Peter Feucht wrote:
> Would it be possible to program PICs with
> individual serial number or similar?

Yes.  I've set this up for a number of customers.  Usually we have a master
HEX file that contains 1s in the serial number locations.  As part of the
programming process for each unit, the program reads the master HEX file,
fills in the unique serial number, writes out a new temporary HEX file, then
programs that into the PIC.  Sometimes I've created a custom program that
assumes a programmed PIC with blank serial number.  This assigns a new
serial number and programs it into the PIC by changing just the EEPROM
location, or whatever.  The advantage there is the serial number assignment
can wait until other production tests have passed.  The same program is
usually set up to sniff the serial number of a unit too.  There are lots of
ways to customize units in production.

> To let you know: There is a customer who is making many tests with a
> device of us and therefore we constantly have to send re-programmed
> PICs. So my thought was to give him a PicStart+ and a simple utility
> to let him re-program the PICs by himself, only by sending a new hex
> file to him. I don't want to let him install a complete MPLAB for I
> know, that he will make many "strange things" for he is somewhat
> technophobic....

You could send him one of our USBProg2 (http://www.embedinc.com/products)
instead.  They cost significantly less than a PicStart+.  It's also a
in-circuit programmer, so he doesn't have to move the PIC back and forth.
That takes time, invites ESD problems, and give the customer other
opportunities to break things (break off pin, plug PIC In backwards, crack
board plugging PIC back in, etc).

If your device doesn't have ICSP capability (a good idea to add) and you
really need to move the PIC, you'd have to use a jig with the USBProg2 that
has a ZIF socket.


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