Looking for recommendations on new PIC programmer - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Fusion916
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 29, 2017, 06:51:24 am
content: Hi all,I have been using PIC microcontrollers for about 10 years now, however I am looking to modernize my setup. I have a ancient programmer (Microchip PICSTART PLUS) that programs DIP PIC devices and it's so ancient I can't even use it with the modern MPLAB software. I have to use the very old MPLAB 7.20.Anyhow I'm looking for recommendations on a modern PIC programmer that can do in socket programming, works with the modern Microchip IDE, but can still program older devices (the PIC16F series). It doesn't need any crazy bells and whistles, just ISP and support for legacy devices.

author: DTJ
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 29, 2017, 07:20:40 am
content: I'm happy with the PicKit3. Cost about $60.My old PicStart+ is sitting in a drawer somewhere.It's quite reliable. It occasionally locks up but unplugging / re-plugging sorts it out.I'm not sure about legacy support - a quick look shows it still supports the 16F84 which is getting on a bit.

author: Ian.M
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 29, 2017, 07:41:48 am
content: Legacy support in MPLAB X costs *BIG* bucks. None of Microchip's currently supported programmers, except for the PM3, support any of the legacy EPROM*technology PICs, and the PM3 is $895 + you need the universal DIP socket module for another $200.The best way forward is probably to get a PICkit 3, or if your budget will stretch that far, an ICD 3, which both support in-circuit programming of nearly all FLASH PICs from MPLAB X. They also debug all PICs that either have a debug header available or have on-chip debug support.If you are still using PDIP parts and want an out-of-circuit programming jig, get a ZIF socket adapter. e.g.AU Group's 3-in-1 Mini Lab.Beware of cheap PIC ZIF adapters from EBAY etc., many of which use solid two pin jumpers to select the programming pins or connect multiple pins to the same signal so only handloe a subset of the Microchip range + are a PITA to configure.To handle Legacy PICs, I suggest dragging your PICSTART Plus into the 21stcentury by fitting the firmware upgrade daughterboardUK003010, which makes it compatible with MPLAB 8.92 the final (July 2013) MPLAB 8 release. You can also use current tools like the XC8 C compiler under MPLAB 8.92, targeting legacy PICs. Alternatively if you are feeling cheap, stay with MPLAB 7.20, but its going to be tougher and tougher to keep it running on modern PCs.*Any PIC with a C in the middle of the part number apart from the first FLASH parts that had a C in the part number (PIC16C83..84)

author: Karel
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 29, 2017, 08:19:03 am
content: If it's for hobby use and your time is not too valuable, buy a PICkit 3.If it's for professional use or your time is valuable, buy an ICD 3.Once you have used the ICD 3, you never want to go back to a PICkit 3.It's much faster, specially with PIC32's

author: Fusion916
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 29, 2017, 09:15:18 pm
content: Thanks guys.This is for professional use and budget isnt really a concern (to a extent) so I'm going to look at getting the ICD3.

author: JacquesBBB
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 30, 2017, 04:10:27 pm
content: You can also get a pickit3 clone for 12$ on ebayhttp://www.ebay.com/itm/PICkit3-PIC-KIT3-PICkit2-PIC-KIT2-Debugger-Programmer-Emulator-PIC-Controller-/401214379687?var=&hash=item5d6a3d96a7:m:mWVGq3ULvnMAMZ-XIifVBxgI have one of these. Seems to work, although I did not do much with it yet.

author: jnz
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 30, 2017, 05:13:34 pm
content: I'm not going to dwell on this, or be that-guy, but this past week I had to go back to PIC for a product update from spending the last full year on ARM Cortex... OMG, kill me.Want to have a 10hz PWM? Too bad because the only timer available is 8bit and doesn't have enough pre and post scale range to work. Want to use CCP and manually roll the pulse times, OK, but guess what? You can't have individual interrupts per peripheral, just one giant ISR. Oh, but you can have a whole high or low priority, but, god-rest-your-soul should you interrupt while in an interrupt and didn't fully read the errata sheet, because you know, how often could that possibly happen. You trying to transition a product from MPLAB8/C18 to MPLABX/XC8? Just dump the whole project and rebuild it from source and headers, because their convert/transition process is straight up broken. Did your old project use builtin libs? TOO BAD, because they're gone with XC8 and everything had transitioned to xc.h which directly includes htc.h which directly includes pic18.h which will try to include htc.h again if it hasn't been already, two more includes from here and you might get to something relevant to your actual chip.None of the above is even remotely getting into costs where the chip I'm using is at least 5 times worse but costs 5 times more than any ARM M0+ part. I can not believe I wasted any time at all on this stuff let alone 10 years in production. Compared to something like a $10 STM32 Discovery kit.... I'd sooner smash my hand in a car door than recommend someone start today with PIC.I'll say this for microchip... If you feel like you need practice with weird IDE issues, or if you want to get good at reading errata sheets, they're good for that.Sorry... It was just too on-topic for me to let it go.If you must use PIC... the ICD3 is really the only debugger/programmer I can tolerate for speed (and it's still relatively slow).

author: JPortici
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 30, 2017, 05:53:24 pm
content: Quote from: JacquesBBB on January 30, 2017, 04:10:27 pmevery update has a chance to break everything. they haven't been working on osx prior v2, i think it has something to do with the driver and data not programmed on the OTP memory

author: CraigHB
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 30, 2017, 06:35:29 pm
content: I don't have a lot of experience with other products, but one thing people seem to gloss over is Microchip's 16 bit MCUs. They're actually pretty nice parts when they can fit the bill. Though the other issues are still there like those with the IDE, lots of erratas, and slow programmers. I have a PICkit2 and PICkit3 programmer. I still use a PICkit2 on the parts it supports. I don't do embedded stuff professionally so programmer speed is not a big issue for me.I don't like the 8 bit PICs much either. I only use them for the most simple tasks when all I need is something with six or eight pins. I'll go to a 16 bit PIC pretty quick for the projects I do. I haven't done anything with a full touch screen so I haven't had a need for a 32 bit part. At that point I'll probably look to ARM if and when I do a project like that.

author: JacquesBBB
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 30, 2017, 09:13:51 pm
content: Quote from: JPortici on January 30, 2017, 05:53:24 pmI forgot to say that I am using it on OsX. But of course, I cannot assure that it will be supported by software upgrade, but for the occasional use I have, its perfect for me.

author: JPortici
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 31, 2017, 06:23:31 am
content: Quote from: CraigHB on January 30, 2017, 06:35:29 pmyep.dsPIC33EV256GM106 and family for automotive:-high temperature range (-40, +150 °C)-5V-aes q100-can/lin-4 DMA-sentdspic33EP64GS504 for some sick analog tasks:five ADC cores, 12 bit 3.25 MSps per core plus oversampling and yada yada12 bit DACsinterconnected ADCs, comparators, PWM etc for multi phase SMPSsadly, no can/dmathough i have to make a complaint for microchip parts: they should put more general purpose timers, i always run out of them, even when i have dedicated modules for IC/OC/PWM.

author: switchedmodepsu
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 01, 2017, 02:07:09 am
content: The Olimex PIC-KIT3 is a superb programmer - EASILY as good as the original, and more solidly built.Someone shows you one, here: