pic kit 2 +??? as an alternative programmer (I don't have a parallel port)

Parts Questions
1

I am on a laptop that only has usb and fw for i/o.

I need to program my pic chips by usb and have been wondering about buying a microchip PicKit 2 and then building or buying a little board with a Zif socket and ICD header so I can quickly and easily program my Pic chips.

Anyone had experience with this?  Is there a board I can already buy that has the appropriate sockets for the pic18F4620 and a 6 pin icd header for connecting to the PicKit 2?

cheers,

    intellijel

2

dont know.

check www.sprut.de for brenner8.

but its in german

3

Hi intellijel,

Maybe another alternative would be to use some USB docking station like this one:

http://www.trendnet.com/products/TU2-ET200.htm

I’ve seen other brands selling this kind of stuff for a reasonable amount of money too.

I have however never tested the PIC burner through such a device so I don’t know if that’s 100% working…

Best regards,

Lall

4

The brenner8 looks good but I can’t read german.

I was thinking of something like this as well: (this is a clone of a PicKit 2 with a breakout board that has Zif sockets on it and a header to connect to the programmer).

http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=008&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&viewitem=&item=180079102120&rd=1&rd=1

I could also just purchase a microchip pickit 2 and then buy or make one of those zif socket breakout boards.

I have tons of projects on the go and I am looking to buy ready made boards whenever possible or well put together kits (like smash tv). What little free time I do have will be used for the mechanical aspects (wiring pots/switches, layout design) which consumes the most time anyways.

cheers,

    intellijel

5

Why not a USB to parallel convertor? The docking station/port replicator will have a LPT port too… Both are way cheeaper…

6

The above mentioned docking station is $70-80.

I could buy just a usb to parallel cable for not much money, however I would still have to build the Pic Burner. As aforementioned I am trying to save as much time as possible. Spending 1-2hrs building a little board is more expensive than just buying a pre-made one.

However, I do have the pcb board and parts for the older JDM module (from smash tv). Are there quick mods I can do to turn this into a pic burner? (I remember one thing I saw was just adding a 10k pullup somewhere)

The other advantage of buying a burner like pic kit 2 or one of those clones is that I can use it for burning a wide variety of other pic chips for other projects.

cheers,

    intellijel

7

Looks like http://www.mikes-elektronikseite.de/shop_englisch/index.htm

Has kits for the newer burner (quick to build).

8

but thats a parallel port programmer.

9

correct but I can just use a usb-parallel adapter (inexpensive)

10

ah,okay :slight_smile:

11

the older JDM module (from smash tv). Are there quick mods I can do to turn this into a pic burner?

I use a JDM to burn my pics, as does Wilba I think, and a bunch of others… The PIC Burner module was designed due to problems with the JDM, but not too long ago, some members of this forum found PICpgm and WinPIC800 and they both work well with the JDM.

12

but the problem with serial (RS232) connections and PCs is, that they’re operated with 12 V. And USB runs with 5 V. So if you got a cheesy cheap USB->serial adapter (like me) that won’t get 12 V but only 7.x V, it won’t work. And until I got the idea of measuring the Voltage, it took a loooong, looooong time :-\

I’d definitely try USB->parallel, 'cause the Burner Module works with an external PowerSupply (15V) … though I never tried a USB->parallel adapter, just my 2c’s :wink:

Cheers,

Michael