So many option but little understanding

[PickyBiker]

My PIC development system is currently made up of:
Windows laptop (no serial port)
PICBASIC PRO
MPLAB IDE
MACH X PIC Programer (USB to PC and has ICSP connector)

I want to upgrade to in-circuit programming and in-circuit debuging but the options are overwhelming. I recently (1/1/10) retired and PIC programming of various gadgets is attractive to me, so I want a reasonably priced system of development with those cababilities.

I see all kinds of options out there but have made some bad choices up to this point so I want to ask first this time.

Can you please outline a few options so I can get off on the right direction?

Thanks.

[mackrackit]

Personally I like the PicKit2.
http://www.microchipdirect.com/productsearch.aspx?Keywords=PG164120
http://www.microchip.com/stellent/idcplg?IdcService=SS_GET_PAGE&nodeId=1406&dDocName=en023805&redirects=pickit2

[PickyBiker]

Thanks Mackrackit, but why not the Pickit 3?

[mackrackit]

I am not sure the 3 is worth the extra money.
The 2, as far as I know will do everything and more than PBP. Plus it has a Serial and and other built in tools.

I am sure the 3 is good, I have four programers from Micro Chip and they all work fine.

[rmteo]

Personally I like the PicKit2.
How do you like the in-circuit debugging features of the PicKit2?

[mackrackit]

How do you like the in-circuit debugging features of the PicKit2?
Embarrassed to say that I have not used that feature.
What do you think about it?

[rmteo]

I checked out the PicKit2's debugging capabilities using MPLAB (not sure if there is a way to do it without MPLAB) and I am not impressed. Not so much with the PicKit2 (it is an excellent device programmer, as good as, if not better than anything else on the market - especially considering its price) but with MPLAB. What a mess compared to some of the other development platforms that I use.

[mackrackit]

At one time I was a fan of MPLAB, now I only use it to read HEX files when someone has a problem.

MCS is OK for quick and dirty stuff, IMHO.

Development platform.. When I am working on a "complicated" project I do it on a Linux box using gedit and BAT files to invoke PBP/MPASM.

But back to the question about programmers. I use the PicKit2 on all platforms.

[rmteo]

I want to upgrade to in-circuit programming and in-circuit debuging but the options are overwhelming. I recently (1/1/10) retired and PIC programming of various gadgets is attractive to me, so I want a reasonably priced system of development with those cababilities.
Perhaps someone else has a solution that meets PickyBiker's requirements.

[malc-c]

Not sure what your budget is but you might want to consider the EasyPIC6 board

http://www.mcustore.com/acatalog/easypic6_550.jpg

OK at £116 inc VAT it is more costly than the Pickit but I personally feel it is more cost effective in the long run as you have all the development items in one board and there is very little breadboarding. The board supports ICD, but I've never tried it with PBP /MCS

[PickyBiker]

Well a PICkit 2 is on the way. Next time I get a little in-rush of funds... an EasyPIC6 might be hard to resist. Looks like it would be just a hoot to play with all by itself. Love the idea of led's for each pic line and the LCD.

So many tools... So little time.

[rmteo]

I have an EasyPIC4 development board with the add-on 4x4 matrix keypad, SD/MMC card and RTC board that I no longer use (no GLCD). 70GBP plus shipping for the lot - let me know if you are interested.

[Acetronics2]

One more vote for Easy Pic 6 ... and its bunch of modules.

I use an easy Pic 5 for a while and MPLAB ICD features are missing ... EP6 has it, now !

Alain

[PickyBiker]

Alain, yes, there is an EP6 on my wish list. The next in-rush of funds will be when the Social Security check comes in. That'll be in about 2 and a half weeks.

[PickyBiker]

This looks like a great development board. One question, how well can it be integrated into my development environment, MPLAB IDE & PICBASIC Pro? The first thing I would like to do is make it the "programmer" in that environment, or course then I would want to use the built-in ICD or at least connect an ICD to it. Any chance of that happening? If not, would you just create the .hex file and use the supplied flash proogram to get it into the PIC? Not the cleanest method, but it should work.

[malc-c]

Glad to hear your new toy has arrived :)

Personally I use Microcode Studio for the IDE with my EasyPIC 5 board. It is quick to set up as it can find both the PBP exe and MPASM and the picFlash exe files automatically. I'm not sure how MCS works with the ICD option available on the EasyPIC 6 board though, maybe Alain can help out on that score.

For me, I like MCS. Make a change to the code, click compile and program and job done. Testing further changes is quicker as you already have the PicFLASH application open, so just click reload and click write after re-compiling.