I beleive everyone involved with microcontrollers programming is looking for free and easy to use tools in order to acheive their goals.
I like very much PIC micros and I have 2 commercial programmers, a PIC KIT2 and a PIC KIT3. But I also wanted to have a simple programming cable to carry with me everywhere I go and use it in the field. I own an older Dell Latitude laptop with a serial port, so I searched for an easy way to make the simplest PIC Programmer ever !!!
Here is what I build. It could not be simpler !!!
You only need three 4K7 resistors, a DB9 female connector and some cable. You can build this in less than half an hour.
All my PIC projects have an "in circuit programming" connector, which is nothing more that a SIP5 male pin header, like most PC's have on their motherboards. The end of my cable terminates to a female SIP5 connector and that's all.
If you read the datasheet of your PIC chip you will easily identify the PGC, PGD, Ground and MCLR pins. Connect them as shown in the diagram above and you are ready to go. Always remember that most modern PIC's require the MCLR pin to be pulled up to Vdd through a 10K resistor. A 1N4148 diode may also be placed in series with the resistor as shown in the diagram below :
When you design your PCB follow the above connection diagram. This way you can use any "in circuit" programmer available and you will save a lot of trouble and cabling.
You are done with the programmer hardware. So, what about a programming software ?
The best and FREE programming software I use is PICPgm. Very easy to use, just select your device and upload your hex file (if you don't know how to create a hex file or anything about PIC programming languages, then you most likely have to study a little and read some programming tutorials first !).
This programmer is tested and known to work good with 18F46K22, 18F26K22 and most other chips form the 18F series. Please have in mind that many USB to Serial adapters might not work as a "native" PC serial port.
I hope you enjoy this simple project and I wish you happy PIC programming.
73, Fanis
SV1BGM
I like very much PIC micros and I have 2 commercial programmers, a PIC KIT2 and a PIC KIT3. But I also wanted to have a simple programming cable to carry with me everywhere I go and use it in the field. I own an older Dell Latitude laptop with a serial port, so I searched for an easy way to make the simplest PIC Programmer ever !!!
Here is what I build. It could not be simpler !!!
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| Simplest PIC Programmer ever !!! |
All my PIC projects have an "in circuit programming" connector, which is nothing more that a SIP5 male pin header, like most PC's have on their motherboards. The end of my cable terminates to a female SIP5 connector and that's all.
If you read the datasheet of your PIC chip you will easily identify the PGC, PGD, Ground and MCLR pins. Connect them as shown in the diagram above and you are ready to go. Always remember that most modern PIC's require the MCLR pin to be pulled up to Vdd through a 10K resistor. A 1N4148 diode may also be placed in series with the resistor as shown in the diagram below :
When you design your PCB follow the above connection diagram. This way you can use any "in circuit" programmer available and you will save a lot of trouble and cabling.
You are done with the programmer hardware. So, what about a programming software ?
The best and FREE programming software I use is PICPgm. Very easy to use, just select your device and upload your hex file (if you don't know how to create a hex file or anything about PIC programming languages, then you most likely have to study a little and read some programming tutorials first !).
This programmer is tested and known to work good with 18F46K22, 18F26K22 and most other chips form the 18F series. Please have in mind that many USB to Serial adapters might not work as a "native" PC serial port.
I hope you enjoy this simple project and I wish you happy PIC programming.
73, Fanis
SV1BGM
