The pins join the header board to your target board. In other words,=20 think of the header board being a really BIG chip that plugs where=20 the PIC is supposed to go. I find that to be quite inconvenient, so I purchase DIP ribbon cable=20 connectors and make my own extension cables using flat ribbon=20 cable. Note that you have to reverse pairs of ribbon conductors at=20 one end before you crimp the DIP connector onto the ribbon=20 conductors. That is: split the ribbon cable into pairs of conductors=20 about 1.5" long. Give each paired set of conductors a sharp=20 half-turn right close to the un-split ribbon cable. Then put all of=20 the twisted pairs of conductors right close to each other and hold=20 them in place with some masking tape. Make sure that the masking=20 tape is close to the ends of the ribbon pairs - you need to have=20 enough room between the twists in the conductors and the tape for the=20 DIP connector. When you are sure that everything is nice and parallel, crimp the DIP=20 connector onto the ribbon conductors. You can then trim off the=20 excess ribbon conductors and masking tape. Be sure to check for=20 shorts before using the cable. Note that you do that only at one end of the ribbon cable. The=20 twists in the pairs of ribbon conductors is necessary to swap the=20 rows of pins on the header board so that pin 1 actually connects to pin 1, = etc. A reasonable cable length is 6" or so. Much longer and you run into=20 excessive capacitive coupling between pins. dwayne At 01:17 AM 9/7/2011, RG wrote: >Thanks a lot, >I'll try this solution. >But I don't understand one thing. Microchip sells the Ic Header for >Pic16f690 in a box with the header and two ten pins strip. >Why the don't include a cable fitted for the board instead? > >Cheers >Renzo > >2011/9/6 Dwayne Reid > > > These 'debug headers' are a special form of the chip where Vpp, PGD & > > PGC have been brought out to dedicated pins. This allows you to use > > all of the pins of the device while you are debugging. > > > > This is much less of an issue with these 20 pin parts but look at the > > 12f675 - you would lose 3 of the available 6 i/o lines if you didn't > > use one of these headers while debugging. > > > > Anyway, he should have NO problems debugging his chip once he picks > > up one or two of the headers I mentioned in my previous > > email. Personally - I always get at least two of them in case I > > 'oops' something, in which case, I'm not shut down while waiting for > > a replacement to arrive. > > > > Do note that these headers are covered by Microchips SAR program - > > Microchip will exchange dead headers for repaired headers at no > > charge. Just like any of the ICD's or emulators. > > > > dwayne > > > > > > At 11:00 AM 9/6/2011, PICdude wrote: > > >I don't know this board off-hand, but "special debug header" to me, > > >should just be a header, which to me, should mostly be some > > >interconnection adapter. Is there any special logic in these things > > >such that some devices cannot be debugged without it? If so, this > > >would certainly affect my choice of chips in the future. > > > > > >Cheers, > > >-Neil. > > > > > > > > >Quoting Dwayne Reid : > > > > > > > At 04:19 PM 9/5/2011, RG wrote: > > > >> I try to use Mplab ICSP debug program on a my board or simply usi= ng > > the > > > >> Microchip Low Pin Count Demo Board. > > > >> Instructions show how to connect Pickit2 to an IC Header(i.e. the > > AC162961 > > > >> Ic header for the Pic16f690) and plugging it to the DM164020-1 > > > Low Pin Count > > > >> Demo Board. > > > >> > > > >> But the Ic Header AC162061 has no connector to plug in an > > > external board, it > > > >> can be only connect to Pickit2 with a RJ-11 adapter and has only > > > a socket in > > > >> which insert a Pic16f690. > > > >> Which is the solution? > > > > > > > > The 16f690 is a 'Low Pin Count' device and requires a special debug > > > > header for debugging. Microchip has a PDF file that lists some of > > > > those headers: > > > > < > > http://ww1.microchip.com/downloads/en/DeviceDoc/ICD2_Header_51292L.pdf>= .. > > > > > > > > Specifically, you need the PIC16F690-ICD header which is part numbe= r > > > > AC162061. > > > > > > > > They are fairly inexpensive. > > > > > > > > dwayne > > > > > > > > -- > > > > Dwayne Reid > > > > Trinity Electronics Systems Ltd Edmonton, AB, CANADA > > > > (780) 489-3199 voice (780) 487-6397 fax > > > > www.trinity-electronics.com > > > > Custom Electronics Design and Manufacturing > > > > > > > > -- > > > > 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 > > > > > > -- > > Dwayne Reid > > Trinity Electronics Systems Ltd Edmonton, AB, CANADA > > (780) 489-3199 voice (780) 487-6397 fax > > www.trinity-electronics.com > > Custom Electronics Design and Manufacturing > > > > -- > > 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 --=20 Dwayne Reid Trinity Electronics Systems Ltd Edmonton, AB, CANADA (780) 489-3199 voice (780) 487-6397 fax www.trinity-electronics.com Custom Electronics Design and Manufacturing --=20 http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive View/change your membership options at http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist .