Search these forums for PICkit2 or Junebug.

The Junebug and PICkit2 have software written and maintained by Microchip. That is a huge advantage.

Both can be used to debug PIC chips with hardware breakpoints. All but the very small PICs do.

Both can be used as simple 4 channel logical analyzer.

Both can be used as simple tool to route TTL level to view ASCII from the PIC or other device.

I have not tried it but Bill tells us the Junebug will function as serial analyzer (supporting I2C™, SMBus, SPI and USART protocols) if you are willing to swap out the PIC18F2550 with another 18F2550 can program using the junebug. You can not do the with the PICkit2.

It functions the same as this analyzer.
PICkit Serial Analyzer



3v0

Hi 3V0, yes because the Junebug has the I2C connections on the top header it can be reflashed to work as a Serial Analyzer. I've been using the I2C master mode to test I2C devices and it works great. The genuine SA also reports on bus level (a feature not supported by a Junebug or PK2)

Here's someone who's modded their PK2 for use as a SA.

Bill's post on doing the conversion is here
Just testing, Turn your Junebug into a PICKit2 Serial Analyzer *with a second 18F2550

The important thing is the hex file it links to. You will need it to program the new 18F2550

I have been playing with the analyzer for the last hour or so. Mostly reading the documentation
http://ww1.microchip.com/downloads/e...Doc/51647C.pdf

At least in the I2C mode it can be set as a master or slave to take part in I2C transactions.

3v0

I find I2C is trickier than SPI so I welcome the SA.
Here's something I wrote to test the I2C on a PICDEM Explorer HPC Board I had laying around.

This simple program worked first time. It reads from the onboard TC74 I2C temperature sensor and displays the result on the 8 LEDs on PORTD every 200ms.

Code:

Device = 18F8722
Clock = 4

Include "I2C.BAS"                   
Const TC74  = $9A                   // default TC74 V5 address 
 
Dim Value As Byte,
    Address As Word

OSCCON = $62                        // 4MHz internal OSC
TRISD = $00
I2C.Initialize

 // read the data back...
While (1=1)
I2C.Start
I2C.WriteByte(TC74)
I2C.WriteByte($00)        
I2C.Restart                         
I2C.WriteByte(TC74 + 1)             // change to I2C read
Value = I2C.ReadByte
I2C.Acknowledge(I2C_NOT_ACKNOWLEDGE)
I2C.Stop
  
    PORTD = Value                      
    DelayMS(200)
 
Wend
End