On 9/1/07, Steve Baldwin <steve@tla.co.nz> wrote:
>
> On 1 Sep 2007 at 10:36, Xiaofan Chen wrote:
>
> > If you use Promate III (both serial and USB), then there is another
> > mechanical based solution since it supports standalone operation
> > without a PC. You need only to download the program once and then
> > design a remote controlled mechanical switch to press the buttons.
> > Just a thought, might not be easy. :-)
>
> Promate is pretty close to a good solution if I do program and test as two
> operations.
>
> I'd prefer the instructions to be
> 1) Put in box and close lid
> 2) Open lid when light turns red or green or smoke comes out.
> 3) If the light was green, put in box. Otherwise throw in trash.

This was what we did for high voltage test. Promate III has a
command line version which allows you to script the program
and thus program and test at one go. You just need to integrate
Promate III to your test jig and testing program.

> > And for production, ICD2/USBprog/PICkit2 are anyway not
> > recommended. Microchip Promate III and Proprog from Olin
> > are the two cheaper low quantity production grade programmer.
>
> The part is an HV610 with the internal regulator so multi Vcc isn't
> appropriate as programming is done at 4.5V Vcc anyway.
>
> Is the ICD2 serial protocol published/known ?
>

ICD2 serial protocol (for programming or debugging) is not known
to the public. piklab project has some success to get ICD2 (USB/serial)
 to work under Linux with reverse engineering. As a side product,
there is a Windows command line program to use ICD2 as a
programmer as well. I am not so sure how well it works though
since I do not have a proper ICD2 now.

On the other hand, PICkit 2 source codes are freely available.

All in all, I think Promate III is quite a good investment for your
purpose.

Regards,
Xiaofan
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