I made my own PICkit2 clone Programmer using PIC18F2550

[micropad]

Dear Friends

I made my own PICkit2 clone Programmer using PIC18F2550. so I programmed PIC using zip socket and plug to my PCB so it is working well

So my friend said that not need to programme using Zip socket. just connect to PC it will auto detect by PC and then select firmware to programme blank PIC

Dear all is this truth , If truth please guide me how may I do that

Thanks

 

[3v0]

Yes it is. You need to connect 5 lines. MCLR. VDD, VSS, PGD, and PGC. You do not need to connect PGM.

You can also use your programmer to do in circuit debugging (stepping) and it can act as a simple logic analyzer or watch the output from the USART.

 

[micropad]

Dear 3v0
Thanks for reply
I need to know PIC 18f2550 in my Programmer
let say i want to make pickit2 clone. therefore i have to program pic18f2550 using Microchips provided firmware
to program pic18f2550 we need another programmer.
so my friend says that not need another programmer
what do you think
please help

 

[be80be]

You have to load the firmware with a programmer, Which means you need a programmer that can program a 18f2550 or someone to program one for you.

 

[Gobbledok]

Yes you will have to load the PicKit2 firmware into the newly made PicKit2 clone before you can use it.

Once the firmware is loaded in, and MPLAB can detect it as a PicKit2, then the firmware can be updated and changed for different series of PIC's through MPLAB like your friend said.

 

[panic mode]

i just made one, and it works fine...
i was starting to mess with PIC24 i used the opportunity to make a pickit2 clone.
(thank you microchip for free sample of pic18f2550)


of course i had to program it first. in my case i just plugged pic18f2550 into breadboard,
connected the 5 wires to borrowed PicKit3 and downloaded the firmware.
after than chip was plugged into pickit2 clone.

next step was to get PICkit 2 v2.61 (also from Microchip) and test the hardware. this was straight forward.
the only thing i did that was not part of test is high voltage Vpp but it can be forced. also checked ok.
part that did't go well was 3.3V regulator, because i received wrong zener (ordered 4.3V but measured only 3.6V).
because of this, it could not reliably read 3.3V chips. i am not the most patient guy so i just lifted one leg of
that zener culprit and added in series forward biased diode. now i get 3.5 instead of 3.3V but everything works.

so far i used it to program bunch of other chips, including pic18, pic24 and pic30