DiyLightAnimation

Hardware => Lynx Express => Topic started by: Arvin on September 01, 2010,

Title: pickit3
Post by: Arvin on September 01, 2010,

Planning to buy a pickit....2 or 3.

Every body says to get the pickit2. The pickit3 is $10 more. Is it worth it?

Hate buying something then find out for a few bucks more I get more bang for the buck!

What say you?
Arvin

Title: Re: pickit3
Post by: jstevens on September 01, 2010,

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Planning to buy a pickit....2 or 3.

Every body says to get the pickit2. The pickit3 is $10 more. Is it worth it?

Hate buying something then find out for a few bucks more I get more bang for the buck!

What say you?
Arvin

I say I'd like to know the opinions of people with experience, as that isn't me.  I'd be willing to spend the extra money to get more capability and push off obsolescence a bit longer, but I don't know enough to give a valid opinion.  So, I'll keep watching this thread.

Title: Re: pickit3
Post by: jnealand on September 01, 2010,

I think the primary issue is that the Pickit 2 has some easier software to use.  The Pickit3 only has MPLAB to use.  MPLAB also supposrt the Pickit2.  There has been speculation that Microchip will update the Pickit2 software to support the 3, but I have not seen that yet.

Title: Re: pickit3
Post by: egenoup on September 01, 2010,

for the Lynx stuff, the pickit2 will do... if you are planning on playing around with the newer chips and future chips from microchip, then you may want to buy the pickit3...  I have the pickit2 and it does everything that I need...

Title: Re: pickit3
Post by: castortiu on September 01, 2010,

I have a pickit3, I can only talk wonders about it and I have programmed dozen of different pics.

I really don't know the diffs between the 2 or 3, but the 3 so far is very good.

Cas.

Title: Re: pickit3
Post by: jstevens on September 01, 2010,

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I have a pickit3, I can only talk wonders about it and I have programmed dozen of different pics.

I really don't know the diffs between the 2 or 3, but the 3 so far is very good.

Cas.

As far as you know, though, the 3 is backwards compatible with what the 2 can do?  No loss of any functions, just additional?

Title: Re: pickit3
Post by: RJ on September 02, 2010,

The 3 is a little more involved to program with ect. The only software for it is the full MPlab development package which for someone that does not develop is a little over the top. The 2 has a little clean utility that makes it faster and easier to program ect.

There have been compliants and at one point microchip said they would release a utility for the 3 but I do not think it has happened.

This is Biggest difference in my opinion.

On the side of the 3 it will be supported longer and do new chips in the future so you have to weight that.

RJ

Title: Re: pickit3
Post by: jstevens on September 02, 2010,

RJ -

Thanks.  With the projects you've been doing, your opinion carries a lot of weight.  I'd like to think I'd use the abilities of a 3, but when it comes to this stuff, I'm a neophyte.  Overall costs aren't that great, so upgrading to the 3 later wouldn't be that expensive - not like we're talking hundreds of dollars here.

Arvin -

I take it that you have as little experience as I.  Just for downloading firmware updates, it sounds like the 2 would be less frustrating.

Title: Re: pickit3
Post by: Rainlover on September 02, 2010,

I am a newbie too. I have a pickit 2 and with the headers that RJ has on the LE, it is almost plug and play with the software that came with it. RJ has made this so easy, even a caveman can do it!!

John

Title: Re: pickit3
Post by: austindave on September 02, 2010,

If it's of any help in making your decision, I posted detailed instructions for programming a device using the PICKit3 here: http://diylightanimation.com/wiki/index.php?title=PIC_Programming_with_the_PICkit_3 (http://diylightanimation.com/wiki/index.php?title=PIC_Programming_with_the_PICkit_3) (that's on the Wiki).

In my opinion, it's pretty simple & straight-forward to program parts with the "3" & MPLab, but it sounds like doing it with the "2" is even easier.

Hope this is of some help.

--Dave

Title: Re: pickit3
Post by: Freebird on September 02, 2010,

As a newbie myself, I bought the 3, and followed AustinDave's instructions..  And it was so simple and fast... 


Freebird

Title: Re: pickit3
Post by: kj77rn on September 02, 2010,

I, too, not knowing the difference, went for the 3 and with the instructions posted by austindave, I have had no problems with it.  Very simple but I have experience with the 2 to compare.

Title: Re: pickit3
Post by: packetbob on September 09, 2010,

I had to decide between both and went with the PICKIT3 mainly due to the fact that it will support more chips as the PICKIT2 will eventually be end of lifed...
It is a bit of a pain to use MATLAB but for the occasional use I don't find it any problem...

Title: Re: pickit3
Post by: batdive on September 09, 2010,

Here is the forum link for the stand alone programmer like the Pickit2, maybe this will make your choice easier.

I got the pickit 3 recently from Ebay with the included microchip programmers.


http://www.microchip.com/forums/tm.aspx?m=500342&high=pickit+3

EDIT: This is currently in Beta, but appears the programmers are very active in the forums to help out and make the program better.

Hope that helps...


-JS

Title: Re: pickit3
Post by: RJ on September 09, 2010,

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Here is the forum link for the stand alone programmer like the Pickit2, maybe this will make your choice easier.

I got the pickit 3 recently from Ebay with the included microchip programmers.


http://www.microchip.com/forums/tm.aspx?m=500342&high=pickit+3


Hope that helps...


-JS

Thats great!  now it is not a hard choice for anyone.

RJ