Let's figure out how to make the programmer yourself

Microcontrollers are manufactured by many companies specializing in the production of electronic components. Such chips are designed for self-programming by users. They are characterized by high performance, minimal power consumption, well-developed RISC-architecture, functional completeness, minimum sizes and low prices. Firmware microcontrollers are made using a device such as a programmer.

general information

For practical use of microcontrollers, the user needs an inexpensive and affordable toolkit. There are many technical solutions for such devices, both amateur and industrial. In this article, we'll look at how you can make the programmer yourself. Such devices are made for specific types and types of microcontrollers, there are no universal devices. There are simple solutions that allow you to assemble the programmer yourself Literally "on the knee" (for example, the Gromov programmer), and more complex, requiring expensive equipment for manufacturing and setting up the device. We will consider the practical assembly of a simple device called "GTP-USB" or "GrabadorTodoPic-USB". It will not be easy to assemble such a programmer to novice radio amateurs, since for the construction of such devices, practical experience is required.

Technical description

To simplify the circuit board, you can exclude display elements from the circuit. On the performance of the device this will not be reflected in any way, because they are needed only for clarity, so that the user can see in which mode the USB PIC programmer is located . However, the same information can be seen on the monitor of the personal computer (using the software "WinPic800" versions 3.55 B or 3.55 G). So, let's describe the light version of the device. The signal terminals Vpp1 and Vpp2 are designed for microcontrollers with different types of enclosures (different number of pins). The output of Vpp / ICSP is needed for in-circuit programming. The remaining conclusions are typical. The circuit of this programmer can be split on a single-sided printed circuit board. The adapter used for this device is universal, it can be connected to other programmers of PIC microcontrollers.

Set up your device

So, after assembling the circuit, we perform the first inclusion. As a result, the message "Found new equipment" GrabadorTodoPic-USB sammer 2005 "will appear on the computer screen after which the PC will offer to install drivers for this device.They can be found in the control shell of the program" WinPic800. "Specify the path of the drivers: \ WinPic8003.55G \ GTP-USB \ DriverGTP-USB \ .It should be noted that the circuit described in the article is tested in practice, it works with the WinPic800 software shell of versions 3.55B and 3.55G.Without other versions the programmer will not work. "Settings - Hardware" must be selected "GT P-USB- # F1 "or" GTP-USB- # 0 "and press" Apply. "After that, we conduct a test of our equipment and the following message will appear on the monitor:" Opening GTP-USB # 0 Ind # 0 Hardware Ok. V-3.55. "That's all, the device is ready to work.As you can see, it's easy to assemble the programmer with your own hands.The device reads the information at a speed of 1-2 seconds, the record produces in 3-5 seconds.

Conclusion

Many radio amateurs prefer to make tools for themselves, since the cost of such equipment differs significantly from the proprietary one. There are many technical solutions that allow you to assemble a device of any type, including the programmer of chip chips of virtually all types of laser and inkjet printers. Such devices are connected to a personal computer using a USB port, and to the device via a COM port. The diagram of the programmer itself is elementary, does not require additional settings, and the cost price will be only 2-3 dollars.