Help choose a PIC programmer.

I'm assuming from the context here that by "PIC" you mean "any microcontroller" and not specifically the PIC-series of microcontrollers manufactured by Microchip.

I'd recommend that you start out with one of the Arduino boards. The platform is open source both hardware and software, so the dev boards are cheap and the software is free. It's also aimed at beginners and so is pretty easy to get started with.

Their home page is over at

There are links there to many vendors that sell Arduino boards, compatibles, and expansion boards (called "shields" in their nomenclature).

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Rich Webb     Norfolk, VA

I can recommend PICkit 2, works without problems for me. Some time ago there were problems reported for PICkit 3, but maybe they have fixed it meanwhile.

I think PICkit 2 has a debugging interface, too, for devices with ICD support, but I didn't need it so far, because in C usually some printfs or LED blinking are sufficient, and for assembler you can simulate the program in the MPlab IDE without hardware.

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Frank Buss, fb@frank-buss.de
http://www.frank-buss.de, http://www.it4-systems.de

Get the Microchip ICD2. It will allow you to step thru code as a emulator would.

Cheers

This is expensive and Microchip recommends ICD3. I think it has some nice features like real time debugging, but you'll need such features nearly never and then for bigger projects, only. Of course, when you need it for difficult problems, you really need it :-) Standard debugging with break points and single step is possible with PICkit2, too.

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Frank Buss, fb@frank-buss.de
http://www.frank-buss.de, http://www.it4-systems.de

I'm still hearing people griping about the PICkit 3 - quality control problems with the boards, is what it sounds like.

Last year I bought a PICKit 2 clone, and a "universal programmer board", from a Chinese vendor on eBay (seller name "sureelectronics2"). The programmer appears to be a near-exact clone of the original, and is presumably based on the design that Microchip published.

I've only used it briefly (first time was last week, in fact) but it worked out fine... programmed an 18F2220 on the first attempt, and the chip works in the circuit.

I've used it with some open-source programming tools, released on the Microchip website. The clone was "seen" by the software, I was able to upgrade it to the latest PICkit 2 firmware from Microchip and program an identifying name into it, and haven't had any difficulty using it.

The "Universal programmer board" has three ZIF sockets for various groups of PIC processors, and connects to one of the cables provided with the PICkit 2 clone.

--
Dave Platt                                    AE6EO
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The only thing I really miss with the PICkit2 is watchpoints.

Cheers

Phil Hobbs

--
Dr Philip C D Hobbs
Principal
ElectroOptical Innovations
55 Orchard Rd
Briarcliff Manor NY 10510
845-480-2058
hobbs at electrooptical dot net
http://electrooptical.net

See:

Get the PICkit2 or PICkit3, don't touch the build-it-yourself programmers, they are not worth the trouble.

But it sounds like you are talking about microcontrollers in general, not just PIC. In which case the PICAXE orArduino are worth considering:

PICAXE doesn't even need code, you can program them using flowcharts if you want.

Dave.

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Sorry i cannot help now; i gave away my spare PIC-2 to someone in England.

Get a PICKit2, but make sure that yours has a red pushbutton and not a black pushbutton, otherwise the single step (or single breakpoint, you only have one or the other) won't work for you unless you fit two 4K7 resistors onto the target board.

Good point to add. I received two of the newer ones from one supplier and one of the older ones from another supplier, with all three orders received within a day or so of each other. Clearly, some suppliers still have old stock on their shelves. I added the resistors, of course. But it's work asking before buying, if possible, and watching out for it otherwise.

Jon

AND ALSO! ...

Do not install the software from the supplied CD; get the latest versions from the Microchip website. In any case, there is a slip of paper in the PICKit2 suggesting that you should do that.

HEY IDIOT YOU ONLY NEED 1 RESISTOR:

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA LOL

WHOOOOOOHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA LOL ahahha jippi!!!

fun fun fun. Save a couple of dollars. LOL

If you want to build, take a look at the Wisp648:

The PCB is not available for free, but you can buy a kit or lay out the board yourself and buy a pre-programmed PIC.

This programmer handles a lot of different PICs, but only 5V ones. It works with both Windows and Linux.

You absolutely want a programmer that supports ICSP (In-Circuit Serial Programming). Moving the chip back and forth between the project and the programmer gets old very fast.

I have the PicKit3, and I am very pleased. In addition to programming almost all PICs, it also has basic debugging capabilities. The debugger is more useful than you'd expect.

I have not been able to find any decent, free Basic or C compilers for the PICs. If you're going to learn a new language anyway, take a look at JALv2:

There's also a mail list at Yahoo groups where you can get help.

I think you'd be well served by a PicKit. The 3 has been getting some bad press, but mine has been fine.

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RoRo

For a hobbyist I'd have thought a kit might be ideal. The suggestion below is a bit too minimalist and unsafe for my liking. YMMV

Provided that you don't mind the risk of damage to your parallel port. The design is totally unbuffered, voltage dependent and may not work, and some of the suggestions there are likely to wreck a PIO if used by the unwary.

Older chips also want a higher programming voltage applied. But there are cheap DIY PIC programmer kits for hobbyists about.

It is quite cute to make designs fully in circuit programmable.

Regards, Martin Brown

Visiting downtown Amsterdam again, eh, Jan?

Cheers

Phil Hobbs

--
Dr Philip C D Hobbs
Principal
ElectroOptical Innovations
55 Orchard Rd
Briarcliff Manor NY 10510
845-480-2058
hobbs at electrooptical dot net
http://electrooptical.net

On a sunny day (Wed, 24 Feb 2010 12:16:55 +0000) it happened Martin Brown wrote in :

Unwary should not program PICs.

Indeed:

Doing that puts restrictions on I/O pins. Low voltage programming sucks up an other I/O pin. That is why I use high voltage programming only. And leave the low voltage stuff to the unwary :-)

Now life on Enceladus? Should be easy to do a sample return, not much gravity. Bring some bugs over here:-)

Hey, thanks for all the info. Yes, I did mean any micro controller. I guess PIC was the first one I learned about. The Arduino looks pretty cool but I am leaning towards the PICkit 2. I may have to pick up the Arduino just to play with. The PICaxe also looks good but I think I would have a hard time deciding what exactly to buy. The PICkit 2 looks like it comes in an "everything I need" package.

Also, special thanks to David for the vblogs even though it was 90% rant. It helps to see someone hold up the product and talk about it. It would have been really great if you had demonstrated the products for us. I know it would probably seem inane but seeing someone plug one in, write a short program, display the interface, etc. would probably answer a lot of questions that I hadn't thought to ask.

Silly childish name changing noted.

Hey Superjan, I'd suggest you try some more of that meditation:

Regards Dave.

--
================================================
Check out my Electronics Engineering Video Blog & Podcast:
http://www.eevblog.com

I'm sure if you search Youtube or other places you'll find plenty of practical videos on using the PICkit.

Dave.

--
================================================
Check out my Electronics Engineering Video Blog & Podcast:
http://www.eevblog.com