Building the PICKit2 from scratch

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KamalS

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pickit2 clone

Microchip has offered the schematic here :

**broken link removed**
From what I gather, the firmware is also available here.

So, before I build it myself, I would like to know if anybody has built the PICKit2 from scratch based on this design ?

Also, is there a better design compared to PICKit but with same/better PIC Compatibility ?

The reason whay I am asking is because I need to clarify a few doubts from the schematic.
 

pickit 2 schematic

Hi KamalS,

Have you build your pickit2?? I'm thinking to build my own pickit and I have some questions too...

regards,

togarha
 

pickit2 schematics

I built only the 18F2550 with firmware, the oscillator circuitry and the busy led (no DC-DC converter and switching stages and EEPROM memories). I could not have the acknowledgement of the USB device by the PC or by the PICKIT2 software.

I tried also with the firmware from:

http://www.voti.nl/pickit2faq/index.html

But I had no success because I can´t assign a USB drivers to the programmer.
 

pickit2 programmer schematic

It's better to buy PICKit2 from Microchip as it's a complete development platform, and not simply a programmer.

If you really want to build, try building the ICD2, but buy the PICKit2 - it's not very expensive.
 

    K

    KamalS

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how to build pickit2

vsm guy,

I assume the PICkit 2 programmer (not the 'add-on board') can program all of the devices listed on the microchip website? I realise thats what it says, but I wasn't sure if they were talking about the software side of things. If it can program all the devices listed (the entire 'F' series I believe) via ICSP, I'll pick one up, just found that farnell are doing it for 22GBP with some free 6-40 pin PIC's (low end ones) thrown in for free.

Not sure whether to get it or build my own, but at that price I'm forced to get it, when I was oding research into building one, I assumed all USB PIC programmers were expensive, didn't realise that this one came so damn cheap.

About building one from scratch. Microchip have all the files you need, schematic, parts list, firmware (for the 18F2550) USB PC driver for most windows platforms and the PC software for programming. I came > < this close to ordering parts when I found that my distributor actually sold it for half the price of my parts list.

I don't want to hijack the topic, so if anyone has used the 'PICkit 2' on many different PIC's, I'd appreciate a private message about your experiences/reviews.

Thanks

BuriedCode.
 

pickit2 clone

Anybody knows if there any posibility to change proposed transistors by microchip schematics to anothers? I can't obtain these transistors in my city...

Regards

togarha
 

build pickit2

Hi

Anybody knows if there any posibility to change proposed transistors by microchip schematics to anothers? I can't obtain these transistors in my city...
Click to expand...

Well, looking at the schematic on the installation CD for it, it has 3 MOSFET's and 7 bipolar transistors. Considering it doesn't use/switch large amounts of current (quoted as 100ma max) I tihnk you could substitute almost any MOSFET as long as you get the polarioty right. It needs 2 N-channel MOSFET's, and 1 P-channel. AN N and P are in the same chip in the PICkit2.

As for the bipolar transistors (the normal ones) they're 3 x 3094's (NPN)and 4 x 3096's (PNP). The 3094/6 are general purpose transistors, so almost any substitute can be used (BC108/9? 2N2222A?) again just as long as you get both NPN's and PNP's

Good Luck,

BuriedCode.
 

pickit 2 schematics

would an ICD2 be better?
 

build a pickit2

It is a programmer and a debugger, so, it's better!
Also, there is an already developed version here on this forum.. I intend to build one in next few weeks, so we'll se...
I'm currently using an borrowed ICD2...

Main question you should ask yourself is how you're gonna develop your project.

I firstly consider the peripherials I need, choose an apropriate PIC, make an schematic with ICSP plug, write the code, test it on simulator, and if it's needed, debug it with ICD.

Developing dedicated functions for interfacing each peripherial saves time, since once you develop it, you just implement it in a project and it works...
 

pickit2 clone schematic

The PICKIT 2 as of firmware ver 2 only debugs a single PIC (the PIC16F917). An ICD2 can program and debug a great deal more PICs (any 16Fxxx with debug, 18Fxxx, dsPIC etc)

The USB on the PICKIT2 is very nice.
As for the ICD2 clones (the ones without a 18F4550) are no faster or slower than the serial (RS232) version. The 18F4550 and 16F877-20 debug (single step) about 10x faster than the serial version (they run in Parallel Master/Slave mode). If you want to debug in single step mode fast with serial keep don't open too many watch windows.

I would recommend the ICD2 over a PICKIT2.

Here's a quick FAQ on the PICKIT2 http://www.voti.nl/pickit2faq/index_1.html
 

building a pickit2 clone

Personally, I think the PICkit2 is way better than the ICD2 on easy of use.
 


buy pickit2

Maybe the PICkit2 is smaller and prettier than the ICD2, but there is a big difference between PROGRAMMING and PROGRAMMING+DEBUGGING.

If someone can develop ALL their programs without the debugging help, PICkit2 its fine, I will keep using ICD2 until a PICkit 3 or 4 comes with debugging option, then we will try to make our own.

regards, narccizzo
 

pickit2+schematic

He say this, because he sell the PCB, and of course this is not true.
160 USD vs 35 USD

And by the way, here is a picture of special edition ICD2, this is into the pickit2 package.

Saludos Camarada

**broken link removed**
 

pickit2 schema

Check the microchip forume, there is plenty discussion about PICkit 2 and ICD2. Also ask Xiaofan, he is the expert and can tell you the truth.

Microchip web master just post a message on the forume about in circuit debugging capability of PICkit2 couple of days ago.
togarha said:
Anybody knows if there any posibility to change proposed transistors by microchip schematics to anothers? I can't obtain these transistors in my city...
Click to expand...
I do have change the MMBT3904 with MMBT2222 without any issue.
As far as the MOSFET and diode, you got be very careful since they do affect the voltage a lot.
Beowolf said:
It is a programmer and a debugger, so, it's better!
Click to expand...
So does PICkit2 (Please check the new released MPLAB V7.62). And new post on Microchip forum.

Functionally they are identical (PICkit2 has a little more on programming the EEPROM, but you can ignore this as microcontroller user).

Design Architecture point of view, PICkit2 is simpler and powerful since it is designed many years later than the ICD2, you don't even need install an USB driver as ICD2 required.

And most important: it is lot cheaper and it doesn’t have the exchange support from microchip.

Have you actually used one? Have you compared it to an ICD2?
Click to expand...
I have used both, also other Microchip supper expensive development tools.
ICD2 is ok, not great. PICkit2 is getting better and better. This we have already seen from Microchip's updates and web post. As far as the future of both tools, we will see.

And the beauty of PICKit2 is: its hardware is open-sourced.
Can anyone tell me what the real “new” microchip ICD2 schematic is, and what they really were? The clones work, can anyone say they are 100% identical? Especially for those 3.3V PIC18FJ parts? That I don't know.

But with the help and open-sourced schematic from Microchip, users can build your own PICkit2. If things happened, user can also debug and trace problems using the standard schematic and fix the issue. For beginner and some of the user, this might be important than send the failed ones back to Microchip and wait for the replacements.

I did return many ICD2 back to Microchip, the last exchange is this August, for quite a while (my boss don't want to pay next day or 2nd day shipping), I have to borrow one from college to debug and program my software in almost a whole week.
Have you actually used one? Have you compared it to an ICD2?
Click to expand...
I used both. I didn't compare them. Someone compared them in Microchip's forum. On the PICkit2 side, there is even hardware function, which Microchip's own guy still don't know, or for sure what it is designed for.
1st of all, you don't need a PC driver. This is the beauty of plug and play. Way better than ICD2.
2nd, the MPLAB or PICKit2.4 has the firmware under their folder, just find/borrow a program toolset (such as another PICkit 2 or ICD 2) you can re-program the chipset.
 

pickit2 programmer schematics

The PICKit2 and ICD2 are hardly functionally identical. The PICKit2 is a neat programmer, but it supports nothing higher than an 18 series PIC. No 10F chips are supported either.

Read the release notes on Microchips site.
 

where to buy pickit2

PICKit2 started off as a programmer when it was 1st introduced. I remembered burning them in the very 1st day I use. But, at this moment there's a lot of devices that can be programmed and even debug, running in MPLAB although the dsPIC & PIC24 series has not been able to be debugged just yet.

ICD2 LE is usually sold during those seminar held by Microchip. I was offered this during their 16-bit MCU seminar selling at USD75 but never buy them but instead made myself a PICkit2. But I guess buying PICkit2 would be cheaper unless you can get the PIC18F2550 free (if you know what I mean, ).
 

pickit2 build

blueroomelectronics said:
The PICKit2 and ICD2 are hardly functionally identical. The PICKit2 is a neat programmer, but it supports nothing higher than an 18 series PIC. No 10F chips are supported either.
Read the release notes on Microchips site.
Click to expand...
Even the Microchip Real ICE doesn't support the 10F chip. Can you claim it is a lower end tool than the ICD2 just because of that?

This will be decided mainly by Microchip marketing and engineering, we might only influence a little by post "wish list".

Technology point of view, nothing is impossible.

On some aspect, we cannot compare the PICKit2 and ICD2 in the way we compare Gasoline and Diesel engine.

Also the end user will make their own decision; just like there are people who are more favor to the diesel engine like the Europeans.

Please See the attachement.
The MPLAB is currently beta support. More will be coming.

Added after 1 minutes:

where is my picture? The post system might have a bug.
However you can see from this link:
 

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