Inchworm ICD2 clone review

[Jay.slovak]

Hi guys,

I have reviewed very attractive piece of hardware, Inchworm ICD2 programmer/debugger. Please click to see the review. I hope you will find the review helpful. Any comments are welcome.


Jay.

 

[csaba911]

wow

 

[William At MyBlueRoom]

Thank you for the review Jay, I've made changes to the manual and removed the 24F & dsPICs from the supported chips list (they are 3.6V max chips)

 

[jduncan459]

Hi,

First post.

Does the kit come with the separate pc board with the ZIF socket? If not, where do I purchase one of those?

Thanks,

John

 

[Jay.slovak]

No it doesn't. The one you can see on the last picture is of my own design.
But, there is going to be a companion board for the Inchworm, with ZIF socket and many other interesting parts.
To read more about Firefly - the companion board, click **broken link removed**.

 

[jduncan459]

If I purchase kit #1, how would I be able to interface a PIC to program it? Is there a simple design that I can build to be able to use the programmer now? I'm new to PICs and just ordered the kit so I need a daughter board for the actual PIC.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

If I purchase kit #1, how would I be able to interface a PIC to program it? Is there a simple design that I can build to be able to use the programmer now? I'm new to PICs and just ordered the kit so I need a daughter board for the actual PIC.

If it's any help?, here's a version of my 16F876 tutorial board with an InchWorm ICD socket added.

 

[jduncan459]

Hmm.....forgive me as I am new to some of this. I've build simple electronics projects so the construction is not a problem but I want to ensure I haven't misunderstood anything.

Your schematic is for a simple programmer or a board I can connect to the Inchworm kit?

Again, forgive my confusion.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

It's a processor board - used in my PIC tutorials - I've added a socket so it can connect directly to an InchWorm programmer/ICD.

 

[jduncan459]

Ok. So I can add a ZIF socket to it and I'll be all set then?

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

Only for programming 28 pin pin PIC's, different size PIC's use different pins, you need to wire a ZIF socket so it can take various PIC's in different positions - being careful not to place 13V on a pin you shouldn't!.

 

[jduncan459]

I'm not sure how to wire the ZIF so that I can use the different chip sizes so I guess I will wait for the Firefly companion board to be released. I think it will be easier to learn the programming on a less complex chip than a 28 pin, although I think I'll need the functions of one eventually.

John

 

[Jay.slovak]

John, I totally agree.

Inchworm with Firefly should be a very good combination for beginners.

 

[jduncan459]

I've studied the schematics for a bit and see how it's wired so I can make a pcb for the pic chip until the Firefly is available. Never study schematics until you've had at least two cups of coffee.

 

[Jay.slovak]

Or, just do your test circuit on a Breadboard. That should be easy and fast. PIC requires minimum external components, you should be up and running in minutes.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

I've studied the schematics for a bit and see how it's wired so I can make a pcb for the pic chip until the Firefly is available. Never study schematics until you've had at least two cups of coffee.

I can post a veroboard layout if that's any help to you?.

 

[jduncan459]

I can post a veroboard layout if that's any help to you?.

That would be great. I'd appreciate it.

I've got a solderless breadboard here so I can work on it.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

That would be great. I'd appreciate it.

I've got a solderless breadboard here so I can work on it.

OK, here it is!.

 

[William At MyBlueRoom]

The Firefly PCB is done, looks great. Not happy with my choice of hole diameter for the ZIF socket 0.8mm (I should have used 1mm as some ZIFs are 0.8mm pin width) but you can SQUEEZE it in. Else the PCB went together perfectly and I've just began testing it.

 

[viji2ks]

have any body actually build & used because what i consturcted from web sitehttp://www.users.bigpond.com/webspac..._ozipicer.html has really failed to work in spite of all excersize i tried my max so that's
thank you