Tjaart van der Walt wrote:

> Well done Tony - your engine looks great! I think it is the first
> time that something like this is available in the public domain.

Thanks for the comments.

> We did the same thing about 2.5 years ago to enable us to combine
> out bed-of-nails testing with any programming that need to be done
> on the PBC. You might want to consider using some of the A/D's and
> general I/O so one can verify high/low, as well as do general
> electrical tests before it is programmed.
>
> I think it is extremely generous of you to put it in public domain.

I've only created a basic PCB that provides two variable outputs, VPP
and VCC, which is OFF/ON controlled by the PIC. A very simple but
effective idea. Adding any other 'fancy' programming voltages also fits
in well with the general Engine concept, and that is the target board
can have anything at all on it. The Engine is there only to control it
via your own software. It gets away from a fixed set of rules, and lets
anyone create their own. There are 28 IO pins available for general
purpose use, individually accessable under program control.

As I mentioned I am making everything available, but the PCB is a bit
compact and will be hard to make at home, although, as is posted on the
web site, even this can be made simpler. I am more than happy to create
a kit of parts if there is any interest.

I made up a daughter PCB that programs most PICs, even the 14 pin ones,
and some serial and I2C EEPROMs. Total cost, about $5.

As an aside, I needed to create a circuit that could switch two
transistors on at an interval of 180mS to test some equipment. This may
have been a fiddly task, but The Engine did it, and it only took a few
minutes to get it going.

--
Best regards

Tony

'The Engine' - Need a programmer? Design your own.

http://www.picnpoke.com
Email picnpoke@cdi.com.au