Byron Jeff wrote:
> But how do you program it? I know the typical answer to this is "buy a
> programmer".

Exactly.  It seems like you're going a long way to avoid getting a
programmer.  Do you realize a fully compliant programmer is now available i=
n
singles for only $20
(http://www.microchipdirect.com/ProductSearch.aspx?Keywords=3DTEMLP001)?
That's cheaper than I sell singles on my own web site.  I'll make them
available at subtantial discount if you want to outfit a whole lab or get
one for every student in a class.  Even before any educational discount,
it's already a lot less money than any book the student will have to buy fo=
r
a class.

The LProg only handles the PICs that can enter program mode with the unlock
sequence and don't require high voltage on Vpp, but there are plenty of
those to chose from and that shouldn't be much of a constraint if you're a
hobbyist or student.

Hopefully it will do the 16F182x subfamily soon.  I'm digging thru the
normal high voltage programming algorithm now, and see that the POD has bee=
n
busy.  It's mostly the same, but just different enough to require more case=
s
to be added in a few places.  After I get the 16F182x working with normal
HVP on the USBProg, I'll try to add support to the LProg with LVP.

> But if you're only going to use it once in a blue moon,
> because the primary mode of development is a bootloader, it's not as
> simple a decision as you may think.

But you're only using the programmer once in a blue moon because it kinda
sucks, being a "dumper" as you call it.  Think of the reverse.  If you
already had a programmer then you wouldn't have to hassle with a bootloader
at all.

If your project can do with 100mA Vdd, then you can even program and run in
a single command that takes a few seconds.


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