Hi folks,

I am happy to announce that rather successful, if preliminary, testing of a
PICSTART 16C upgrade has been completed. Many thanks to Hank Riley and
Lonnie M. utt Jr who both responded to my request for 16C details.

The upgrade will enable the 16C to program all ISP parts. That is, "every
PIC other than the 16C5x (and MTAXXXX derivatives) and the 17Cxx parts."

So the 16C will be able to program all the 18-pin 16Cxx parts as well as
the 8-pin 12C50x and 12C67x and the 16C92x parts with appropriate adapters.
See:

http://www.labyrinth.net.au/~newfound/adapter.html

All the newer 28-pin and 40-pin ISP parts are also now available and can be
programmed on-board. This includes the 16C64x and 16C66x parts with the
extended program word and parity bits and the 8K 16C66/67 and 16C76/77.

(This is a very up-to-date firmware upgrade!)

Please keep a watch on these URLs:

http://www.labyrinth.net.au/~newfound
http://www.labyrinth.net.au/~newfound/tm4.html
http://www.labyrinth.net.au/~newfound/upgrade.html
http://www.labyrinth.net.au/~newfound/agents.html

A lot more information regarding the PICSTART 16C upgrade will be posted
shortly at these locations. Don't expect further announcements on the PICLIST.

I expect also to review the price and availability of my 17Cxx programmer
(and add 16C5x programming?) to offer a complete low cost solution for
those of whom WINDOWS/MPLAB isn't an attractive option.

Additionally, I am eyeing off several other un or under supported 3rd party
programmers for the same treatment. I'm open for requests. (Other than
requests to "bug off" from OEMs)

Regarding the PHOENIX  mail list: The number of subscribers has made it
difficult to do anything with. My emailer crashes because of the size of
it. Don't know what to do with it. May have to get my own domain name and
proper list support. In the meantime subscribers are asked to watch my web
site in lieu.

Thanks for the bandwidth.

Jim Robertson.