Building a PIC Programmer for the first time

[PurduePete]

Hey everyone,

I am new to PIC Programming and to this forum. I have got a lot of questions but I will limit it to what is in the title. I would like a programmer that requires me to remove the chip from my circuit and place it in the programer. So the JDM sounds like a good option. I also want to build it. This is the website that has the plans that I like:

http://www.instructables.com/id/Simple-JDM-PIC-Programmer/

. However the first chip that I want to work with is not the 16F84 but the 12F683, this is because it is a little cheaper, and the DEV board that I like calls for it, also I believe it is sold on campus and the other is not. Now wiring is not much of an issue but I am not printing a board until I build this on a prototyping board.

Now here are my questions. For the 16F84 it is very clear which pins need to wired and how, even in the microchip data sheet it is says serial data and serial clock. But for the 12F683 pins 6 and 7 are labeled ISCPCK and ISCPDA respectively. While the two letters might be wrong and could be CL or DT it should stand for ISCP Clock and ISCP Data. Are these the pins I need to wire to for programming?

Examples showing what is said in the data sheets, that I found anyway:
16f84 (Interrupt on change pin. Serial programming clock) and (Interrupt on change pin. Serial programming data)

http://ww1.microchip.com/downloads/en/DeviceDoc/30430c.pdf

12F283 (ICSPDAT/ULPWU) and (ICSPCLK)

http://ww1.microchip.com/downloads/en/DeviceDoc/41211D_.pdf

Thank you all for reading and I look forward to getting into Pic Programmng.

 

[pasicr]

Read this document detailed,
here you have all info about pin connections for all PIC micro,
https://www.mikroe.com/eng/downloads/get/1683/mikroprog_pic_manual_v200.pdf
regards

 

[poorchava]

Buy a pickit 2 or 3, either original or ebay-clone. It will work much better and more reliably than any diy-programmer. And in contrast to other microcontroller manufacturers' interfaces pickit is very affordable for hobbyist.

 

[Kripton2035]

Buy a pickit 2 or 3, either original or ebay-clone. It will work much better and more reliably than any diy-programmer. And in contrast to other microcontroller manufacturers' interfaces pickit is very affordable for hobbyist.

+1
**broken link removed**

 

[PurduePete]

Thank you all. I am going to get a PICKit, probably 3 just to be on the new stuff. But right now I want to make sure that this is something I can get into before dropping the money. I understand that a PICKit is the way to go as it has support, pre built and tested, and comes with software. But I want to try building first. I have found the info I needed. That linked kit is a great price by the way, thank you.

 

[Kripton2035]

build a pickit is not so simple, it requires to program a pic... so that's the problem of the chicken and the egg : who's comes first ?
you can build a jdm to program your pic that goes in the pickit but what...
it will take you time for not so big thing...
there are so many things to discover with the pic, better buy a known working programmer at low price, and then discover
btw the jdm programmer is quite obsolete, doens not work with recent laptops with usb only ports (the jdm requires a serial port)
the jdm was a good compagnon of the pic16f84 but this chip must have some ten years old if not more...
I would love to have a pickit 10 years ago, I would not have spend so many time make my jdm programmer to work !!!!

 

[PurduePete]

Interesting insight... I am starting to lean more and more on buying a ready build USB programmer. I will not mess up my custom desktop or my good school laptop. I suppose you guys might be right. I'll look for a cheap PICKit and weigh my options. I might build a JDM just for fun though. See if I can't get it working while I wait for a PICKit to come in. Thanks for the input. I would still like to build a programmer but suppose I should just take the tutorials and a tried and true programmer and not mess with something that may make me not want to program.

 

[Kripton2035]

btw dont lose time to explore the 16f84, it's really a too old chip
get a 16f88 ! or a 18f2550 with usb support they are more recent.
there are also around cheap dev boards with a pic on it, and easy to build yourself, and a good start !!
look here for example : Pinguino, open source hardware electronics prototyping platform based on 8- and 32-bit PIC from Microchip.
or here : HackingLab

 

[wp100]

Interesting insight... I am starting to lean more and more on buying a ready build USB programmer. I will not mess up my custom desktop or my good school laptop. I suppose you guys might be right. I'll look for a cheap PICKit and weigh my options. I might build a JDM just for fun though. See if I can't get it working while I wait for a PICKit to come in. Thanks for the input. I would still like to build a programmer but suppose I should just take the tutorials and a tried and true programmer and not mess with something that may make me not want to program.

Hi,

If you want to build your own Pk2 clone, detailed many times in this forum, why not mention which country your are in, perhaps someone local can program your 2550 chip with the Pickit2 firmware, then its just a simple job of soldering a few components.

 

[Plateau]

Hiho, Pete, are you fine?

If you want a simple and very good JDM programmer I suggest you a Olimex PIC PG2. Nowadays a have a PICkit 2 clone (with a 18F4550) and this JDM.

If you wanna make one, look the website : PIC-PG2 PIC SERIAL PORT PROGRAMMER FOR 8/18/28/40PIN PIC DEVICES I2C EEPROMS

 

[Kripton2035]

Hiho, Pete, are you fine?
If you want a simple and very good JDM programmer I suggest you a Olimex PIC PG2. Nowadays a have a PICkit 2 clone (with a 18F4550) and this JDM.
If you wanna make one, look the website : PIC-PG2 PIC SERIAL PORT PROGRAMMER FOR 8/18/28/40PIN PIC DEVICES I2C EEPROMS

on olimex site :

Q: My computer have no RS232. Can I use USB to RS232 converter with PIC-PG2?
A: No, the USB to RS232 converters add delay due to USB nature and this will mess up the programming timing. If you want USB programmer consider PIC-ICD2-POCKET.

so better not use a jdm programmer on a modern computer that doesnt have a serial built in port but only usb ports ...
the icd2 on olimex is more expensive than the pickit3 at sure electronics link in my post above...

 

[tpetar]

I recommend to buy PICKit 2 Clone or build it with some help.
There is also prepared PCB for making, just buy elements, program 18F2550 and thats it!


Its not so hard to make it, its very valuable!







Software :





PIC18F2550 can be simply programmed with this easy to make programmer FD-art2003 :






Supported uC is impressive:



If there is more money buy PICKIT 3.

 

[PurduePete]

I went ahead and got a cheaper PICKit 2 Clone. It was the one linked above. Figured that it would be fine and was a little bit cheaper so even better. I did want to build a programmer but oh well, this should make things a bit easier to deal with.

Thanks everyone. Looking forward to playing around a little bit with this stuff.

 

[tpetar]

I went ahead and got a cheaper PICKit 2 Clone. It was the one linked above. Figured that it would be fine and was a little bit cheaper so even better. I did want to build a programmer but oh well, this should make things a bit easier to deal with.

Thanks everyone. Looking forward to playing around a little bit with this stuff.

You made right choice! Bravo. You can build some programmer for AVR now.


There is two easy to build AVR programmers, they cover lots of AVR uC :

Serial 9-pin port


Parallel 25-pin port


If You need more info about that just say.

 

[pasicr]

Hello to all, especially for beginners,
not spend time with the soldering of programmers,
buy ready-made professional programmers,
the price level is very acceptible, for example greath USB pic programmer for app 60 USD
PIC Programmer,
also check this
**broken link removed**
for app 50 USD you will have proffy solution....
regards

 

[tpetar]

Hello to all, especially for beginners,
not spend time with the soldering of programmers,
buy ready-made professional programmers,
the price level is very acceptible, for example greath USB pic programmer for app 60 USD
PIC Programmer,
also check this
**broken link removed**
for app 50 USD you will have proffy solution....
regards

PICKIT 2 price in my country 10-15eur
PICKIT 3 price 35eur

I made PICKIT2 for less then 8eur

 

[Kripton2035]

looking at this table **broken link removed**
a pickit3 has more features than an icd2 .. and costs less
what should you do ?
the icd2 (clone) had his glory hours, but now it's been replaced ...

 

[tpetar]

PICKIT3 for now is best choice. Not expensive and good.

For beginner PICKIT2 right choice, to buy or to build as some beginner exersize and learning.

 

[sanjubluerock3]

check this link

nice and simple its built as u want


**broken link removed**


and don't forget to thank palma for his beautiful design....