Hi guys,

I would like to know the differences between PICkit and ICD programmers/debuggers because of the big difference in their prize.

Thanks.

 

You can actually read up on the descriptions for these devices and see the difference...

The PICkit™ 2 Development Programmer/Debugger (PG164120) is a low-cost development tool with an easy to use interface for programming and debugging Microchip’s Flash families of microcontrollers. The full featured Windows® programming interface supports baseline (PIC10F, PIC12F5xx, PIC16F5xx), midrange (PIC12F6xx, PIC16F), PIC18F, PIC24, dsPIC30, dsPIC33, and PIC32 families of 8-bit, 16-bit, and 32-bit microcontrollers, and many Microchip Serial EEPROM products. With Microchip’s powerful MPLAB Integrated Development Environment (IDE) the PICkit™ 2 enables in-circuit debugging on most PIC® microcontrollers. In-Circuit-Debugging runs, halts and single steps the program while the PIC microcontroller is embedded in the application. When halted at a breakpoint, the file registers can be examined and modified.

MPLAB® ICD 3 In-Circuit Debugger System is Microchip's most cost effective high-speed hardware debugger/programmer for Microchip Flash Digital Signal Controller (DSC) and microcontroller (MCU) devices. It debugs and programs PIC® Flash microcontrollers and dsPIC® DSCs with the powerful, yet easy-to-use graphical user interface of MPLAB Integrated Development Environment (IDE).
The MPLAB ICD 3 In-Circuit Debugger probe is connected to the design engineer's PC using a high-speed USB 2.0 interface and is connected to the target with a connector compatible with the MPLAB ICD 2 or MPLAB REAL ICE systems (RJ-11). MPLAB ICD 3 supports all Emulation headers.

MPLAB ICD 3 has improved speed as compared with MPLAB ICD 2.
See these videos for an overview and for getting started with MPLAB ICD 3

B. Morse

 

The main difference is speed.

The ICD3 is several times faster than the older systems.

 

Take a look here
http://www.microchip.com/stellent/i...am=en534451&page=wwwdevMPLABEmulatorDebuggers
If money is not important go for a ICD3.