A JDM Mod Serial PIC programmer with VCC control

I've reassembled the PICpgm programmer with VCC control. Though the programmer was recognized neither the PIC recognition nor the programming worked. Either the VCC control programmer suggested by the PICpgm team is not working or I'm assembling the circuit in a wrong way but is not working. May be the ICSP is not suitable for this Programmer. I need to test it out on a bigger breadboard.

As an alternative for a JDM programmer I've tried assembling a Multichip programmer that I've found on this blog using the same circut except that

• The NPN transistors used where 2N3904.
• Ommited the LEDs thus the resistors.
• The capacitor values where the same as on the circuit.
• The resistor between CTS and DTR inputs was 1.8 kOhms

This circuit is a kind of variation of the PICpgm JDM programmer without VCC. PICpgm recognized this circuit as a JDM programmer. The good thing is that the PIC12F1822 (my test PIC at hand) was recognized by PICpgm (auto recognized) and that's pretty positive. This apparently means that the voltage levels are just right at the pins, just enough to recognize the PIC.

Figure 1. JSPVCv1.1

Another circuit tested with the same results was the one on figure 2. Though when blank checking the PIC it said that the PIC was not blank at all. It was not possible for me to "clear" the PIC with this programmer.

Figure 2. JSPVCv2

Figure 3. PICpgm recognized the PIC and the programers but did not load the programm into the PIC. Both tested programers here showed the same behaviour on programming the PIC and autodetection

References

1. http://myanmar-young-engineers.pbworks.com/w/page/13632171/MultiChip%20Programmer%20for%20%20beginners%20and%20hobbiests

I've assembled the circuit of the figure 1. on a solderless bread board (figure 2.).

The program PICpgm recognized the programmer but did not recognized the PIC12F1822 attached to it.

Looking on the internet suggests that the problem can be combinations of

• The PIC is damaged.
• The connections are wrong
• Wrong DC voltage levels on the programming pins of the PIC
• Need of adding additinal components on the programmer (like Caps and stuff)
• Wrong transistor connection (since the order of the pinouts could not be E-B-C looking the "face" of the transistor.)
• Wrong delay setting on the PICpgm configurations.

I have not tested the JSPVCv1 (JDM Serial Programming with Voltage Control version 1) with the PIC16F1824 given that the required programming voltage levels are pretty much the same. Annother reason is that i got lazy.

I have decided to reassemble the whole circuit and test it again. Sorry, I've missed to take screen shots of the Windows GUI with the message "JDM Programmer" at "COM1" but that does not give much information, does it?.

Figure 1. JSPVCv1 - Prototype 1 for serial JDM programmer with VCC control.

Figure 2. JSPVCv1 assembled