Programmer for 18F4550

[NatureTech]

Hi Ngeronikolos,

Rather than you ask me to do it, i recommend you to download Brenner5 in that website if this would be your first PIC18 Programmer.This would be a good start for programming 18F.To built a board it's not always neccesary to have PCB.If you ask me,i would built and try something from Breadboard to donut board (point-to-point soldering).Depends on budget.Anyway,i never tried to build that board as i have no time.AND don't forgot to follow bbarney guide,translate the page,it really works ! ( From German To English)



Make things simple not simpler.

[skimask]

Hi Ngeronikolos,...................Depends on budget

Not to mention the PICKIT is only ~$40USD. After you buy the parts from various places, buy a breadboard, buy some equipment, paying the shipping on all of those parts, spend the time, electricity and consumables putting it all together....bam....you've just spent over 40 bucks and used up a lot of valuable time that might've been better spent making an LED blink...

[NatureTech]

Maybe you are right.But in here,that PICKIT cost me around few hundred ringgit in Malaysia.I bought components and build it locally and it cost me less than 20 ringgit (USD 5).And i was able to learn from scratch.

But if you belive in that way,it might be correct or it might not be.But for sure its hassle free.Just like the melabs usb programmer.One hack of a great programmer.

[ngeronikolos]

Is a good idea to buy a cheap JDM serial PIC programmer 40pin ZIF.It cost only 23$US.

The PICKIT cost 40$US+35$US(shipping)=75$US.

What else the PICKIT can give me more than a JDM?

Please advice

[mister_e]

An open source driver+code+schematic
A Microchip tech support... as they build PICs... they should know better how to handle them
a nifty debugger... few models...
DsPIC support
MPLAB integration

35$ in shipping??? have you tried Microchip Direct?

[ngeronikolos]

mister_e,

Shipping to Greece is 26Euro.
What is the the best choise for the 18f4550?
PICKIT2 PG164120.

Thanks

[mister_e]

As i type this message, the Microchips website seems to be crashed BTW, if PG164120 is PICKIT2 only, then it's still a good choice. I buyed the Debug Express kit DV164121 or something like that. It came with a little dev board with a PIC16F917. For the price difference, i thought it was a nice deal to try the debugger.

Anyways, anyone reading this post, i trust and recommend this programmer. It served (and still) serves me well on on-the-road job. Never ever fail... 'till now.
It's cheap, well supported, small and USB powered. The supprted device list is always growing up.

I hear more bad comment on those JDM... come on... poor software developer team.. they mostly provide their stuff for free. How could this be always up to date and reliable?

For higher budget and/or wider application, i'll recommend BK Precision BK844a (ELNEC SmartProgl... now SmartProg2). Another one that NEVER EVER fail... yes once but it was my fault

I don't know about Greece, maybe Ioannis may know few nice supplier?