A voice from the other end of the professional and 'tightwad' spectrum- As a hobbyist, and I suspect not the only one this list, I wanted to find the cheapest way possible, which would still do the job. Fascinating though it is, designing and fabricating a board from scratch, I thought it might be a bridge too far, so I bought a kit for about GBP20 ($35?). Twenty minutes soldering later, a working programmer. Works fine, comes with its own programming software and IDE. If I got totally absorbed in the PIC thing, I might consider a 'better' programmer but this one will do fine for the foreseeable future. Regards John Midgley >-----Original Message----- >From: John Kirk [SMTP:JKirk@MASCO-RD.COM] >Sent: 21 August 1998 13:38 >To: PICLIST@MITVMA.MIT.EDU >Subject: Re: help should i build my own programmer or buy one > >Hi! I hope my opinion doesn't make anyone angry, but I don't see why >anyone builds a programmer. I guess if you are a manufacturer and needed >to program hundred's of chips you might want build something. But with that >exception, why not just spend the $200 to $2,000 and get a complete working >programmer? John Kirk > >> -----Original Message----- >> From: Graeme Odgers [SMTP:graemeo@TRIODE.NET.AU] >> Sent: Friday, August 21, 1998 10:02 AM >> To: PICLIST@MITVMA.MIT.EDU >> Subject: Re: help should i build my own programmer or buy one >> >> Hi Kent, >> >> I built the Dontronics programmer, and I am very happy with it. I only >> program the PIC16C84 at this stage but it also can be configured to >> program >> the F84. >> >> I use Nigel Goodmans software to download and burn the micro, which is >> mounted on a Simmstick >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: Kent Berry >> To: PICLIST@MITVMA.MIT.EDU >> Date: Tuesday, 18 August 1998 8:21 >> Subject: help should i build my own programmer or buy one >> >> >> > I,m new at this, and i have seen a lot of different programmers to build >> and >> >if i build one will it be supported or should i just buy one where is >> the >> >best planes where is the best buy ? >> > >> >> Regards, >> Graeme Odgers