Connecting Pickit3 direct to 08M2/18M2

rieverjohn

New Member
Hi all,
can anyone help with my problem in understanding picaxe information, I am 81 and slow on the uptake.
I have all of the necessary hardware required but I want to use as my target a Magenta PIC16C64
tutorial pcb which I can modify as required but I can't figure out where each wire from the Picaxe3
programmer goes on the picaxe 08M2 or 18M2.
which pin on the 08M2/18M2 equates to MCLR
which pin equates to PCG
which pin equates to PGD
presumably VDD is pin 1 on the 08M2/18M2 and
VSS is on pin 2.

I would be very grateful for an easy to understand explanation. Be gentle with me.
 
Last edited:

Buzby

Senior Member
Hi,

Welcome to the Forum !.

A Magenta board ?. I had one years ago.

But to answer your question, the PICAXE doesn't use MCLR, PCG, PGD etc.

Each PICAXE chip has a pre-loaded interpreter, and programmes are loaded serially with RS232 type signals.

Take a good look at Manual 1, ( http://www.picaxe.com/Getting-Started/PICAXE-Manuals/ ) for all you need to know to get started.

Cheers,

Buzby
 

MartinM57

Moderator
Welcome to the forum - as above for the PICAXE details (after your good look, come back with any questions)...and I have corrected the Title for you :)
 

hippy

Technical Support
Staff member
Also welcome to the forum.

As others have pointed out the PICAXE is a little different to a native PICmicro. The PICAXE devices are based upon PICmicro silicon but are pre-programmed with our PICAXE Basic Interpretor firmware so they can be programmed using an AXE027 USB to serial or RS232 serial cable.

This allows PICAXE devices to be be programmed without the need of a Microchip programmer. This makes them more suitable and easier to use for students, hobbyists, home users and others; no need for a Microchip programmer and no need to use or learn Microchip development software. The PICAXE chips have their own PICAXE program development environment software; PICAXE Editor 6 etc. An introduction to what the PICAXE is can be found here -

http://www.picaxe.com/What-Is-PICAXE

PICAXE firmware is only available for those PICAXE devices we manufacture and PICAXE programs developed for PICAXE chips cannot be programmed into native PICmicro devices.

It may sometimes be possible to adapt third-party development boards to accept PICAXE chips and the serial programming interface but we would recommend our range of PICAXE starter kits and project boards for PICAXE development -

http://www.picaxe.com/Hardware/Starter-Packs
http://www.picaxe.com/Hardware/Project-Boards
 

bpowell

Senior Member
Writing any data to a PICAXE chip using a PICKIT3 programmer will turn your PICAXE back into a raw PIC chip...the firmware will be lost.
 

rieverjohn

New Member
thanks Busby
I've looked at that manual so often to find an answer but like so much information on lots of subjects it tells me what I can do but not what I can't.
 

Buzby

Senior Member
... but like so much information on lots of subjects it tells me what I can do but not what I can't.
Well, what do you want to do ?.

PICAXE can't to 3D graphics, floating point maths, voice recognition, and a hundred other things other platforms can do.

But it can do do loads of other useful things, like piloting an autonomous transatlantic boat, or having two-way comms whilst in orbit round the Earth, or flashing lots of lights on a Halloween display.

The really big advantages of PICAXE over most other devices are (a) they are virtually un-brickable, (b) they have all the I2C, servo, LCD, etc. software built-in, and (c) they are supported by THE best forum on the web.

I'm sure if you are confident enough to even contemplate connecting a PICKIT3 to a PICAXE mounted on an antique training board, then you would have no problem at all in building the download circuit ( Manual 1, page 8 ) onto the Magenta board, finding a computer with a serial port ( USB-to-Serial or Old Skool PC ), and connecting to PE6.

( In fact, if you just want to see what PICAXE programming is like you just need PE6. It has a really good simulator, which means you can test 90% of PICAXE capabilities without even owning a PICAXE. )

Give it a go, and if you get stuck, just ask here.

Cheers,

Buzby
 

premelec

Senior Member
@rieverjohn - I also am 3^4 years old and assure you that the PICAXE is much easier to use than trying to make and insert your code into a naked PIC chip... Please tell us what you would like to accomplish with your chip - could be a variety of simple or complicated things as Buzby has indicated... e.g. I have some programmed to read temperature and send it out in Morse - with 08 chips... pretty simple - flashes a light too... ;-0
 
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