PicKit2 is a programmer designed by Microchip to program its pic microcontrollers. PicKit2 supports many 8-bit pic microcontroller series. PicKit2 supports almost all Pic-10/12/16/18/24 and dspic-30/33 flash series microcontroller’s. Pickit 2 is an ICSP (In-circuit serial programmer) programmer. In icsp interface, microcontroller can be programmed while its working in the circuit. An icsp programmer uses 5 pins to program the target microcontroller. Pickit 2 uses an on board pic18f2550 microcontroller that programs the target microcontroller. Pic18f2550 communicates with the computer software using its usb interface and talks with the target microcontroller using its icsp interface. Thanks to microchip that they released the pic18f2550 program software. Now one can reverse the pickit 2 circuit can make pickit 2 programmer at home as a diy project.
Pickit 2 requires the following pic microcontroller pins to program it.
- PGC (Clock input to microcontroller)
- PGD (Data Input to microcontroller)
- Vpp (Programming Mode voltage)
- Vdd (Power Pin Apply 5v to it)
- Gnd (Ground this Pin)
To program a pic microcontroller one have to Identify the upper 5 pins on his pic microcontroller and then make connections with the pickit 2 icsp header. See the datasheet of your pic microcontroller to Identify these pins and then connect the signals from PicKit2 to these pins. Normally all the pic microcontrollers have icsp pins located on the pin numbers given below.
