Programmer for 18F4550

[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?

[skimask]

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.

Did you let all the smoke out of your programmer?

[mister_e]

yeah, the smoke on first week it's normal as it's brand new.