gnupic: DIY USB programmer ?
Subject:
Re: DIY USB programmer ?
From:
Byron A Jeff ####@####.####
Date:
8 Jan 2005 18:43:09 +0000
Message-Id: <20050108184306.GA1476@cleon.cc.gatech.edu>
On Sat, Jan 08, 2005 at 07:07:39PM +0100, Manuel Bessler wrote:
> On Fri, Jan 07, 2005 at 10:12:24PM -0500, Byron A Jeff wrote:
> > > here is the URL to my project:
> > > http://cockpit.varxec.net/electronics/PHCC.html
> > >
> > > > BTW you never stated what parts you are using in your cockpit. Care to share?
> > >
> > > Sorry. See above.
> > >
> > >
> > > BTW: I've been using your THVP for the whole project.
> >
> > Interesting. What software are you using?
>
> for THVP ?
> pkp (cmdline part of pikdev) and broccoli18. About 2years ago when I
> used 16F628 alot I used your version of picprg.
>
> Here a a few pictures of my THVP:
> http://cockpit.varxec.de/electronics/thvp_galleryidx.html
> http://cockpit.varxec.de/electronics/picicsp_galleryidx.html
That is too cool! And thanks for the pointer to pkp. I had really fallen
off the wagon in terms of keeping up with picprg. The lat development which
I never publicly released was well over a year ago. Also it looks like
picdev now has 18F support. I compiling it now.
I'm curious how difficult it would be to to add pkp/pikdev support for
the bootstrap programmer.
>
> > >Recently I tried a
> > > JDM type programmer, but I'm still having issues with it.
> > > Serial port is a bit less picky about the length of the cable connecting
> > > the PC with the programmer. Thats why I wanted to try the JDM.
> >
> > It's one the the reasons I want to get away from the parallel port.
>
> I kept the cable between PC and burner short as per your recommodation.
> That means I have to crawl under the desk each time I wanna burn a PIC :(
I know. It's the one thing that always stuck in my craw about the Trivial
programmer.
But remember that the Trivial Programmer really is designed to be a bootstrap
programmer. I always used it to dump a bootloader into a PIC. So once the
bootloader is loaded, I didn't need the programmer anymore. Vritually all of
my completed projects were developed with a bootloader because I could simply
dump to the target board without changing anything. Also a bootloader lets
me choose the interface instead of having to be stuck with the ICSP interface
that Microchip gives.
I'm a big fan of Wouter van Ooijen's WLoader:
http://www.voti.nl/wloader
> Thats a big reason why I'd like a second "more proper" USB programmer
> for myself.
Understood. But both my Trivial programmer and this new serial Trivial
design is for bootstrapping. It simply wasn't purposed for trandional
development.
Personally I'm no fan of traditional programmers, either socketed or ICSP.
The truth of the matter is that if Microchip had implemented a loader
protocol so that that it could be hooked up directly to a serial port
(or in the case of the new USB parts to the USB port), then I as a hobbyist
wouldn't bother with a programmer at all.
>
> > But I'm spending time on this new design because the JDM relies too much
> > on serial ports being standard for voltages and for syncronization of
> > modem control signals. I want something that works consistently with
> > marginal serial ports.
>
> Yes. At first I thought that JDM designs were able to cope with weak
> serial ports, but I was wrong.
It's another reason why I think it's simpler to have an external power supply
for high voltage. The JDM gets in trouble because it tries to power
everything from the serial port.
BAJ
