A free and simple PIC Development Programmer Software for Windows and Linux

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Overview
PICPgm supports all kind of serial port programmers as well as parallel port programmers. Also an
USB Programmer using FTDI USB chip is supported. The most popular PIC programmers (e.g. JDM,
Tait, Microchip AN589 programmer, ...) are pre-configured and will be automatically detected by the
software. In the table below, you will find a list of all natively supported programmers.
Programmer Name Connection
Low-/High-
Voltage
PICPgm LVISP (Low-Voltgage, In-System
Programmer)
LPT (parallel
port)
Low-Voltage
PICPgm USB Programmer USB Low-Voltage
Microchip AN589 Programmer
LPT (parallel
port)
High-Voltage
Tait Classic PIC Programmer - (c) David Tait
LPT (parallel
port)
High-Voltage
JDM Programmer COM (serial port) High-Voltage
Olimex PIC-PG2 Programmer COM (serial port) High-Voltage
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News
27.09.2013:
PICPgm 1.7.9.0 released!Download here.
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Olimex PIC-PG3 Programmer
LPT (parallel
port)
High-Voltage
El Cheapo PICmicro Programmer
LPT (parallel
port)
High-Voltage
TLVP - Trivial LVP programmer
LPT (parallel
port)
Low-Voltage
EPIC Parallel Port Programmer
LPT (parallel
port)
High-Voltage
P16PRO40 PIC-programmer
LPT (parallel
port)
High-Voltage
But this are not all programmers which can be used with PICPgm. As mentioned earlier, it supports
nearly all serial and parallel port programmers. This is possible because PICPgm offers a feature to
configure the programmer pins via the graphical user interface directly by the user. You can find this
configuration in the menu bar of PICPgm: Hardware => Hardware Selection/Configuration.

PICPgm LVISP (Low-Voltgage, In-System Programmer)
Description
PICPgm LVISP is a Low-Voltgage, In-System Programmer. It is conneteced to the PC via the parallel
port (LPT port).
Note: The +5V supply for the programmer is take from the target board (via +5V pin on the
programmer cable), i.e. the target board has to be powered to allow programming.
Schematics / Layouts
09.02.2013:
First MacOS X version of PICPgm
released!Download here.
PIC Projects
PIC microcontroller projects, including
source code, description and
schematics.
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Download Schematic as PDF: picpgm_lvisp_v1.01.pdf
PIC programmer layout: picpgm_lvisp_v1.01_layout.pdf
PIC programmer assembly plan: picpgm_lvisp_v1.01_asm.pdf
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Supported PICs
This programmer supports all PIC microcontrollers which are marked with a "yes" in the column
"Low-Voltage programmable" in the supported PICs table.
PIC circuit for usage with LVISP programmer
To be able to use the LVISP progammer, the following minimum PIC circuit is necessary on your
target board. Please not that the PGM pin of the PIC cannot be used in case Low-Voltage
programming is used. This pin must always be tied to GND for proper operation!
Pictures
The Low-Voltage Programmer is very small. It fits into a Sub-D connector box: Here is a picture of
the complete Low-Voltage Programmer cable:
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PICPgm USB Programmer
Description
The PICPgm USB Programmer is a Low-Voltgage, In-System Programmer. It uses a FT245BL chip
from FTDI. This chip provides a Parallel IO port via USB. The PICPgm Software uses the Bit Bang
Mode feature of the FT245BL to contol the PIC programming pins.
To use this programmer, you have to install the D2XX driver which is provided by FTDI. It can be
downloaded at http://www.ftdichip.com/FTDrivers.htm.
This programmer allows programming of PICs with PCs which have no parallel port or serial port.
Unfortunately, due to the limitations of the USB bus, read operations from the PIC are very slow with
this programmer. So I would suggest to use this programmer only to program a bootloader into the
PIC. Further programming can be done after that via the bootloader which might be much faster.
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Schematics / Layouts
Download as PDF: picpgm_usb_v1.0.pdf
Supported PICs
This programmer supports all PIC microcontrollers which are marked with a "yes" in the column
"Low-Voltage programmable" in the supported PICs table.
Pictures
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Microchip AN589 Programmer
Description
The Microchip AN589 Programmer is a High-Voltage Programmer. It is connected to the PC via the
parallel port (LPT port). This programmer has been designed by Microchip as a low cost programmer
for the PIC16C84. Nevertheless, it also supports all PICs which can be programmed in High-Voltage
mode. All details regarding this programmer can be found in Application Note AN589 from Microchip.
Schematics / Layouts
Schematic and furhter information: http://www.microchip.com/stellent
/idcplg?IdcService=SS_GET_PAGE&nodeId=1824&appnote=en011060
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Note: If link is not working, just google for "AN589".
Supported PICs
This programmer supports all PICs which can be programmed in High-Voltage mode. For a list of all
PICs supported by PICPgm Software can be found here.

Tait Classic PIC Programmer - (c) David Tait
Description
The Tait Classic PIC Programmer was designed by David Tait. It is a High-Voltage Programmer which
is connected to the PC via the parallel port (LPT port).
Schematics / Layouts
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Supported PICs
This programmer supports all PICs which can be programmed in High-Voltage mode. For a list of all
PICs supported by PICPgm Software can be found here.

JDM Programmer
Description
The JDM Programmer is a High-Voltage Programmer which is connected to the serial port (COM port)
of the PC. It takes the programming voltage directly from the PC's COM port, so no separate power
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supply is needed. Due to the reason that the power supply is taken from the COM-port, for "weak"
COM ports (especially in Notebooks) this could be a problem. So in this case the COM port could not
provide a sufficent programming voltage and programming will fail.
Please note that this programmer will not work with a USB-to-Serial adapter.
Schematics / Layouts
Supported PICs
This programmer supports all PICs which can be programmed in High-Voltage mode. For a list of all
PICs supported by PICPgm Software can be found here.
Note: To allow programming of PIC 12F629 / 12F675 / ... it is necessary to modify the original JDM
programmer as shown in the schematic above. This modification allows VCC control which is
necessary for this PICs.
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Olimex PIC-PG2 Programmer
Description
PIC-PG2 is programmer based on JDM design which takes all necessary signals and power supply
from RS232 serial port. It supports 8, 18, 28 and 40 pin PIC microcontrollers.
You can get a fully assembled and tested PIC-PG3 programmer at http://www.olimex.com.
Schematics / Layouts
Schmatics and further details can be found at http://www.olimex.com/dev/pic-pg2.html.
Supported PICs
This programmer supports all PICs which can be programmed in High-Voltage mode. For a list of all
PICs supported by PICPgm Software can be found here.
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Note: PICs which need VCC contol (like 12F629 / 12F675 / ...) might not work with this programmer.
Read more regarding this problem at the JDM Programmer.
Pictures

Olimex PIC-PG3 Programmer
Description
PIC-PG3 is programmer based on D.Tait's parallel port design. To operate it needs external power
supply 12-15VAC or 16-18VDC. It supports all 8/18/28 and 40 pin PIC microcontrollers which allow
serial programming. PIC-PG3 have connector and cable for ICSP programming and can be used to
program all PIC-PxxB prototype boards.
You can get a fully assembled and tested PIC-PG3 programmer at http://www.olimex.com.
Important note:
For this programmer the programmer autodetection feature has to be deactivated (Menu: Hardware
- Hardware Selection/Configuration...) by directly selecting the Olimex PIC-PG3 programmer. Reason
for this is that this programmer has overlapping MCLR pins depending on the IC sockets which could
cause Vpp on a PIC port pin different than MCLR pin. Due to that also the corresponding Olimex
PIC-PG3 programmer type has to be selected. I.e. if you want to program a 8, 14 or 18 pin PIC, you
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have to select the "Olimex PIC-PG3 (8pin, 14pin, 18pin)" programmer. To program a 28 or 40 pin
PIC you have to select "Olimex PIC-PG3 (28pin, 40pin)".
Schematics / Layouts
http://www.olimex.com/dev/pic-pg3.html
Pictures, Further Notes
To program a 8, 14 or 18 pin PIC, you have to select the "Olimex PIC-PG3 (8pin, 14pin, 18pin)"
programmer in the Hardware settings.
To program a 28 or 40 pin PIC, you have to select the "Olimex PIC-PG3 (28pin, 40pin)" programmer
in the Hardware settings.
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El Cheapo PICmicro Programmer
Description
Get info regarding this programmer at http://www.rentron.com/Myke4.htm.
Schematics / Layouts
http://www.rentron.com/Myke4.htm

TLVP - Trivial LVP programmer
Description
Get info regarding this programmer at http://www.finitesite.com/d3jsys/.
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Schematics / Layouts
http://www.finitesite.com/d3jsys/

EPIC Parallel Port Programmer
Description
No descrition yet.
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Schematics / Layouts
No schematic yet.

P16PRO40 PIC-programmer
Description
Get info regarding this programmer at http://www.oz1bxm.dk/PIC/P16PRO40.htm
Schematics / Layouts
http://www.oz1bxm.dk/PIC/P16PRO40.htm

Other PIC-programmers
Simple in-circuit-serial-programming (ICSP) solution for PICs capable of low-voltage-
programming (LVP): http://home.vrweb.de/~lotharstolz/stolz.de.be/lvpc/index.html

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