just so long as that is updatablle via the PC somehow
which basically means your back at square 1 again.

though i spose one could hack up some kind of "screen flash" code or
some such but it really seems to be going to alot of trouble to avoid
something which isnt that bad in the first place?


> -----Original Message-----
> From: piclist-bounces@mit.edu [mailto:piclist-bounces@mit.edu]On Behalf
> Of William Chops Westfield
> Sent: Tuesday, February 07, 2006 18:26
> To: Microcontroller discussion list - Public.
> Subject: Re: [PIC] Cheap programmer interface, was noob s 1st ques
> 
> 
> 
> >> So in the future, you'll have a serial port or it'll be on your list
> >> anyway. Getting a bootloader into the PIC is the important thing.
> 
> So if actual USB PIC programmers reach the price of USB-Serial
> converters ($20-$40, right?) and are readily available from
> reputable mail order vendors without exorbitant shipping and
> handling charges, do you still really need a more DIY-style
> interface to the PC?  I mean, USB->serial converters don't have
> the popularity and economies of scale you'd expect.  Fact is, the
> average computer user doesn't have anything serial to connect TO,
> either, and despite the attraction to SOME, many would-be-pic-users
> don't want to have to fiddle much with their PC to program PICs.
> And we're already there, right?  USB "Baseline flash programmer": $25.
> I can buy a USB-Serial cable for less than that, but not around the
> corner at radioshack (Model: 26-183, Catalog #: 26-183 $39.95)
> Once you can program any of the baseline chips, THEY can be programmed
> to put bootloader code into everything else.
> 
> (Hmm.  There's another idea.  Tiny PIC and big serial flash, pre-loaded
> with bootstrap code for "all known" PICs.  Connect it up to your
> bare chip and get a bootloader-based chip instead...  Dispense with
> the need for "communications" as part of the bootstrap process.)
> 
> BillW
> 
> -- 
> http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive
> View/change your membership options at
> http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist
-- 
http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive
View/change your membership options at
http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist