Suggestions for a programmer

Hi all, i would like to read some comments about the iCa01 programmer from Piccircuit!

**broken link removed**

Have anyone used it before? does it work properly?

I`m a newbie in PIC programming and i don`t want to spend a lot money at the moment so i decided NOT to buy a Pickit 2 from microchip and search for a cheaper programmer...

Any suggestions are welcome!


Regards

Instead finding who has done or tested the siad design, you may try PICkit2 clone which is excellently working as many people are working with it. It is very easy to make one at a reasonable cost. You may have a look at these links given below which may be helpfull.





You may also try these links given below.
www.blueroomelectronics.com
www.united77.com/products.htm
www.icprog.com
www.lancos.com/prog.html
**broken link removed**

OR

Try google search with keywords "JDM programmer" or Pickit2 clone". You'll find ample designs on the net......... Cheers

Hi,

Could not help but notice this post and your previous one.

Not sure which country you are in, as obtaining Microchip or similar parts can be difficult in some places.

Unless you are very competant at circuit building already then making your own programmer is not the best way even if the parts list is just a couple of dollars or whatever.

Not to buy the ready made fully functioned and guaranteed Microchip PK2 would be false economy in my view - but its your choice.

Alternativley put up a post and ask all those with a Microchip PK2 if they wish they had bought something else less expensive - bet you will not get many who do.

Pranam77 has given you a good list of alternatives but stick to something ready made as many of them need a microchip programming to make it work in the first place.

Also cannot for the life of me see why anyone would still recommend a chip with such small memory and effectivley obselete for doing C as the 16F84/A ...?
At the very least buy a 16F628A or 16F88, they are probably cheaper.

Better still why not buy the PK2 with the Starter or Debugger boards which come with a chip on board ready to program and test out with the free tutorials supplied.

I can also recommend the PICkit2 programmer, very good, fast, real time debugging in MPLAB possible, wide range of PICs supported, and some other fancy features such as USB->serial or logic analyzer functions are build in.

The programmer is really not expensive in comparison with other comparable programmers. And you can find some functionally equivalent but even cheaper clones e.g. on ebay (mostly from china), or in europe you have e.g. the **broken link removed**, which is also PICkit2 compatible.

Hi, you can find out more customers' feedback about this iCA01 programmer from the following link:
http://myworld.ebay.com/piccircuit