I've been using an Olimex  PIC_MCP-USB programmer for a few years and 
it's worked pretty well except for some idiosyncrasies relating to the 
USB interface (it takes a certain amount of fiddling each time I use it 
for the PC to recognize it and for MPLAB to find it). 

It needs a firmware upgrade for the latest parts from Microchip, which 
Olimex supplies.  But instead of providing a hex file for the PIC on the 
programmer, they use a proprietary "upgrade" program to provide copy 
protection.  For my programmer, I actually have to replace the PIC with 
a larger one (18F252) for additional code space.  Future upgrades are 
accomplished with a bootloader in the PIC 18F252, but for this upgrade, 
I have to program the 18F252 in the programmer and then replace the 
existing PIC.  Easy enough to do, but when I try, the upgrader program 
says "Device could not be updated anymore !  Max Update".

When I asked Olimex what this meant, it was harshly explained to me that 
this is a copy protection scheme, and that I shouldn't be stealing their 
firmware to build clone programmers!  This happened the first time I 
tried to upgrade the programmer, which was purchased new from Sparkfun 
and has never been out of my control.  I was told that my only option is 
to buy a new programmed PIC from Olimex at nearly the cost of a 
PICKIT2.  Well, at any rate, that makes my decision pretty simple!

Has anybody else experienced problems in upgrading this programmer?

By the way, aside from this programmer, Sparkfun has some nice stuff, 
including a lot of unique parts that would be difficult to obtain in 
small quantities.  www.sparkfun.com (no relation to the company, just a 
*mostly* satisfied customer.)


Jon


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