Olimex USB programmer?

Anybody have experience with the Olimex USB programmer?

It looksl like it emulates the PicStart+ device, using Microchip MPLAB software intended for PicStart+ support. It also uses an FTDI chip and driver to make the USB port look like a COM port to MPLAB, which does not support USB programmers directly.

The system seems a bit chopped so I'm a little concerned. I want to be able to program a PIC18F4620 but my Warp13 software can't do it. The Olimex is under $100 and the actual PicStart+ from Microchip is $200. Plus I like the idea of USB- more convenient without the power plug, and USB cables are easier to plug and unplug on my machine. I keep moving my laptop and it's a pain to unscrew the RS232, if I don't screw it in, it keeps falling out. Also I have a need to sometimes program where I've got the microcontroller installed, where there is no 120v for the adapter, and I have to run an extension cord.

Are you speaking of the pic-mcp-usb? I have one. It rarely works. I have to sit there and unplug/replug the usb cable into my computer until it finally recognizes the programmer correctly, and then many times after programming a few microcontrollers it will lose connection with the computer.

Others have had great success, but for me it was a nightmare.

Faulty connection on the board / PC

Perhaps you have a PDA interface, or other app using the USB. Or on rare occasions the USB port can remove power if your PSU cannot supply enough juice to the rest of the system (VERY RARE, usual problem with this would be a shut down...)