and buttons)
This would leave the top connector un-touched, AND create a generic solution that could be added into any 18F2550 circuit looking to expand with some i2c flash.
The down side: the need to use something like a wire-wrap socket to get pins long enough to extend down into the JuneBug.

Thoughts?

Oh yeah.. I already picked up a pair of 25LC512's from Digi-key..

blueroomelectronics · 18th April 2008, 08:49 PM

LOL, well the cost of adding the EEPROMs to the Junebug as a finished kit would make the kit larger. But I'll layout a single sided PCB for anyone wanting to try their hand at etching a PCB. Did you get DIP or SOIC?

LabRat · 18th April 2008, 09:02 PM

Perhaps I wasn't clear. I was talking about an expansion board that would plug into the existing 18F2550 socket, and have the 18F2550 plug into "it".
See the PORTB Expansion discussions for the JuneBug. Looking at it the chip head on, so that you would see only two pins with the rest lined up behind them...

Code:

   18F2550
   |Socket|            Teeny tiny  Expansion board
   ~~~~~~~~~~~~
   |      |
   |      |

Plugs into 18F2550 socket of the JuneBug.

Ok.. my ascii graphing capabilities seems to have faded with time.

**3v0** · 19th April 2008, 01:02 AM

A board between the processor and the junbug is way too much work to hang a pair of eeproms on it. Take a look at the pickit2 schematics. I built a single EEPROM version on bit of perf board in no time flat. It was so easy I did not make a PCB and I hate point to point. This is very easy to do.

13th April 2008, 04:25 AM	(permalink)
Funny NYPD Experienced Member	Program PICs without a PC! Isn't is so cool? The recent released Microchip PICkit 2 programmer V2.50 finally supports the programmer-to-go feature, which also clears the confuse why there is two 24LC512 on board. We did some quick test and cannot say enough how much we love this feature. Finally, we can Program PICs without a PC with a very low cost tool. Isn't it so cool? __________________ Funny N., Au Group Electronics, USA, www.AuElectronics.com

13th April 2008, 06:26 PM	(permalink)
donniedj Experienced Member	Very nice. I tested it just now. But is there a feature to Power the device after programming as it does when connected to the PC? Still figuring this one out because I use the PICkit2 as my main source of board power. __________________ I can still log in! Delete my account and all my post now.

15th April 2008, 05:15 PM	(permalink)
Funny NYPD Experienced Member	With my enhanced PICkit 2 design, the BB0703 (PICkit 2) has a dedicated power regulator and power connector to generate a +5V supply. If you turn off the "programmer-to-go" feature on your PICkit 2 and your target chip/board consume small current (e.g. <20 mA), you should be able to use it to power the target chip/board directly. When I developed the PIC12F508, I did use the regulated +5V from BB0703 (PICkit 2), and the PIC12F508 chip drives 5 running-LED directly, it seems working fine. If your target board consume large current, I strongly recommend use an external power supply. __________________ Funny N., Au Group Electronics, USA, www.AuElectronics.com

15th April 2008, 05:42 PM	(permalink)
Jay.slovak Super Moderator	This is a nice little feature, you can build yourself a mini programming line, sort of. BTW the program you want to 'burn' to the PICs has a length restriction, some 100 thousand bytes (2512 K of onboard EEPROM ), but there is an official guide how you can extend this two times by changing the EEPROM chips and patching the PICkit2 program's ini file... __________________ "I share, thus I am"* Jay.slovak Read this! ICD2 Clone Best PIC/DsPIC Bootloader Read my Inchworm ICD2 review!

15th April 2008, 06:37 PM	(permalink)
Funny NYPD Experienced Member	True, you can hack the EEPROM system to about 256K bytes. And Microchip has a document to teach you how. __________________ Funny N., Au Group Electronics, USA, www.AuElectronics.com

15th April 2008, 06:44 PM	(permalink)
blueroomelectronics Experienced Member Blog Entries: 4	Can you point to or post the document? __________________ Bill Smart Kits build Smart People http://www.blueroomelectronics.com

15th April 2008, 06:48 PM	(permalink)
Jay.slovak Super Moderator	Sure, here you go: http://ww1.microchip.com/downloads/e...er%20Guide.pdf __________________ "I share, thus I am" Jay.slovak Read this! ICD2 Clone Best PIC/DsPIC Bootloader Read my Inchworm ICD2 review!

15th April 2008, 07:06 PM	(permalink)
Funny NYPD Experienced Member	Here is a step by step guide for PICkit2 "programmer-to-go" feature. http://www.auelectronics.com/UserMan...rammerToGo.htm An Au Group Electronics BB0703 (Enhanced version of PICkit 2) has been used as a demonstration, any other versions of PICkit 2 (compatible with Microchip recommended schematic) can be used too. A pdf version will be loaded to this forum under electric books section too. (I am having some issue to get it attached. Hope some forum Moderator can help.) __________________ Funny N., Au Group Electronics, USA, www.AuElectronics.com

17th April 2008, 04:16 PM	(permalink)
Funny NYPD Experienced Member	A you tube video on "programmer-to-go, program without a PC" feature has been loaded on the following webpage: http://www.auelectronics.com/System-PICkit2.htm __________________ Funny N., Au Group Electronics, USA, www.AuElectronics.com

18th April 2008, 06:30 PM	(permalink)
LabRat Experienced Member	Bill, Any thoughts to a JuneBug daughter board? (Why?? Why not?!!)

18th April 2008, 06:56 PM	(permalink)
blueroomelectronics Experienced Member Blog Entries: 4	Sure, a DIY board is possible. It would be the addition of one or two 24LC512 or 24LC1024 EEPROMs. I could draw up a PCB layout that would go in the long top connector if anyone wants it. Maybe add a 5V (4xAA NiMH) connector for power instead of USB or AC adapter. By far the most portible if you use the feature alot; would be a Genuine PICkit2 as they are really small. __________________ Bill Smart Kits build Smart People http://www.blueroomelectronics.com

18th April 2008, 07:59 PM	(permalink)
LabRat Experienced Member	I was going through this and saw two possibilities. 1. Something to plug in off the top connector (as you indicated) 2. Pop the 18F2550 and put in a board that would "sandwich" in between the 18F2550 and the socket. Given the small size of the 24LCxxx's, the board might just fit with a mild canti-lever over top of the caps/etc that are there. (but not far enough to overhang the LED's and buttons) This would leave the top connector un-touched, AND create a generic solution that could be added into any 18F2550 circuit looking to expand with some i2c flash. The down side: the need to use something like a wire-wrap socket to get pins long enough to extend down into the JuneBug. Thoughts? Oh yeah.. I already picked up a pair of 25LC512's from Digi-key..

18th April 2008, 08:49 PM	(permalink)
blueroomelectronics Experienced Member Blog Entries: 4	LOL, well the cost of adding the EEPROMs to the Junebug as a finished kit would make the kit larger. But I'll layout a single sided PCB for anyone wanting to try their hand at etching a PCB. Did you get DIP or SOIC? __________________ Bill Smart Kits build Smart People http://www.blueroomelectronics.com

18th April 2008, 09:02 PM	(permalink)
LabRat Experienced Member	Perhaps I wasn't clear. I was talking about an expansion board that would plug into the existing 18F2550 socket, and have the 18F2550 plug into "it". See the PORTB Expansion discussions for the JuneBug. Looking at it the chip head on, so that you would see only two pins with the rest lined up behind them... Code: 18F2550 \|Socket\| Teeny tiny Expansion board ~~~~~~~~~~~~ \| \| \| \| Plugs into 18F2550 socket of the JuneBug. Ok.. my ascii graphing capabilities seems to have faded with time.

19th April 2008, 01:02 AM	(permalink)
3v0 Moderator Blog Entries: 3	A board between the processor and the junbug is way too much work to hang a pair of eeproms on it. Take a look at the pickit2 schematics. I built a single EEPROM version on bit of perf board in no time flat. It was so easy I did not make a PCB and I hate point to point. This is very easy to do. __________________ search engine for electronic parts Junebug USB PIC programmer kit. USB Bit Wacker

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