gnupic@linuxhacker.org

On Mon, 17 Mar 2003, Byron A Jeff wrote:

>Jeff,
>
>I really think you should save yourself the headaches of trying to do it all
>over again.
>
>First off is the simple fact that the 16F877A (note the A) has a different
>programming algorithm that its predecessors. That's why none of the programmers
>work for it.
>
>Secondly the job has already been done. Wouter van Ooijen's Wisp628 has 
>everything but the programming socket:
>
>* Programs 16F87XA and 18FXXX parts
>* High voltage
>* ICSP connector
>* Serial Interface
>* Programming software written in Python, so it works on Windows and Linux.
>
>It's a no brainer. You can use your current programmer to burn a PIC16F628
>for the project.

Thanks for mentioning the Wisp628; I didn't manage to come across it
before. Unfortunately, I don't have a PIC16F628 on hand, and the software
I use with the Warp-13a doesn't claim to support it (but if its a short
enough program, I could call it a 16F84).

However, the source for Wisp628 is fairly easy to read, and I saw how my 
code differed from Ooijen's. After enabling code protection on a couple 
16F84's, I was able to get my programmer to work. There are still some 
bugs (like the code protection disable doesn't work), but I was able to 
get a bootloader onto a 16F877A, so I'm happy.

Maybe not the best solution, but now I can at least say that I made a PIC 
programmer, for what that's worth. I'll probably build a Wisp628 
eventually.

-- 
Jeff Jackowski
        http://ro.com/~jeffj/