Am i buying the right demo board?

[chris414]

I'm waiting for this the PICKit2 Debug Express (http://docs-europe.electrocomponents...6b80a133bc.pdf) to be delivered, however I'm wondering if I'm buying the right thing. What exactly will the demo board let me do? Since I've got some PIC18F2550s, would I be able to use them with the demo board? (the demo boards comes with a PIC16F887). Is there any benefit to getting the demo board, or should I just buy the PICKit2 programmer alone?

Thanks

[Triode]

you already ordered it didn't you?

[Nigel Goodwin]

As it comes with the PICKit2 at not much greater cost, it gives you something instant to play with, so it's worth it on that score. It also comes with various example programs, for the demo board - so it's a nice little package.

[Wp100]

Hi,

You have ordered the right thing - but the demo board chip is a smd device so removing it is not practicable.

Just get a 0.1" 6 way connector and some strip board / breadboard and make a similar work board for the 18Fs.

There are video tutorials on this site showing you how to do exactly that.

You will find having two chips / boards very handy when you test out various communciation routines etc.

[Mike, K8LH]

Wp100's breadboard suggestion is "right on". Check out Nigel's tutorials for examples.

Also, consider picking up one of those 830-point solderless breadboards available from many different distributors. You may have difficulty using a crystal on a solderless breadboard with a PIC because of the extra capacitance but you should have no problem using the internal oscillator and it allows you to throw together simple projects relatively quickly.

Mike

[Triode]

I haden't realized that solderless breadboards had capacitence, but now that I think of it, two clip plates paralelle to eachother, less that .1" apart would have a little. I wonder if that was part of the trouble back when I was trying to use an ocilator on one.

[be80be]

Triode most times when you use a solderless bread board you don't even need capacitor
with the crystal because of the board capacitance. I have used 20mhz crystals with capacitor would not oscillate. remove the capacitors and it worked fine. To much capacitance loads the crystal down.

You have ordered the right thing - but the demo board chip is a smd device so removing it is not practicable.

Just get a 0.1" 6 way connector and some strip board / breadboard and make a similar work board for the 18Fs.

That's the only way to go or get you a junebug It's a pickit2 clone with demo board built in. You can program most any chip with the both of them.
Here some pic of a 18f452 on a solderless bread board one shows the cable to the pickit2 and then the board

solderless bread board with 18f452

[fghi656]

it`s good Idea!