Trying to build USB PIC programmer, need help

Hello everyone. Well, to make a long storry short, I'm in need of a USB PIC programmer, on the cheap. My computer doesn't have a serial port or a parallel port. I bought a USB -> serial cable for a JDM cable...then found out that JDMs don't work with USB->serial cables. So, I was wondering if anyone knew of a PIC Programmer I could build that would work with USB or the cable I bought. The programmer has to be able to program a PIC18F4550, and it would be nice if it programmed more, like a PIC16F84, etc. I had an idea of having an onboard FT232R chip, but I don't really know how I would connect it to the main PIC18F4550(I read something about a RS232 level shifter, but I don't know really what thats about) So, any ideas?

For a USB programmer you require a programmed PIC, so you need a programmer to build one.

Check out the PICKit2 or the Junebug clone of it.

So it'd just be better to get a USB Programmer kit, basically?

Yes. It's a chicken and egg problem. You need to program the programmer...

Shoot, was afraid of that, thanks anyway