Pickit3 from Microcode Studio

[Normnet]

...If you want a clone they are available on EBAY or from places like SURE Electronics for ~$29 including shipping.

/Henrik.

I can second the use of the clone at SURE Electronics.

Norm

[Demon]

The comments on the Sure unit scares me. I'd be tempted to buy the other one above.

Robert

[Archangel]

The comments on the Sure unit scares me. I'd be tempted to buy the other one above.

Robert

Hi Robert,
My original purchase of PICKIT2 was actual microchip and it failed in short order, which by the fact I paid them licensed me to buy the clones which to my mind are better, have lasted longer, cost 1/2 as much and even bear the PICKIT 2 & PICKIT3 logos, and run without a hitch on microchip software. It is possible they are licensed vendors. I have had zero issues with Sure's products.

[andywpg]

I have had zero issues with Sure's products.

+1 - what he said

[jmgelba]

I ended up taking a Mircochip version from Digikey.

[Gusse]

I ended up also to purchase PicKit 3, but I'm not very satified with it (I have had it now 2 days). In MPLAB mode (MPLAB IDE & MPLAB X IDE), operation has been poor. So far I have not managed to program any hex succesfully. I have tested old and new MPLAB's (GUI & command line), but always there have been some issues. With GUI prommers PicKit is detected OK, firmware downloads OK, but when I try to read, write, erase, etc.. there are problems. With command line (e.g via MicroCode Studio) I managed to erase, flash and verify, which was kind of promising event. Anyway, there was issues to run flashed hex in PIC.

I downloaded PICkit 3 v3.10 standalone prommer software, which started to work OK when bundled firmware files were installed. Now it auto-detect PICs, read & write & verify OK and works otherwise fine.

I read recently MPLAB mode (in MicroCode Studio) programmed PIC with standalone prommer and surprisingly part of code did not match with original hex. That was the reason why PIC did not work.

I thought that Microchip tools (mine is from Sure's) would work a little bit more reliable way. Even my old handmade serial port flashing prommer is more reliable and better working that Microchip commercial one.
I'm not really happy, but happy enough that it is working. My old serial port (COM) prommer had issues with some of the laptops (docking station with com port) so that I had to purchase USB based prommer.

[HenrikOlsson]

Hmm, I've never had problems like that with my PICkit3. At one time I thought I had bricked it since it wouldn't change firmware between MPLAB and standalone programmer mode but after a while it gave in started working again, other than that it's been working just fine for years, with MPLAB, with the stand alone application and with command line interface (which is what I use 90% of the time).

Seeing you got it from Sure Electronics and seeing they are selling both what appears to be genuine PK3s from Microchip (the red/clear ones) AND clones (the black ones), which one did you get?

Make sure you pay attention to the target Circuit design precautions shown in the "PICKit3 poster".

/Henrik.