soic holder

I would like to use some 12f629 in the 8-soic size chips. Can anyone recommend a cheap socket or holder for these little beasts for programming?

I don't know about cheap, but these folks always have what I need.

**broken link removed**

try digi-key
part no. 923650-08-ND

I would go with the Emulation Technology stuff...rock solid reliable. I have used them many times. They are not necessarily the cheapest around, but they do pretty much cover the range of burn in sockets and test clips etc
Aries also make a good quality soic burn in socket, maybe give R.S Components a try...

their Agent there is :-


Allied Electronics Inc.
7410 Pebble Drive
Fort Worth, Texas
TX 76118

Tel: (1) 817 595 3500
Fax: (1) 817 595 6410

https://www.alliedelec.com/

Ack. ~$90-$100 for the AS-08-08-03S-3YAM which seems to be their recommendation for the PIC12x series.

I try to use "ISP" whenever possible to avoid having to handle programmed/unprogrammed parts - although I don't know how difficult it is to setup for the part in question.

You can get a cheapie 8 pin to 32 pin soic burn in/test socket from

https://www.test-socket.com

prices at around $8 to $20

may be that's more in yer bracket...

then you can make up your own Dil to soic adapter for your programmer...

I have programmed the 8-pin SOIC parts in the past with a much more homebrew method: I etched a small PCB with an ICSP connector, and a set of pads for an 8-pin SOIC, and then when I need to program one I carefully set it in place on the pads, and use a small spring clamp or clothes pin to hold it in place (and apply pressure to make good contact). it doesn't work as well with larger PICs (such as the ones with 20 or more pins) because you're more likely to have contact issues with that many pins, but with only 8 pins it's not really a problem.

It's not fancy, but it works! (and obviously it's only helpful for programming initially, won't help you once you solder the chip down to the destination board)

I did end up buying one of those clamp things bbarney posted above for ICSP without having to include the connections on the destination board, but this method worked fine for me for quite some time.

the above soic clip that bbarney suggested is really great. though he showed a 4 pin one, you can get 8,16, 20 and 28 pin variants. I don't bother with ICSP headers on my boards anymore, just leave enough room for the soic clip. You can also use it for clipping onto a bare chip and programming it.

Thanks everyone.

EvanDude- I'm going to try the clothes pin method while I'm trying to figure out which other one to buy!

Hi,

I vaguely remember seeing something whilst googling one day, about using a PLCC44 (or any PLCC socket for that matter) as the pins for a SOIC solderless clamped adapter. Looked pretty good, and only required a few basic tools. I realise the easy option would be to buy one cheap...I think farnell had a PIC kit for something like 15UKP, and that came with an adapter, but I'm not sure if its SOIC.

A really simple method, if you're not doing a full on production run (where time is money) would be to etch some plain PCB copper clad (with a knife, dremel, anything just for straight lines) and some plastic to hold the SOIC in place. You could solder to the copper clad for programming. Sounds vauge, I'll explain more if you wish to go down the 'quick and dirty DIY' approach, but I've prototyed a few things this way. Essentialy you're just doing CNC type work, but for SOIC you only need 8 cut lines max.

my two cents,

Blueteeth

can u give more details about this 'quick and dirty DIY' ?
I'm interested.

Hi,

Well, I managed to find that webpage,took 15 minutes of searching through thousands of bookmarks

**broken link removed**

It's pretty clever, but that is a clamp SOIC adapter, used to program SOIC PIC's, but of course it can be used for any chip fitting the specs. In that case, a PLCC socket was cut down to provide 4 contacts, laid on its side and glued to stripboard, one on each side of the chip. Of coursee, the 'difficult' part would be to find a hinge mechanism, a patch, and a way of holding the IC in place.

The other approach I suggested was directly cutting PCB copper clad to form 8 'strips' (AKA 'quick & dirty'). Thats 3 vertical (and 2 each side to completely isolate the pins) and 3 across (centre, top and bottom). Many suggest a dremel with an etching bit, but I find, for straight lines, a hobby knife can be used (can make strips for SSOP, very precise!), or even the corner of a hacksaw blade. All it has to do is divide up an area of copper and break any electrical contact. Just remember the distance between cuts should be 0.05" (for SOIC) and make them long enough for you to solder wires to the ends.

That can be used instead of the PLCC idea (wish I'd thought of it!). For pure simplicity, two 'blocks', plastic or wood, what ever..can be glued either side of the copper pads to hold the IC in place, then another two top and bottom. Or, if you're feeling adventurous, just one block with a square cut out. The clamp shouldn't press on the body of the IC, just the pins that are in contact with the PCB (otherwise they bend real good). I just got another block of plastic that fitted neatly into the square hole inside all the PCB blocks, then routed out the centre so the body fitted snug, and two outside strips pressed on the pins...forcing the IC to the board. Was all sprung/latched with clothes pins, to give some 'springyness' to hold it on the board under slight pressure, giving a good contact.

Ok, that sounds complicated, but its beautifully simple, it works a treat, but it looks horrific, like an SOIC torture chamber My one was built on the fly, without planning, and took about 20 minutes with basic tools, and glue.
Plus, with access to a drill, you can drill holes in the PCB, solder 0.1" standard pitch headers to it, and have a 8 pin SOIC to DIL adapter.

If my poor description cofuses anyone, I'll knock up a diagram in paint or something.

Hope this helps someone,

Blueteeth

Yamaichi make really cheap soic burn in sockets too, and there's loads of dealers about. Really, apart from the fun angle in rolling your own solution, I see no benefit in wasting the time, effort and money on what will ultimately prove to be an inferior programming socket. Novel as the various solutions are, that's really all they are...novelties...

If it is so desperate that an soic chip be programmed, you are as well soldering it into your empty target board first, soldering wires to the board and prgramming and testing that way, then remove the wires and finish loading the board. It's just as easy, and there will less of a risk of damage to the device.