EEVblog #448 - New PICkit 4 & AVR Dragon  - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 01, 2013, 04:14:15 am
content: Dave programs a PIC 24F chip on his uCalc with the new official AVR Dragon firmware.Part of the new Microchip-Atmel tool collaboration agreement.Also, news on the new PICkit 4 which will have official support for all Atmel parts.

author: nuhamind2
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 01, 2013, 04:25:35 am
content: What !!All the war is now all useless...

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 01, 2013, 04:55:36 am
content: don't be surprised .... Microchip has tried to borg atmel before !http://www.reuters.com/article/2009/02/10/us-atmel-takeover-microchip-idUSTRE5197X120090210

author: bxs
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 01, 2013, 05:07:01 am
content: hahadeletting posts, why ?No one will believe in the video anyway

author: dimlow
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 01, 2013, 05:10:16 am
content: Its a special day for google toohttps://www.google.com/intl/en-GB/landing/nose/!I wonder how well Dave has done in this comp!Guardian Goggleshttp://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/video/2013/apr/01/guardian-goggles-video

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 01, 2013, 05:22:01 am
content: Quote from: dimlow on April 01, 2013, 05:10:16 amI'm in with a chance.

author: dimlow
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 01, 2013, 05:26:04 am
content: Quote from: EEVblog on April 01, 2013, 05:22:01 amThats how i found it

author: exp1
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: April 01, 2013, 05:32:46 am
content: Thumbs up!

author: Mindlesscoolguy
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: April 01, 2013, 06:58:25 am
content: Well, I prefered the 555 trick. you actually got me to check the microchip forums. it would have been great though...

author: maor
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: April 01, 2013, 07:22:16 am
content: Very nice dave, very nice...

author: hans
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 01, 2013, 08:37:01 am
content: You got me until I read "Mar 31, 2013" and opened my own calendar (Europe)

author: afho
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: April 01, 2013, 08:55:34 am
content: Great! You vor me first too, but this sounds so uncredible that this coudn't be true! Thanks. And here in Europe, as hans sad, it was 31.03. ... :-)

author: Phantomix
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: April 01, 2013, 09:03:52 am
content: I'd really like if this was true!The problem is, Atmel isn't even able to support all their programming standards in one product; if Microchip would achieve this, i'd say - hats off!Thanks Dave, ymmd!

author: herctrap
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: April 01, 2013, 09:12:23 am
content: what about the green led on the avr dragon?

author: Alana
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 01, 2013, 09:14:40 am
content: Found this sometime ago on EEblog forum. Havent tested yethttp://elena-march.narod.ru/

author: firewalker
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 01, 2013, 10:53:16 am
content: It doesn't work under GNU/Linux. I flashed AVR Dragon with the new firmware but MplabX has issues. Works under Win7 though.Alexander.

author: olsenn
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 01, 2013, 10:54:35 am
content: Atmel is working on a new firmware; hahaha, Atmel is working, lol, that's a good one

author: elgonzo
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 01, 2013, 10:56:44 am
content: Dave, you smart sonofabitch, you got me fooled!Hehehe, i always fall for these jokes, perhaps because secretly i wish for them becoming true.

author: elgonzo
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 01, 2013, 10:59:04 am
content: Quote from: firewalker on April 01, 2013, 10:53:16 amHow did you do it on Windows 7?It did not run for me on Win7. Atmel support told me to try Windows 8, which i did (in a VM), and it is now working fine...

author: firewalker
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 01, 2013, 11:09:04 am
content: Quote from: elgonzo on April 01, 2013, 10:59:04 amI don't know it, worked out of the box for me. Try to run it as admin or with WinXp compatibility mode.Alexander.

author: komet
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 01, 2013, 11:24:26 am
content: Even with the new firmware I still can't get my AVR dragon to work with my AS/400. Don't Atmel care about their customers?

author: nitro2k01
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 01, 2013, 11:50:30 am
content: I'm looking forward to the PICKit 4. The AVR programming is nice and all, but I'm personally looking forward to finally getting brighter LEDs. For those of us who work in dark rooms, this is a big deal. I'm just worried that I might wear out the flash memory on the PIC chip if I repeatedly reprogram the chip so I can get the increased illumination from the status LED.

author: cidcorp
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 01, 2013, 11:59:01 am
content: Totally feel like a dumbass. Forgot what day it was. If you had provided links on the video page, I would have never seen the comments about the links being missing...and I might have been confused for several more hours.Nice job.

author: xenocide702
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: April 01, 2013, 12:27:45 pm
content: Quote from: Mindlesscoolguy on April 01, 2013, 06:58:25 amSame, well played Dave.

author: JoeAAI
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: April 01, 2013, 01:00:23 pm
content: Had me fooled... just like last year... I even knew what day it was.

author: M0BSW
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 01, 2013, 01:16:54 pm
content: It maybe OK for all of you who know about this stuff, but I am even more confused now, I want to build some Amateur radio project that use PIC chips, and I don't have a clue where to start, if this is the same pic, I'm completely bewildered, and need a darkened room to lye down in.

author: TheCrazyRichard
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: April 01, 2013, 01:23:16 pm
content: Almost got fooled as wellAwesome. Anyway, Dave, why don't you finish the uCalc?It looks like a nice interesting project, I might even maybe buy one too

author: margrove
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: April 01, 2013, 01:35:02 pm
content: You got me there, fair & square

author: M0BSW
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 01, 2013, 01:44:12 pm
content: AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH you big numpty you trying to confuse a already confused radio ham, I'd let your tyres down if I lived over there.

author: olsenn
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 01, 2013, 03:03:00 pm
content: I still think the 555-timer bit was your best

author: Ferroto
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 01, 2013, 03:19:23 pm
content: Programming PIC chips with an AVR Dragon. What is this sorcery.Looks at date. Well played Dave well played.

author: oPossum
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 01, 2013, 03:40:42 pm
content: This has been in the works for quite a while and there is more to it than what Dave has revealed.The PIC firmware for the Dragon is just a temporary hack. The Dragon has been an unreliable POS and will be EOL soon. The new low cost programmer will the the PICKit4 - and it will program everything.Microchip will soon announce (along with the PK4) a line of 8 and 16 bit PIC chips that are pin compatible with the AVR atTiny atMega and XMega chips. They will assist current Atmel customers with the transition to these new superior PIC chips. When the transition is complete, all AVR chips will go EOL and no longer be manufactured.The AVR never met sales expectations, and this is Atmel's way out of a money losing microcontroller product segment.

author: armandas
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 01, 2013, 03:51:15 pm
content: Quote from: oPossum on April 01, 2013, 03:40:42 pmSounds legit. Everybody knows that pinout is the only difference between PICs and AVRs

author: oPossum
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 01, 2013, 03:55:12 pm
content: Quote from: armandas on April 01, 2013, 03:51:15 pmThere are some minor firmware differences. They have developed tools to deal with that. Source code will be automagically converted for you. The tools are currently a bit buggy - but I am sure it will be perfected by release time.

author: 8086
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 01, 2013, 04:01:18 pm
content: Not even closeBut nice try.

author: JTR
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 01, 2013, 04:31:49 pm
content: Hey Dave, you've found your calling. You should get a job for a Sydney radio station.

author: 6502Dude
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: April 01, 2013, 04:47:28 pm
content: Wow, this is pretty cool advancement.Just ordered a AVR Dragon Programmer online.Can't wait to try this, once new firmware is released.

author: mizi
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: April 01, 2013, 04:51:06 pm
content: It even "leaked" to Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PICKit)

author: olsenn
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 01, 2013, 04:53:17 pm
content: Dave, you should see how many companies add you to their shitlist, haha. Keep it up!

author: A Hellene
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 01, 2013, 06:41:56 pm
content: Ah, this is old news!Atmel development tools could alwayshandleMicrochip products.For example, check out what chip is plugged in at the target programming socket of theAVR MCU00100 Starter Kit, which is a vintage AVR programmer initially released in 1997!-George<EDIT>Image added:

author: shashwatratan
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: April 01, 2013, 07:22:45 pm
content: Hi Dave thats a great April fools prank. You totally got me by your 555 easter egg video, may be 2 years ago. So I know how convincing you are!but would it not be great if both companies support each others products? I am not a fanboy of atmel or microchip i use parts from both. Still I use Atmel's MCUs more often. For the contrary the atmel parts are cheaper here then microchip! Go wonderRegardsShashwat

author: Metalcrowe
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: April 01, 2013, 07:31:57 pm
content: First, you had me.But then I took a look at the calendar and realized it.

author: ben_r_
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 01, 2013, 08:29:54 pm
content: So when is that PICKit 4 coming out then? Shame they wont be upgrading the PICKit 3 to support it, but Ill still have plenty of use for that and it was certainly cheap enough. However theyd better update the PM3 to support it because I am NOT buying a new stand alone programmer from them just to get AMTEL support!

author: DebboR
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: April 01, 2013, 08:46:59 pm
content: Omg... I watched this video this morning (in Europe), and only just found out it was a joke :p.Nice one Dave (except for giving me bad hope for a full day...)!DebboR

author: Towz
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: April 01, 2013, 09:51:22 pm
content: Nice oneAnyway... It's be nice if someday it happened...

author: oshaker
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: April 01, 2013, 09:54:36 pm
content: God knows how many hits guys made seeking for PICKit4 :- )

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 01, 2013, 09:57:23 pm
content: Quote from: mizi on April 01, 2013, 04:51:06 pmindeed!Quickly removed by the Wiki nazi's of course.

author: 6502Dude
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: April 01, 2013, 11:02:06 pm
content: Quote from: herctrap on April 01, 2013, 09:12:23 amPerhaps he used same hole through work bench that was used for 555 trick, to power the green led?My guess is another (off camera) USB port was used on notebook to produce the read/write results to screen on notebook.

author: Fozzy
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: April 01, 2013, 11:09:30 pm
content: How did you manage to keep composure, or did you do this in a few takes? Nice one Dave, keep up the top work!!

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 01, 2013, 11:38:46 pm
content: Quote from: Fozzy on April 01, 2013, 11:09:30 pmIt took a few takes, but not for composure, just the usual reason that I have no idea what I'm going to say until I hit record.

author: fLuXx
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: April 01, 2013, 11:47:49 pm
content: Hey, just registered now to comment on the clip. Good one, you actually got me. Mostly because it is actually partially true. There is a way to program AVR's via Pickit. I tried it with pickit2 and it worked. Just google it and try. Be careful though, as not all AVR's are supported/tested. I managed to brick an Atmega128, because the programmer wrote the wrong fuse configuration, disabling the serial programming. I had to unbrick it using the parallel programmer. Anyway, at least we know they are actually hardware compatible, it's just not supported by firmware.

author: ivan747
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 02, 2013, 12:54:59 am
content: Quote from: olsenn on April 01, 2013, 10:54:35 am

author: FenderBender
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 02, 2013, 02:08:53 am
content: You bastard!You got me good Dave. The whole video I was just like "Wow this is crazy. Weird but..hey whatever". I didn't think anything of it.

author: BravoV
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 02, 2013, 02:20:44 am
content: Just rewatched and found out it has subtitle now, I assumed its done by Sen, thanks Sen !Boo..hooo...I guess few fan boys from both sides must be offended watching this video, nice job Dave.

author: c4757p
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 02, 2013, 02:26:34 am
content: Quote from: fLuXx on April 01, 2013, 11:47:49 pmThought so! The electrical interface is nearly identical, it's just protocol differences.QuoteThere's just something about AVR fuses... I've done that to so many AVR chips - somehow I always manage to pick something completely retarded for the fuse settings. Either they have more ways to brick them, or I'm just an ignoramus.

author: CBenghi
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: April 02, 2013, 11:41:21 am
content: Bingo! It works like a treat!

author: Dennis
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: April 02, 2013, 09:23:52 pm
content: Do you think Microchip will do a video response this time??

author: notsob
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 02, 2013, 09:26:49 pm
content: I can only imagine someone at microchip going what the f*^% are these pickit4 enquiries, oh no it's that bastard jones again.

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 02, 2013, 11:50:33 pm
content: i heard that using PIckit5 and Atmel Dragon 7 you will be able to program 555 timers and 741 opamps !

author: Jon Chandler
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 03, 2013, 05:07:55 am
content: Quote from: free_electron on April 02, 2013, 11:50:33 pmGreat. I was looking for a way to program theCSS555C Programmable Timer.

author: bitwelder
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 03, 2013, 05:30:18 am
content: And luckily Wikipedia "Nazi admins" removed the joke, otherwise you'd see hordes of microchip fans going after their #1 firm with "what sir? no pickit4? You must be misinformed, it's on Wikipedia, it MUST be true!"

author: manu
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 03, 2013, 11:30:00 am
content: Hello,I've been fooled as I just saw the video this morning, then I realized...I wish this would be true that a pickit4 were released as I'm working with a pickit3 (in fact, several of them) and they sometime brick if I change the microcontroller device (I often switch between PIC18 and PIC32 micros). I cannot get a repeatable way of un-bricking it, I try different tricks and I finally get it work again...So, it would have been great to see a new version of the low-cost debugger more reliable as the pickit2 was.

author: nitro2k01
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 03, 2013, 01:57:38 pm
content: Quote from: bitwelder on April 03, 2013, 05:30:18 am

author: delfinom
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 04, 2013, 03:59:11 am
content: Quote from: oPossum on April 01, 2013, 03:40:42 pmI hope not, AVRs are wonderful for their modern assembly and architecture while the 8-bit PICs are seriously lagging behind in many aspects.

author: grummund
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: April 04, 2013, 07:58:35 am
content: Quote from: herctrap on April 01, 2013, 09:12:23 amCould be custom firmware to fake a PicKit3 - mimics the protocol to the PC but then does nothing except operate the LED.Nice trick however it was done.

author: BAM5
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 20, 2013, 03:50:36 pm
content: Aw dang it! D:<I watched this video in May and have been putting off getting the PICKit because I thought the 4th one was going to come out!Had me fooled for like a week or two.Good job.

author: ilanko
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: October 26, 2013, 11:54:29 pm
content: Where's the calc video ?

author: vysakhpillai
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: March 06, 2018, 05:02:46 am
content: And now when they have actually announced PICKIT4 with support for Atmel devices, this page shows up in the front page of Google searchhttp://www.microchip.com/Developmenttools/ProductDetails.aspx?PartNO=PG164140

author: MauriceS
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: September 03, 2019, 06:49:56 pm
content: Dave was a great visionary in 2013...

author: FrankBuss
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 10, 2020, 06:44:44 pm
content: BTW, instead of the useless silkscreen, I glued a more useful paper on top:https://twitter.com/frank_buss/status/1326153906871803904