PIC Programmer MkV is designed to get you into PIC Programming for just a few dollars. It uses just 12 components. Most of them will be in your “junk-box” and the PC board is a small piece of matrix board. It’s the cheapest way to get started. As well as PIC PROGRAMMER MkV you will need these 4 things:
- A desk-top computer with DE-9 serial port. (This programmer will not work on a lap-top computer and may not work with Vista.)
- A software program called IC-Prog 105C-a and some helpful notes to guide you with setting up your computer. (This project is not suitable for In-Circuit Programming. You need to remove the chip from the project you are creating and program it in the 18 pin socket on the programmer. Eight pin chips are fitted with pin 1 aligning with pin 1 of the socket.)
- A PIC chip, either PIC12F629 or PIC16F628 and
- A project using one of these micros.
This will get you into producing a MICROCONTROLLER PROJECT. We have concentrated on two PIC chips. An 8 pin and 18 pin chip. The 8 pin chip can be either PIC12F629 or PIC12F675 and the 18 pin chip is PIC16F628 or PIC16F675. The programmer will work with many other chips but we are concentrating on these two types to get you started. Not only is a microcontroller project simpler than using lots of discrete chips, but it can be cheaper and easier to modify and provide a greater range of features than lots of individual chips. On top of this you can produce a project that requires a program and this can be “locked” from prying eyes. This makes it saleable and you can protect your Intellectual Property - and make money. Talking Electronics has produced a range of simple projects and provides assistance to get you into programming and creating projects that you have only “dreamed of.” Getting into microcontroller programming will change your life. But before we go any further, let’s build the programmer:
Schematic
