Differences

This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.

--- howto_program_a_pic [2006/03/15 15:18] – created smashtv
+++ howto_program_a_pic [2006/10/15 09:35] (current) – external edit 127.0.0.1
@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-!!!How to program a PIC16F87x or PIC18F452
+====== How to program a PIC16F87x or PIC18F452 ======
-The most frequently asked question regarding the MIDIbox is "How to program a PIC". Well, there are a lot of possibilities. You can either buy a ready-made PIC programmer like the "PICstart Plus Kit", but this is one of the most expensive solutions. An alternative is to just build it yourself. There are a lot of resources available on the web, but no guide, because most of the programmers were built by experts for experts. However, since most of the MIDIbox users have never soldered electronic circuits before, I found it necessary to write this short walkthrough.
+:!:\\
+the term **programming** is used in this context for burning a hex file onto the chip. \\
+See [[what_is_a_midibox]] if you don't know the difference between MIOS, the bootstrap loader and a MIOS Application.
-Following do-it-yourself programmers are well tested with the MIDIbox:
-* [http://www.rotgradpsi.de/mc/], by Martin Clausen
-* [http://www.miguelo.com.ar/], by Miguel Scapolla
-* [http://www.jdm.homepage.dk/newpic.htm], by JDM (Jens Dyekjær Madsen)
-The JDM is part of the MBHP, the module is described [here|http://www.ucapps.de/mbhp_jdm.html]
+\\
+\\
+For the MIDIbox project it is **not** required to purchase an expensive, "ready-made" programmer in order to get the firmware into the PIC.
-*Update*: new hope for an easier programmer:
+Instead you could buy a pre-programmed PIC from SmashTV or Mike, you could ask in the [[http://forum.midibox.org|MIDIbox Forum]] for help, or you could build a PIC programmer by yourself. There are many schematics available on the web. The [[http://www.ucapps.de/mbhp_burner.html|MBHP_BURNER]] module is one of such DIY programmers, and it works reliable.
-[http://www.midibox.org/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=news;action=display;num=1088620086]
-[http://70.84.40.25/forum/index.php?topic=2961.0] -seems its the same link but the top one is broken
+**For PIC18F based projects, a PIC programmer is only required to program the MIOS bootloader firmware into the internal flash memory. Once this has been made, you can upload MIOS and applications via MIDI.** Details about this process are explained [[http://www.ucapps.de/mios_bootstrap.html|here]].
+\\
+If you want to burn yourself, you need to build the PIC Burner:
+  * [[http://www.ucapps.de/mbhp_burner.html|PIC Burner]] <sup>uCApps</sup>
+If you have to burn PIC16 Chips, see [[http://www.ucapps.de/mbhp_iic_midi.html]] for a description of a PIC18->PIC16 Adapter for PIC Burner.
+You need __PBrenner for the PIC16__ and __P18 for PIC18's__. Both chips can be burned using the PIC Burner Module.
+\\
+\\
+:!:\\
+I experienced massive problems by using 2 9V Batteries (steady loss of Voltage, though I used fresh Batteries). 15V Power Adaptors are hard to find, and if you find some, they're quite expensive.
+So I checked all my 12V-Power Modules and finally found one that produces > 18 V. //It is worth trying and measuring all Power Adaptors you have, because some of them produce actually more Volts than said on the packaging// :)