... I also used to watched that guy's Youtube channel the last time I was into electronics; probably watched that video too, since it's just episode #39, but I'm sure I had no idea what he was talking about.

I'm almost convinced to get the pickit2; except that he said they'll force pickit3. Are they doing that; or is the pickit2 still compatible with current PICs and software?

....

By the way... you are not going to believe this!!!!

I didn't buy another Arduino... I had to buy TWO Arduinos more!!!!!!!!

You can't make this stuff up!!!

Went to the shop, which is on the other site of the city; bought the Arduino Yun, as I also wanted to test the ethernet and Wi-Fi later on with the same project; came back; uploaded the program, and connected it... and it doesn't work!!!!... I get the exact same result as with the Leonardo!... I go to the Arduino website and confirmed that the virtual COM port is only for the Micro and Leonardo, which you can clearly read here; then read again the specs for the Yun; confirm that it has not 1, but 2 hardware COM ports; continue reading... and end up finding that the Yun also uses a virtual COM port for USB serial communication, leaving the first hardware port for its bootloader, and the second for a bridge with the SD card and Linux programming (or something like that).

So I had to go back again to the shop, and change the Yun for any other board... ending up finally getting the Mega 2560.

 

Found an PIC16F1459 on ebay at £3.37 + £3 P&P (in the UK). I think I'll get that one and give it a try, and also visit my local shop tomorrow and get the PIC16F88 for €3 and an Arduino Yun for other tests and future projects. This way I can also advance a bit until the PIC16F1459 arrives next week.

It is £1.15 from Microchip direct.

I don't know why people keep looking elsewhere when you can pretty much always get them cheaper from Microchip. I buy all of mine that way, unless I need it faster than about 2 weeks, since they ship from Thailand.

Bob

 

I wouldn't choose PICKit2. It's been phased out long time ago and you cannot program newer chips with it.

People who started using PICs 15 years ago posted lots of tutorials on the Web, and since this was long time ago, newer PICs were not available. Therefore, these tutorials refer to very old parts. People read the tutorials and buy these old parts - and continue posting more tutorials. This creates an impresson that these old parts are the best - everyone uses them after all. This is not true, newer PICs are better, and, if anything, much cheaper than the old ones.

If you get PICKit2, you'll be stuck with these old parts, because it doesn't program newer parts.

If you need a logic analyzer, you can always buy it or build your own - it's really easy.

 

I still use both, the Pickit 2 when I can for the reasons spelled out by Dave, and some of the annoying quirks of the V3, I only bought a Pickit 3 because of one certain recent PIC I needed to program.
The Pickit2 is the first I go to if it covers the PIC I am using, the latest upgrade that was available covers quite a few powerfull PIC's.
I have also tried a Pickit2 clone and worked fine and actually had an 40pin ZIF socket for self contained programming.
Max.

 

It is £1.15 from Microchip direct.

I don't know why people keep looking elsewhere when you can pretty much always get them cheaper from Microchip. I buy all of mine that way, unless I need it faster than about 2 weeks, since they ship from Thailand.

Bob

for you is £1.15, for me is €1.56 plus €6.54, or €8.10 ; more or less the £6 from the UK seller, which will probably get here faster.

I also checked the prices for the Pickits yesterday directly from Microchip, and it's also around the same price as this guy in the UK.

This is why I almost always end up buying all this stuff on ebay; can't find it cheaper anywhere else due to the P&P.

 

I wouldn't choose PICKit2. It's been phased out long time ago and you cannot program newer chips with it.

People who started using PICs 15 years ago posted lots of tutorials on the Web, and since this was long time ago, newer PICs were not available. Therefore, these tutorials refer to very old parts. People read the tutorials and buy these old parts - and continue posting more tutorials. This creates an impresson that these old parts are the best - everyone uses them after all. This is not true, newer PICs are better, and, if anything, much cheaper than the old ones.

If you get PICKit2, you'll be stuck with these old parts, because it doesn't program newer parts.

If you need a logic analyzer, you can always buy it or build your own - it's really easy.

Yes, those were my main worries about buying the pickit2; specially when the guy on the video said the thing about "forcing" buyers to get the new one.

I have also tried a Pickit2 clone and worked fine and actually had an 40pin ZIF socket for self contained programming.
Max.

I think a clone would be ideal to start with; specially if I can get it cheap -now that the money planned for the programmer already went on another Arduino that I probably never need again after this project-.

 

I was thinking... is it no possible to make a basic PIC programmer with Arduino?

 

I was thinking... is it no possible to make a basic PIC programmer with Arduino?

No doubts. Most newer PICs have LVP programming mode, which is all digital.

 

Looks quite easy...

 

There's something I'm not clear about... I'm looking at the pictures of the Pickits 2 and 3, and at the pictures of the demo boards that, either come with the package or can be bought separately... well, where the hell do I stick the PICs to program?

Should it have something like this to place the PICs to be programmed?

 

There is also Various versions of Picdem 2 plus, but mainly aimed at 16f 18f, all can be used with Pickit 2/3
The Picmicro site shows the board and the sample S/W (also downloadable).
Aimed at programming and run the app on the same board.
Max.

 

Yes, but unless I'm missing something, all these are demo boards that already come with their own sample PICs to be programmed; what I need it for (apart from the initial testing and messing around) is to program the PICs I'm going to use in my devices.

Can I program the individual PICs that I need to buy apart from those on the demo boards?

Not sure I'm making sense; all this is new to me and I'm a bit lost.

 

You can use just about any of the 16f 18f pics that the board will accept in the way of 16 28 & 40 pin.
Pic fortunately have the pin out assignment standard for most pin numbers, it can be tricky when you use the multiplexed options of some of the more current PIC's, but most of the the options on the boards have jumpers to disconnect the peripherals supplied, also expansion headers are fitted to jumper to a bread board, if necessary.
Max.

 

PICKit is an in-circuit programmer (and debugger too). You build a circuit (e.g. on a breadboard), create a connection for PICKit, connect it to there and program/debug etc. On the board you showed on the picture, there's a PIC already, which you can program with PICKit. For your own PICs, you do not need this board, but you do need to build a curcuit containing PIC.

 

I see now... I was expecting a socket like this already wired to the pickit and then simply place the PIC before programming it; instead of putting together a circuit.

 

I see now... I was expecting a socket like this already wired to the pickit and then simply place the PIC before programming it; instead of putting together a circuit.

This is not really required, they can be programmed in-circuit. When you have to change the program a few times, do you want to remove, reprogram, place again, a few times?

 

This is not really required, they can be programmed in-circuit. When you have to change the program a few times, do you want to remove, reprogram, place again, a few times?

Yeah man, do you want to do that? Seriously though, nothing beats in-circuit programming and debug.

 

This is not really required, they can be programmed in-circuit. When you have to change the program a few times, do you want to remove, reprogram, place again, a few times?

Thanks for putting it that way... I wasn't really seeing the advantage of in-circuit programming.

Actually I was going to say: if you need to create the circuit anyway, why buy the pickit in the first place, why don't everyone just program them with their Arduino or similar over a serial port?

 

Thanks for putting it that way... I wasn't really seeing the advantage of in-circuit programming.

This is what I use the Picdem board for, you leave the PIC socketed, the idea is to program and immediately run or debug.
Max.

 

Thanks for putting it that way... I wasn't really seeing the advantage of in-circuit programming.

Actually I was going to say: if you need to create the circuit anyway, why buy the pickit in the first place, why don't everyone just program them with their Arduino or similar over a serial port?

that is a good one, really, because the Arduino is 8bit and how can you program a 32bit chip with 8bit controller? And even the PICKIT3 must reload firmware if you change between PIC families.

Serial port? What is that please? (OK I do know it).

I think few PIC users program them with "their Arduino".

Actually I do have USBASP programmers here, and soon also blank mini Arduino boards.

Is it actualy possible to program PICs with them? How do I transfer the PIC firmware? Interesting. I could save money to buy another PICKIT3, because I have some circuits with more than one PIC and need to reload the firmware all the time.

I could build my own PIC programmer but its too much effort.