Down and dirty way to use a SMD PIC with a DIP programmer?

[Darrel Taylor]

There are 5 wires on that clip.
But if your circuit is powered externally, you don't need VDD.

[RossWaddell]

Thanks Darrel! Can I assume that J3 plugs into the melabs U2 Programmer's socket and U1 is the clip?

[Darrel Taylor]

That's a good assumption, yes.

[Charlie]

Also note you need to lay out your board so the chip clip has room to actually clamp on the device. No decoupling caps or anything too close by. It takes more room than you think... well, more than I thought, back when they were popular. I sure didn't learn that one the hard way, no sir

[RossWaddell]

Thanks Charlie! That's good advice as I'm not very good at desoldering (even with wicks) so being able to reprogram in-circuit is critical.

[AvionicsMaster1]

As Darrel said, make sure you design to accomodate the ICSP through switches or high resistances between PIC and load. The old PBP manual had some values of resistors but I couldn't find it in the PBP3 manual after a quick search. I've experienced thinking I could program once the PIC is installed only to find out I didn't fully think it through. Good luck.

[RossWaddell]

What constitutes high resistances? All the outputs will be connected to 150-220 ohm resistors (for LEDs) but there won't be anything on VDD/VSS. And which of the ICSP connections on the PIC are the important ones for this?