USB Programmer on e-bay

I am in the process of researching all the hardware and software to do development using Pic Basic Pro. I see a programmer for sale on e-bay called a "USB Microchip PIC programmer" for about $35. It has a ZIF socket and ICSP header. There are many ads for this device. They all look the same, but have two different sellers; KEE Electronics, and Double E Electronics.

Has anyone purchased this programmer? Any problems with it?

Never heard about this one, but for about the same price you may have a Genuine Microchip's made USB programmer. OK it doesn't have any Ziff socket, but do you really need it?

The beauty of PIC is that you can program them in-circuit with a minimal circuit modification.

Have a look for Microchip PicKit 2. Work pretty well and well supported.
http://search.digikey.com/scripts/Dk...me=PG164120-ND

Here's the device supported list
http://www.microchip.com/stellent/id...cName=en027813

I have the QL2500U2 from Kee Electronics. It worked fantastic for two months. Yesterday it stopped working and kept locking up the machine. I emailed Kee today and they informed me that their is only a 7 day warranty. He did offer to ship another one for free if I bought it. I don't know if I got a lemon or if it is a bad design. It is really unfortunate, I really liked the unit.

I bought the Microchip PicKit 2 programmer. I am struggling to figure things out now. I can load the code (into my PIC 12F6823), but nothing works. I suspect it has something to do with the configuration settings. I am trying to get a handle on that stuff now.

I also erased the chip, which probably screwed things up royal as well.

nah, it shouldn't have cause any grief. But yeah, the configuration fuses might be one part of the problem. If you don't have any error message, it should work.... unless you use PICKIT to supply the target board and you have forget to enable the VCC line in the utility.

BUT, i NEVER suggest to use PICKIT to supply the target board, same thing with EASYPIC 4, EASYDsPIC 4 etc etc.. at least for development purpose.

My head hurts!

I am trying to learn how to set the configuration bits. I try to use the MPLAB configuration bits window, but I can't get it to stick in the chip. I am using PICKIT 2 programming software, and it displays the config register, so I know it isn't doing what I want.

I discovered the .inc file for the PIC I am using. Editing this seems to work, but I don't know how to create all of the different names for the bits, etc. Yes, I can change an On to Off, but for example, my file doesn't seem to have anything for the Power-Up Timer in it. Where do I find the info do edit this file? I've looked at the PIC12F683 data sheet, and I understand the config register and what the bits do. I just don't know how to edit the .inc file.

I seem to be able to both read and write the chip using the PICKIT2 directly. However, when writing from MPLAB, it writes, but fails verify. And when I read from MPLAB it doesn't actuall load the program, like PICKIT 2 does. ??? Is this part of my problem? Can't be good.

Any help is much appreciated at this point.

Can you post your code?

Did you have a look at the following thread?
http://www.picbasic.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=543

At least from post 1 to 5

EDIT: oh, make sure you have the latest MPLAB and PICKIT 2 software version
MPLAB 8.00
Pickit 2 : V2.40

You may need to update your PICKIT 2 firmware

try this one

Code:

---

    @ __CONFIG _INTRC_OSC_NOCLKOUT & _WDT_ON & _PWRTE_ON & _MCLRE_OFF & _BOD_ON
        ' Internal Oscillator
        ' Enable watch dog timer
        ' Enable power up timer
        ' Disable MCLR pin
        ' Enable brown out detect
       
    TRISIO=%11001011 ' MCLR/PGD/PGC pin as input
    GPIO=0
    ANSEL = 0
    CMCON0= 7
   
Start:
    gpio=255
    pause 500
    gpio=0
    pause 500
    goto start

---

While programming, none of the MCLR/PGD/PGC pins should be loaded.

Thanks for the reply. This is exactly what I needed. Actually, shortly after my last post, I found a link, http://www.melabs.com/support/config_defaults.htm that sorted it all out for me. Why this info isn't in the PBP manual baffles me!

My code is now running, but it seems the logic on the inputs is inverted. Another magic register to tell it a high logic level = 1?

OK. ANSEL register is the trick. I needed digital inputs, and it was configured for analog! I found the info in the data sheet. Thanks again Mister e!