JDM type Programmer + WinPic800 (or whatever)

[mister_e]

Programming error (even if the device is suppose to be listed/supported by those 3,4,5,6 different software)
PIC not supported
Intermittent
etc
etc
etc
Well, nothing to turn me on. 1 hour wasted to discover that it's a programmer or programmer software related problem pay a brand new Pickit, 2 hours, Melabs USB, and so on.

Yeah i will fart on those until they totally disapear of the earth... guess what, it will never happen.

Let's say you want to build your own... only your time wasted on worth, at very least, the price of a PicKit.

based on 40-50$/Hours job so far.

Yeah i'm from an old school as well... you got for what you pay for.

[skimask]

pay a brand new Pickit, 2 hours, Melabs USB, and so on.

Yeah i will fart on those until they totally disapear of the earth... guess what, it will never happen.

Let's say you want to build your own... only your time wasted on worth, at very least, the price of a PicKit.

based on 40-50$/Hours job so far.

Yeah i'm from an old school as well... you got for what you pay for.

I just went to the Microchip web site. I had NO idea that the PICKit2 was so inexpensive. Last time I looked, a programmer there was over $100+.
So, what's the difference between the $35 PIC KIT 2 @ Microchip (PG164120) and the MeLabs U2 (+ case + USB cable + header cable)?
It looks to me like there's a whole lot of not a lot of difference.
So, unless I'm missing something, for my money, given a choice between a clone for $20 and the PICKIT2, the choice would be obvious. And if it's what I'm thinking it is, I think I'm going to be spending a bit of money tomorrow with an upgrade (the ol' Warp13a is 8 years old after all, might be time for a new one anyways).

[mister_e]

Pickit is still growing with the age. It's working pretty good for me when i use it on the road. And it's a Microchip product... yeah the same doing the PIC... so they 'should' know how to program their PIC the right way now after some PICSTART disasters

To push their product ALL microcontroller brand release cheap development kit now. Ti do one for 20$ with a little board in... I do remind one article in Electronic Design magazine talking about that.

Pickit support few device for ICD... really a few... for now. but if you're like me and NEVER use any ICD... it's not a problem.

35$ and it's USB.... how on earth you can build one yourself for this price if you include your time in?

And guess what... they include the programmer schematic and the USB bootloader source code in the package... ok there's 2 bugs in the config fuses but.. easy to change even if you don't know C language.

[skimask]

Pickit support few device for ICD... really a few... for now. but if you're like me and NEVER use any ICD... it's not a problem.

35$ and it's USB.... how on earth you can build one yourself for this price if you include your time in?

And guess what... they include the programmer schematic and the USB bootloader source code in the package... ok there's 2 bugs in the config fuses but.. easy to change even if you don't know C language.

The only ICD I have is a basic serial LCD connected to a spare pin using DEBUG and 2 buttons on 2 other spare pins...that's 'In Circuit', and it is 'Debugging' !

What's the deal on the config fuse bugs? Any links for the fix?

[mister_e]

euh... mmm i explain it bad... the config fuses setting are bad in the Pickit 2 bootloader firmware C code ONLY, the whole thing work really great.

So why i know the config fuses are bad? LMAO! i allow everybody to laugh here....

When i wanted to update the Pickit firmware, i choose a bad Hex code (probably a compiled program or else i don't want to remind) so i screw the Pickit 2. He was totally dead, no more USB connection etc etc etc.

So i surfed the provided CD, and discovered they shipped the source code for it... but not the compiled .Hex file. So i just open the Bootloader project and recompile it with C18 to have the .Hex to be able to dump it in via the dedicated ICSP point on the Pickit pcb. Got compilation error... Discovered it was something around the BOV config fuses and another one wich i don't remind. I just corrected them using the newer syntax and VOILA! no more compilation error and be able to dump the .HEX in the Pickit with my favourite BK844a programmer. I think i kept the .Hex somewhere.

Unless you do the same stupid thing as i did, you won't need it.

That's what not enough sleeping do!

[skimask]

So why i know the config fuses are bad? LMAO! i allow everybody to laugh here....

When i wanted to update the Pickit firmware, i choose a bad Hex code (probably a compiled program or else i don't want to remind) so i screw the Pickit 2. He was totally dead, no more USB connection etc etc etc.

So i surfed the provided CD, and discovered they shipped the source code for it... but not the compiled .Hex file. So i just open the Bootloader project and recompile it with C18 to have the .Hex to be able to dump it in via the dedicated ICSP point on the Pickit pcb. Got compilation error... Discovered it was something around the BOV config fuses and another one wich i don't remind. I just corrected them using the newer syntax and VOILA! no more compilation error and be able to dump the .HEX in the Pickit with my favourite BK844a programmer. I think i kept the .Hex somewhere.

Unless you do the same stupid thing as i did, you won't need it.

That's what not enough sleeping do!

Good moves
I just checked Microchip's site and discovered that they are out of stock. Well, I want one now....so I'm ordering 2 of the PG164120 PICKIT2's from Digikey at the same price, along with a half a dozen '4550's (thanks mister_e) and some ADXL330's. Good fun...good times.

If you say the PICKIT2 is good, then that's what I'll get and give to that friend of mine.