>
> >Um, Erik, I think you kind of lost the context of what I was talking
> >about. Thumbnail summary of my issues:
>
> >- I hate programming parts during development.
>
> [...]
>
> >So you'd actually need a 16C84 to have enough smarts to decode the incoming
> >stream and program the serial EEPROM. It can also double as a programmer
 since
> >it'll have enough smarts to do that.
>
> >However the initial 16C84 has to be programmed and so it's an issue too.
>
> Exactly what I wanted to do.
> The interface I have in mind can be used to connect RS232 and PIC to program
> the EEPROM, AND it can be used to burn the initial program (downloader/
> interpreter) into the PIC 16C84 without addidional hardware.

I downloaded your Mipp v0.1 interface. A few questions:

1) From the interface it looks like RB5 of the PIC is connected to T1IN on
the max232. Why is that? Or is this supposed to be a reflected copy of RB6?

2) What purpose does the inductor L1 between Vcc and V+ serve?

3) Why exactly does R1OUT need to be inverted?

4) Is there any way to automate the switching of the programming voltage
to MCLR?

5) Can you explain how it works? ;-)

BAJ