need help with my programmer

[Winterz117]

so i built the programmer gameroms posted
https://www.acidmods.com/forum/index.php?topic=22283.0
but i cant get it to work. im using winpic800 and when i try to do the hardware test it says that my programmer is not responding. when i do the detect a device thing it detects an unknown devide. also i figured i might as well try to program a chip. when it gets to the end of the programing  it says

ERROR -> Writing address 0x002000
       Written : 0x000F Read : 0x0000

i didnt really have the regular cable, but i found a db9 cable with one end being the db9 and the other end is the big purple connection that i think is supposed to be for the scanner. is my problem that im using a weird cable? or is something wrong with my programmer what should i do?

[Winterz117]

ok ill get pics up soon. i talked to gameroms and he said i need the regular cable cuz the scanner one im using wont work. im gona try and get a reg cable and see if that helps

[Blizzrad]

The cable is definitely the first thing I would troubleshoot in this situation. I also had problems when first connecting my JDM serial programmer which were caused by the cable I was using. These programmers require a straight through DB9 cable. Some cables designed for modems and other old serial port devices cross the connections within the cable, or have no connections on some pins used by the programmer. The simple way to test your programmer is to just ignore the cable for now, and plug the programmer directly into the serial port on your computer.

[Winterz117]

that would be male to male and thats gay haha just kidding but im going to get parts from radioshack and just make a cable then i will be positive its just straight thru

[Blizzrad]

....but im going to get parts from radioshack and just make a cable then i will be positive its just straight thru

Ok, that will work too, but why did you build the programmer with a male DB9 connector? You can buy a standard 6ft straight through serial cable from SparkFun.com for $3.95 (which is much less than you will pay for parts alone at RadioShack); but this will not work with your male/male configuration.

If you want to save yourself some time and money, I recommend ordering the above serial cable and a female DB9 connector from SparkFun to replace the male connector on your programmer. This will get everything connected with a proper cable for $5.50.   

[Winterz117]

ok will do thanks man

[XsavioR]

Just a suggestion. I have been doing embedded systems design for about 4 years. I too spent much monies to try to find an alternative to the expensive mainstream programmers. Unfortunately I spent 70 $ on one only to find this,, from Microchip, for half the price.

Pickit2 Programmer (34.99)
http://www.microchipdirect.com/productsearch.aspx?Keywords=PG164120

Unless you just want to see if you can do it, this is the way to go as it directly interfaces with MPLAB a free IDE.

[Winterz117]

thanks for the link and info. yeah i just wanted to see if i could do it and maybe try and save some money in the long run but idk ill try some stuff and probly end up buying a real programmer

[XsavioR]

In the end it comes down to "how much is your headache worth".

ICPROG has a "hack" to allow direct i/o but then again you will still need to configure the programmer, and be limited to what your programmer was designed to do. Fortunately , or unfortunately depending on your perspective , the 34 $ programmer is basically plug and play,,, with MPLAB.  It also enables you to do such things as program NUMEROUS chips, in-circuit programming, in circuit debugging (a smaller list of chips then you can program because the chip must provide for icd), logic probing, programming with out a pc (given you buy a 20 $ battery) and numerous other benefits that you simply won't get with a homemade JDM programmer.

Ive been down the JDM programmer road, and I finally gave in and decided my headache , was worth 34 $.

Amazingly I had the pickit 2 out of the package and programming a chip in no more then a minute, with MPLAB. Its as easy as connecting the programmer to a board with a chip on it , pluggin in the usb, and selecting Pickit 2 off the programmer drop down list.

I dont work for Microchip, I own a JDM programmer, which i payed 70$ for , and STILL recommend the Pic kit 2.

For 49.99 you get a dev board with it too, and a spare board in case you futz up the populated one. Microchip really does try to make their hardware the most usable, affordable option out there.  I learned the hard way, and hope to save others the aggravation of learning how  I did.

[Winterz117]

idk i gota get a rapid fire mod done for my friend fast and i have a bunch of blank 12f683's so i figured id make a quick 10$ programmer and just doit but idk i have an old comp with 98 so im just gona give that a try if not ill get the pickit2

[XsavioR]

Acidmods sells the chip preprogrammed for 8 $ thats a better deal for you,,,

[Hazer]

Winterz, you need a real serial cable. It has to have db9 on both ends and all 9 pins straight through.

Hmm. Just read through. If you really want to connect directly to the serial port, you will need a gender changer:

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062206&cp=&sr=1&kw=db9&origkw=db9&parentPage=search

A bit pricy though.

You can always get the female to feamle cable for more:

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2049676&cp=&sr=1&kw=db9&origkw=db9&parentPage=search

I hate radioshack. Frys is soo much better but they are only on the West Coast.

[XsavioR]

Actually I worked at frys in chicago. Theyre pretty spread out... and yes I worked at radioshack too, they are way way way over priced but its sooo nice when you need one part to be able to go 2 blocks and get it.

[Winterz117]

no way im paying 20 bucks for a cable
http://www.cablewholesale.com/specs/serial-cable/10d1-03410bk.htm

ill try that