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

[Bruce]

It's very do-able. I've programmed hundreds of 8-pin SOIC parts using a similar adapter in our programmers ZIF socket.

I press & hold the part on the adapter with a vacume pencil then click program. Real easy & super fast.

[bartman]

That's perfect then. I should be able to hold one for 30 seconds!

Thanks.

Bart

[mister_e]

you can even use a clip on adapter then solder each wire to a regular dip socket.

Now you just have to clip your PIC in the adapter then press program. I do it every day when i want to read EEPROM dump in my radio decode purpose.

I talk about that kind of adapter... 3M do some great. Even you can found some in overstock places.
<img src=http://www.picbasic.co.uk/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=689&stc=1&d=1135995023 >

ICSP is another way to go when design permit. No big money adapter needed. Only 4 testpoint on your target PCB. Then you use 4 wires from your programmer to your target PCB.

[bartman]

That's a cool looking... thing. Would it also work on the clothes line?? :-)

Bart

[mister_e]

Would it also work on the clothes line?? :-)

Sure a bit expensive but could work. You know, i use some obsolete or 'too old' PIC on my pin board now... so why not using a test clip on a clothes line

3M do good one, but there's few other brand. Look digikey catalog or local supplier. I really like this method and, as i said, i use it daily to read/write from/to radio EEPROM when there's no testpoint on the PCB OR when the design do not permit to clip over them to read/write to them.

[bartman]

I found the clip in the Digi-Key catalog. It's about twice the money of the adapter.

Are you saying that I would just build my circuit with the SMD PIC in place then clamp this on and program that way?

I would solder the ribbon cable from each pin on the clip to the corresponding pins on a DIP socket, no other parts required?

What if I have not so great solder connections on my board and the clip doesn't fit well? Odds are they are not going to be fantastic joints with a tiny amount of solder. I don't have the proper equipment to make such a nice joint on something so small.

Bart

[Zeke]

I've done this with a 12F629 also. I just used the adapter that you show (or similar) that I picked up at Digi-key for about $8 CDN and held it down with a pencil while programming. I did end up soldering it to the adapter so that I could set it up in a prototype board which made it easier to re-program (over and over again!). When I was done, I just de-soldered it and put it in to my final circuit.

Good Luck!