Hi.
It's been a long thread, but I can't resist... :-)


Chen Xiao Fan wrote :

[snipped long part about COM- vs. USB-port...]

> Still it is an interesting question to use USB or serial port. 

Not realy. I've used my Wisp628 (a "serial" programmer) using
the USB port only for a long time...

Any well built serial programmer should be able to use any of the
cheap USB->RS232 converters out there. A non-issue...

> 3) I think EasyProg gives you the option to just buy the PCB.
> However I think most people would like to have all the parts 
> available as a kit. 

Well, as has been mentioned in other treads, maybe the major
"problem" with the EasyProg is that Olin selected to use rather
odd resistor values (from a hobbyists view, not for the pro !).
So a kit (with *at least* the resistors) is, IMHO, the only way to
to get more then just a few of them sold. Again, IMHO...

> 4) I think the better flexible PIC programmers will have a 
> PIC inside.

Of course ! The time of the directly DOS-controlled, PC-software-
timed programmers is gone.

> And I think the ZIF may belong to the "hard
> to find part" and it is said to be quite expensive. Maybe
> that is because I seldom use DIP parts.

With regard to the EasyProg, you could just as well build it
without the ZIP and use the ISCP connector instead. After
all, most/many hobbyist project lives on a breadboard where
the software and hardware often are developed together
at the sma time.

> 5) I always think a pre-assembled version is more appropriate but
> I am not a hobbyist so I may underestimate the pleasure of 
> actually building a programmer. 

IMHO, the programmer is just a tool, just as the hammer and saw
are just tools when doing construction work on my house.

> By the way, what is the exact meaning of being an 'hobbyist'? 

Non-profit ? But then, what is "profit" ?
Done of spare time ?, what is "spare time" ?

Bets Regards,
Jan-Erik.



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