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how to program a pic?

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Maz

Sat May 06 2006, 09:10PM

Registered Member #111 Joined: Fri Feb 10 2006, 01:04AM
Location: Menasha,Wisconsin
Posts: 65

there is a very easy way to program a pic. the problem comes in with cost. for me, the equipment to program them using software is rather expensive(from picallw.com) i have a more important project at the moment than programming a pic so i mustn't waste money.

is there a purely electrical way to program functions, or could i possibly build my own programmer?

i admit i know next to nothing about pic controllers, not asking for the ball park, just the directions.

HV Enthusiast

Sat May 06 2006, 09:24PM

Registered Member #15 Joined: Thu Feb 02 2006, 01:11PM
Location:
Posts: 3068

yes, do a simple search on google for PIC programmers. usually a few dollars in parts and a serial cable are all you need to program a PIC (with conjuction of your computer of course)

Maz

Sat May 06 2006, 09:33PM

Registered Member #111 Joined: Fri Feb 10 2006, 01:04AM
Location: Menasha,Wisconsin
Posts: 65

any suggestions? problems others have faced?

AndrewM

Sat May 06 2006, 09:36PM

Registered Member #49 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 04:05AM
Location: Bigass Pile of Penguins
Posts: 362

You very much need to GOOGLE for this. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of pages detailing low, or 'no' parts pic programmers, and accompanying free software.

Your tradition of poor threads appears to be continuing.

Chris Russell

Sat May 06 2006, 10:32PM

... not Russel!
Registered Member #1 Joined: Thu Jan 26 2006, 12:18AM
Location: Tempe, Arizona
Posts: 1052

You'll have to Google for the schematics, but there are plenty of designs out there that will let you use a serial port to program a PIC. The only suggestion I have is that you use an external, battery-operated +5V supply, as serial ports can vary from computer to computer, and yours may not be able to supply enough current to run the PIC. Also, if your serial port can't supply enough voltage for Vpp, you may need to build a supply for that as well.

rupidust

Sat May 06 2006, 10:36PM

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Registered Member #110 Joined: Fri Feb 10 2006, 12:23AM
Location: Banned City
Posts: 85

Maz:
Just like all things technology related, a PIC programmer can be simple and cheap, or big and expsensive. For your purposes where you must not waste money and you hava a pending project of greater importance then building a programmer, then I suggest you go ahead and buy that programmer from the site you listed picallw.com. That will be about $25 usa not including shipping. You can find a cheaper programmer, however this price is more than fair and is one of the lowest that includes a ZIF socket. That is a kit buy the way, so you will spend alot of time assembling and soldering.

Now if you want to build one using the ubiquitous few dollars and few parts, go with an AN589 programmer. The AN589 programmer first of all works, afterwhich it is compatible with most programmer softwares, is cheap, and uses a few parts. How wonderful it is for those who created the PIC to provide a simple and effective programmer for their own parts.

The Datasheet for AN589 programmer is here http://ww1.microchip.com/downloads/en/AppNotes/00589a.pdf
The location of a compatible Software I use regularly is here: http://www.ic-prog.com/
An image of a board I tossed together long ago and still pograms many a PIC and PIC types is here: Working programmer
My version of AN589 schematic which is provided in its Datasheet The schematic for above

Bjørn

Sat May 06 2006, 10:52PM

Registered Member #27 Joined: Fri Feb 03 2006, 02:20AM
Location: Hyperborea
Posts: 2058

Take a look a these, used by several people on the forum:
http://sciencezero.org/electronics/com84.htm
http://sciencezero.org/electronics/hvprog.htm

Wolfram

Sun May 07 2006, 12:50AM

Registered Member #33 Joined: Sat Feb 04 2006, 01:31PM
Location: Norway
Posts: 971

I would also like to put in a second word for WinPic800 (it is already mentioned on our site).

I have used both Ic-Prog and WinPic before, WinPic800 is by far the best one. Try it out!

Anders M.

AndrewM

Sun May 07 2006, 01:06AM

Registered Member #49 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 04:05AM
Location: Bigass Pile of Penguins
Posts: 362

I started with the Com84, and it works great for the 16F84a, for example, but couldn't program my 16F628A's.

Olimex makes a $50 AVR, PIC, et al programmer that is compatible with MPLAB itself just like the $200 Picstart Plus

Maz

Sun May 07 2006, 02:49AM

Registered Member #111 Joined: Fri Feb 10 2006, 01:04AM
Location: Menasha,Wisconsin
Posts: 65

thanks you guys(especially rupidust) for not giving me too much flak. btw i did google it but gave up after a while because i didn't like sifting through tutorials that gave no example other than how to program it (on computer) and not build the programmer.

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