Advice on David Tait progger and IC Prog please

[Matt(Pic progger)]

Hello, I want to use my (old!) David tait programmer on my PC, it's a 2.4Ghz XP machine.

The reason? well, IC Prog programs alot faster that my All11 or Picstart Plus (18F452).

The problem I seem to get is verification errors, I have tried to slow down the data using the built in speed function thingy, but it doesn't work

Any advice on drivers/solutions that anyone has found would be gratefuly recived.

 

[William At MyBlueRoom]

Hey build an ICD2, they work great in XP (with standard serial ports) and program pretty fast.

 

[Pommie]

Try WinPic. I found it to be more reliable than icprog. Also read the Help File and the FAQ.

Mike.

 

[Matt(Pic progger)]

Thanks for the advice, I have tried to program a 16f627a with winpic, no go the tests all work ok, voltages are ok when measured with a DVM, but reading back the results are all over the place, I just get verify errors on every word

I tried massive delays for clock and data, no help

I am using a very old tait programmer (7407 with pnp transistors) I think it may be time to "retire" it (in the bin!)

I may get the energy to build another zif-socket based programmer. Pommie, do you any sujestions for a good home-brew design with PCB layout?

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

To be honest, I would suggest building an ICD2 clone - you could quite easily build it with a ZIF socket, although the lack of seperate Vpp and Vpp40 switching (as in the P16PRO40) will mean you might have to mechanically switch for some devices.

 

[Matt(Pic progger)]

Thanks Nigel, I will check it out

 

[Matt(Pic progger)]

Ok final update, after reading some of the posts here, I connected the programmer directly to the lpt port (i was using an extension cable..duh!) and I managed to program a 16f627a, in the same time as picstart plus takes

So all in all, although possible, with some agro, there is no benifit for me in using winpic, over the picstart (could not get ic-prog to work) , I only wanted to try and speed up the process

But thanks to every one who has helped, oh and thanks to the author of winpic, a very nice bit of software!!!!

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

So all in all, although possible, with some agro, there is no benifit for me in using winpic, over the picstart (could not get ic-prog to work) , I only wanted to try and speed up the process

The fastest programmer software is WinPicProg - as regards leads?, I've been running mine since the DOS days on a 2m lead to a switch box, and another 2m lead to the programmer!.

 

[Matt(Pic progger)]

And what "flavour" of programmer interface are you using Nigel? I think the problem lies in the 10k pull up on the tait programmer for the data return, I think this is too high a resistance, and the capacitance in the cable may be messing things up....... Any thoughts?

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

And what "flavour" of programmer interface are you using Nigel? I think the problem lies in the 10k pull up on the tait programmer for the data return, I think this is too high a resistance, and the capacitance in the cable may be messing things up....... Any thoughts?

It uses parallel programmers only, the so-called 'serial port' programmers are too unreliable so I purposely never supported them.

The pullup shouldn't be a problem?, I've used numeropus parallel port programmers over the years without any problems.

 

[mramos1]

I to use the P16PRO40 and WinPicProg. I have a 6 foot long cable off the parallel port. Works great.

 

[Matt(Pic progger)]

Ok, I have downloaded the beta version of WinPicProg and it programs 627a's and 818's great, very fast, and lovely

BUT if I select 16f73 or 18f442 the Vpp does not seem to operate on the programmer I can go into the hardware menu and turn the Vpp on and off with no problem, but it doens't want to play on these 2 chips if I try to program the part (i.e. the red light won't come on when programing)

Is this a "Beta" issue? if not, any Idea what I am doing wrong? I don't want to give up, now I am so close!

Thank you.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

Larger chips use Vpp40 instead of Vpp, this is a feature of the P16PRO40, to use with another programmer set Vpp40 to the same as Vpp.

18F support is still very beta, there are sometimes problems with config fuse writing.

 

[Matt(Pic progger)]

Ok thanks for the info Nigel, the f73 is programming nice and fast too now the 18f442 just seems to hang the programming software, not to worry tho, nice software! Thanks for your help!