Post by thread:[PIC:] ICD2 + Breadboard = ???

Has anyone ever managed to program a PIC on a breadboard with an ICD2? All I want to do is program, and I'm having a world of trouble. Sometimes I can get it to do the config bits, but usually nothing at all (chokes on verify). It'll erase, but won't blank check, read, or anything else, but it does correctly identify the PIC in place. The signals all look good; I have all of the power and ground pins connected in all places. The PGC line looks like a clock, PGD looks like data and I'm not doing LVP. I'm running the circuit at 3.15 volts, and that voltage is quite stable. The PIC is an 18LF2320, but I'm only trying to go 4 MHz and programming should work even without an active oscillator. I've tried a small resistance in series with the PGC and PGD lines, but that doesn't help. I am using a short (~6 cm) jumper with the 6-pin RJ-11 on one end and a SIL connector on the other. My next step is going to be connecting the ground from the RS-232 jack to my circuit, to try to reduce the ground trace impedance. Anyone have any other ideas? Mike H. _________________________________________________________________ Take advantage of our limited-time introductory offer for dial-up Internet access. http://join.msn.com/?page=dept/dialup -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details.

I have my own testing board which is made of matrix board. It consist of a 42-pins ZIF solder on it. Then I wiring all necessary components, for example a 4MHz resonance osc, a pull up resistor connecting to MCLR, some connectors join to all I/O, some melf resistors + LEDs to all I/O. Recently I just adds a MAX232 and a 9-pin serial port connector to the board. The component side of the board look nice but I really don't know how to describe the soldering side. It look like a web with a lot of jumper + solder beneath it. Well when I was received my ICD2 just after the new year holiday, I really felt worry with my testing board. But it work pretty well. The only problem that I have is I was unable to use the USB with my ICD. (Still looking for an answer to this problem) Regards, WH Tan {Original Message removed}

Mike Hord wrote: > Has anyone ever managed to program a PIC on a breadboard > with an ICD2? Yup. Although I did notice occasional flakys. I never did track down the exact cause. One suspicion was overheating since it seemed to get worse as the longer the target circuit was on. This was an early version of a dsPIC, and they got a lot hotter than they were supposed to. The latest versions use much less power and can therefore be run at rated speed. > I'm running the circuit at 3.15 volts, That's a problem. I haven't looked up the programming spec for your chip, but I remember most of them want to be programmed at 5V. ***************************************************************** Embed Inc, embedded system specialists in Littleton Massachusetts (978) 742-9014, http://www.embedinc.com -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details.

> > I'm running the circuit at 3.15 volts, > >That's a problem. I haven't looked up the programming spec for your chip, >but I remember most of them want to be programmed at 5V. I'll go back and recheck the programming spec for the 18LF2320, but I seem to recall that it is, in fact, important that the verification at least take place at the voltage designated for the final product. Also, it seems foolish to me to make a product like the ICD2 which is capable of programming at the system voltage, to go to lengths to ensure it can be done, but then not put a simple provision in to warn the user that, wait, you need to program this at a higher voltage. Although no one here believes that Microchip would do ANYTHING foolish. ;-) Mike H. _________________________________________________________________ Working moms: Find helpful tips here on managing kids, home, work and yourself. http://special.msn.com/msnbc/workingmom.armx -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details.

>The only problem that I have is I was unable to use the USB with my ICD. >(Still looking for an answer to this problem) Hmmmm....maybe that has something to do with it. Perhaps I'll try the RS-232 based method. Mike H. _________________________________________________________________ Enjoy a special introductory offer for dial-up Internet access limited time only! http://join.msn.com/?page=dept/dialup -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details.