Cytron Technical Forum

Posted by Nazri:

"I have your old UP00A PIC USB Programmer and try to figure-out how to use its ICSP function. I've wired up my circuit using PIC16F877A and download into it few programs using the normal 40-pin socket by plug-in and plug-out the IC. It works perfectly.
The problem is, I want to use the ICSP function and wired up my circuit as required from your user's manual. I've connected my circuit and the ICSP terminal on the UP00A with 5-wired ribbon cable and connector. I couldn't get any response of downloading software into the PIC IC. I opened up your WinPic800 -> Settings -> Hardware to change the Blockade Configuration, but it does not want to be saved, as I thought I need to try changing some options there in order to make it works.
Please help me on how to start using the ICSP function from the programmer. I'm stuck now."

Nazri,

Below are some possible factors that lead to the problem you mentioned:

1. Improper connection - ribbon wires are not soldered or clamped properly to the iron pins of the connectors, broken of connection inside the ribbon wires...

2. Circuitry of the targeted board - MCLR, PGC or/and PGD is/are connected to other circuits/components which prevent the microcontroller to enter programming mode. The simplest way to determine this will be building another circuit without sharing these three pins.

3. Microcontroller's configuration - some PIC microcontrollers are unable to reprogram at certain configuration such as using internal oscillator with MCLR disabled. It won't be a problem if you are using the common PICs like 16F877A, 16F84A...

4. Length of the ribbon cable - try to make the connection between UP00A and your targeted board at approximately 10cm.

Please have a try!

I've tried out as you'd said, but still didn't work. I just wonder if there should be a special setting either on the hardware or software of WinPic800 to work with the USB Programmer UP00A.

Nazri.

If that's the case, maybe you need to send it back to cytron for troubleshooting...

Why still using UP00A? I bought a new programmer UIC00A with only RM50.00 last year, use it until now and I am very satisfy with its size, performance and price......