> > These are directly connected serial port proggers. Data and non-data
> > lines are used as 'binary' IO to program the chip. This used to be
> > easy with direct access to the UART chip, but with windows inbetween
> > I guess delays are needed for instance to make sure that a handshake
> > line realy goes low->high->low.
>
> Oh OK, I didn't imagine such archaic systems still existed.  Seems an
> irresponsible design to me, but that's just my opinion.  On
> the other hand,
> the OP seems to have run into exactly those problems such a
> design would
> cause...

Last saturday I did a talk on PICs for a robot user group. I showed a
wide range of programmer designs. My comment on all 'direct-connection'
type of programmers was: you might want to try this, it is cheap when it
works, but don't spend too much time on it when it does not work, and
certainly don't come running to me for help.

You might like it or not, but as far as I see among hobbyists the
directly-connected serial and parallel port programmers are still by far
the majority. And such designs are irresponsible only when the user
values his hobby time at some >$1 (just a guess) value :)

Wouter van Ooijen

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Van Ooijen Technische Informatica: www.voti.nl
consultancy, development, PICmicro products

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