Best USB programmer for ICSP ???

[OldMarty]

Hi All,

I've recently found the need to use some large pics with more I/O (80pin devices)
I'm considering using a pic18F87k22 which is already mounted on a microchip "PIM" pcb.

I intend to plug the PIM onto my own project board(s) instead of worrying about making PCB's etc. (why re-invent the wheel huh?)
So, i've decided i'll add an ICSP connection on my project board(s) to allow me to program the pic on the PIM and get things going.

However, after reading several pages and sites about programming, i'm at bit of a loss.
I thought the pickit3 was a programming device, then i see it's a debugger device only, then elsewhere i see software for it for programming, although it doesnt support the pic18f87k22 i intended using.

Now i read i should be using MPLAB that supports a larger library of chips to program, although still not sure which programmer i should be getting?

The pickit3 may or may not program, the melabs U2 needs certains voltages/wiring/caps/resistors/mods to make it burn the 'K' series pics, and the ICD3 seems awfully expensive for what i need.

This seems to be killing my projects before i've even started. ;-(

Marty.

[towlerg]

PicKit2 and 3 are both programming devices and debuggers. On release the PicKit3 was slated because of poor software, no idea if thats been improved, maybe it works better under MPLABX (Microchips integrated programming environment, which also sucks IMHO - Microchip really should stick to hardware).

Pickit2 which is super cheap (especially the clones) and is generally concidered to be OK. Unfortunaly it does not come out of the box with 18F87k22 support. There is a piece of software that allows you to add devices (Pics).

Pickit2 clone on ebay £6.17, at that price got to be worth a spin.

[HenrikOlsson]

I've got a PICKit3 and it works perfectly fine. (Two actually, got one at work as well...)
It integrates fine with Microcode Studio using the command line tool, it works from within MPLAB and it works with the standalone software. It can be a bit confusing because it needs different firmwares in it depending on to which software it's supposed to talk to. At least that was the case with MPLAB8 and one time I managed to somehow brick mine when switiching firmwares so I had to use a second PICKit3 to reflash it. Might have been able to rescue it somehow other than that, I don't know.

Now, with MPLABX and the IPE I haven't quite figured out the all details yet but it works fine for what I'm doing with it (which is programming PICs). I wrote a short post showing how to setup MCSP to use the PICKit3 via the new MPLAB IPE software, here it is.

It's just too bad that MPLAB is cumbersome to work with and that MicrocodeStudio doesn't support using the PK3 as a debugger.

I wouldn't hesitiate buying one, and for the price of a genuine one I wouldn't bother with a clone.

/Henrik.

[Heckler]

Hi oldmarty,

I have had excellent results with both the pickit2 and pickit3.

I actually have 2 pickit3's that Microchip sent me when I purchased a large quantity of PIC's to be used in a kit I produced for the Electronics Merit Badge for the Boy Scouts.

I do not need both PICKIT3's and would part with one for $25 including shipping to USA. Are you in the USA??

I see that they list for $47.95 on DigiKey right now.

This is guaranteed genuine Microchip PicKit3 direct from Microchip.

Includes a nice red usb cable and software/documentation.

If you are interested (or anyone else that might be interested but oldmarty gets first choice) post back here or PM me.

good luck
dwight

[OldMarty]

Hi oldmarty,
I do not need both PICKIT3's and would part with one for $25 including shipping to USA. Are you in the USA??
dwight

Thanks for the info and the offer Dwight, but i'm in Australia.

I currently have an order of chips and a pickit3 on the go from microchip, but thanks for offering your pickit3 to me anyway ;-)

Regards,
Marty.

[OldMarty]

Thanks to everyone and your repsonses. All i needed was some confirmation of which tool i should be using, so i'm happy to see i'm on the right path to move forward ;-)

Regards,
Marty.

[OldMarty]

Thanks Dwight, but i have some harware/chips on order already.

I'm in downunder Australia anyway ;-)

Thanks to everyones comments, it's cleared a lot up for me to start moving forward.

Regards,
Marty.