Homebuild Version

The circuit used for the homebuilt El Cheapo is:

The homebuild circuit is at a later version than the one used for the PCB
provided with Programming and Customizing PICmicro® Microcontrollers.
This circuit is a result of working through the problems people have had with
their programmers and unique PC/printer combinations. This circuit should work
with every parallel port available on PCs (if yours doesn't, I would really like to
hear from you).

The Bill of Material for the home built El Cheapo is:

Part Description
U1 78L08 +8 Volt Regulator
Programming socket for PICmicro. Note that this socket and the pin
U2 connections will be different depending on the PICmicro MCU that you want to
program.
U3 74LS05 Hex Inverter with Open Collector Outputs
Q1 2N3906 PNP Bipolar Transistor
CR1 5.1 Volt, 1/2 Watt Zener Diode
CR2 1N914 or any small-signal Silicon diode
CR3 LED - Any color
R1 180 Ohm, 1 Watt Resistor
R2 -
10K, 1/4 Watt Resistors
R8
R9 2.2K, 1/4 Watt Resistor
C1 10 uF, 35 Volt Electrolytic Capacitor
C2 -
0.01 uF Capacitor (Any Type)
C3
J1 Power Connector (2.5 mm Power Plug recommended)
J2 DB-25 FEMALE Connector or 36 Pin Centronics Female Connector
Prototyping Card, Wire, Solder, 15+ Volt AC/DC Power Supply with 2.5 mm
Misc.
Power Plug Output

My Prototype was built on a piece of FR4 prototyping board using "point to

point" wiring.

Also with this circuit, you will require a 14+ Volt AC/DC Power Supply ("Wall
Wart") and a DB-25 Male to DB-25 Male "Parallel Transfer" or "Switchbox"
Cable.

The most common mistakes made by people building the circuit are:

 Substituting their own power supply circuit for the 78L12 and 5.1 Volt
Zener diode.

The power supply circuit built into the El Cheapo is actually quite elegant
and inexpensive. Both the 78L12 and 5.1 Volt Zener are current limited
to 100 mA and 50 mA, respectively, which allows for "hot plug/unplug" of
the PICmicro MCU without the need for switches.

 Not following the pin numbering on the schematic.

 Using an incorrect cable type.

You should use a DB-25 Male to Male "Parallel Transfer Cable". Cables
designed for serial connections often do not have all the conductors
wired between the two ends. Serial and parallel cables require different
pins, which will not allow the El Cheapo to work. Note that "Laplink"
cables will no work at all with this circuit.
 PICmicro MCUs Supported
by the El Cheapo:

 PIC12C50x (x=8/9)
 PIC12C67x (x=1/2/3/4)

El Cheapo  PIC16C505
PICmicro
Programmer  PIC16C55x (x=4/6/8)

This project was  PIC16C6x

begun as a response (x=1/2/3/4/5/6/7)
to the need for a
simple and  PIC16C62x (x=0/1/2)
inexpensive
PIC16F84  PIC16C642
Programmer. The
circuit shown here  PIC16C662
can be built in an Download:
hour or so using  PIC16C7x
parts that are (x=1/2/3/4/6/7)  Windows 9x/NT IO
commonly available. Port Interface
The software that  PIC16C71x (x=0/1/2)  El Cheapo Windows
runs the programmer Interface Version 0.84
is written to copy  PIC16C77x (x=3/4)
a .hex file into the  VBRun60sp4.exe
PICMicro directly with  PIC16F62x (x=7/8) Installs Visual Basic
very few options. In 6.0 SP4 Run-Time
terms of speed, the  PIC16F7x Files
programming (x=2/3/4/6/7)
operation takes two
or three times longer  PIC16C84
than the fastest
programming  PIC16F84
algorithms out there,
but it is very reliable.  PIC16F84A

The time to program  PIC16F87x

a PIC16F627 with 1K (x=0/1/2/3/4/6/7)
of code should be
about 15 seconds.

Programming and Customizing PICmicro® Microcontrollers comes with an

El Cheapo programmer PCB to allow you to very easily build your own
Programmer quite easily. The circuit used on the PCB is a bit different than the
current homebuild circuit, but the software will work on both circuits.

To make it easier for people to work with the El Cheapo programmer, I have
decided to combine software to control the homebuilt version with the PCB that
comes with Programming and Customizing PICmicro® Microcontrollers.
With version 0.80, I have changed the design of the programmer to use a
74LS05 instead of some discrete transistors and resistors to provide the
interface. This updated interface should be more reliable and should work on
every parallel port built.
I am no longer supporting an MS-DOS command line version of the software.
The reason for this was to keep the number of hardware versions that were
supported to a minimum. Due to the obsolence of the 2N2106A and the
difficulty some people have with procuring the 2N7000, I will only be supporting
the home build circuitry shown below. The Windows interface software has a
graphical interface to help you test and debug your programmer before you
attempt to start programming parts.

Future planned upgrades includes being able to see/control configuration fuses

as well as program PIC18C/Fxx2 part numbers.