Hi
I just made the JDM Hardware test and have only 0.6V between Vss (Pin 12/31) and MCLR# (Pin 1).
If I measure between Vss and Pin 3 of Q1 I get 13.9V. The solder points of Q1 look perfect. Is it possible, that Q1 is defect?
All the other Tests work fine.
Greets, Roger
After testing everything over and over, I think the problem is the usb-serial converter. I’ll try the programming with my DAW in the studio.
Greets, Roger
All the smoke for nothing :
… it was the USB/Serial converter.
Bootstrap loaded perfectly 
Sorry for the buzz for nothing (… I suddenly remembered, that I once read something like that)
Greets, Roger
PS: So all the soldering was perfect… and I’m proud, it’s the first PCB (after thousends of XLR and Bantam plugs) I soldered in my live 8)
Hi Roger,
better to add such an important information next time 
It’s clear why it cannot work with a USB/serial converter, because ic-prog has to access the physical port directly to drive the current pump (the circuit around Q1)
Best Regards, Thorsten.
Hi there…
first, sorry for my english.
it is 2 am and am crazy.
I have a same problem, but i don use a COM/usb converter.
Using no external power (because ther is no diference)
XP user, also tried with WIN 98, tried with TALIO.sys and USERPORT.sys drivers
The voltage`s are:
VSS - MCLR# - Once I had 12.5V when i used TALIO.sys drivers but after READING a pic everything came back to voltage : 0.5V
VSS-MCLR# (during reading - 3.5V (but when, am guessing,Talio didnt work, i had same 0.5V )
so anyway tried to program it but it didnt work
other voltages are in normal range