b. Turn K8055 or K8055N into a microcontroller programmer
You need only two 28-pin DIP sockets, one or two transistors, two capacitors, a few resistors and a prototyping PCB to turn your Velleman K8055 or K8055N board into a microcontroller programmer. There is no need to modify the board. The only two things that you have to do are to remove the input signal converter chip (ULN2803, see photo below) and to place a simple adapter socket underneath the PIC18F24J50 or PIC18F26J50 or PIC16C745 microcontroller.
The trickiest part of this project is to solder connection wires to the 28-pin DIP adapter socket that goes between PIC16C745 or PIC18F24J50 or PIC18F26J50 microcontroller and K8055 or K8055N board. Wires must be soldered to the bottom side of the socket and must also leave enough space for the pins to connect to the original K8055 or K8055N socket (see photo). Next, you need the programming software go to Downloads section and download PIC Programmer v2.0c.zip (simple programmer) or PIC Programmer v2.9.9(x64).zip for super speed programmer.
There are two options: (A) You may use the original Velleman programmed PIC16C745 or PIC18F24J50 to build a simple programmer, or (B) you can preprogram the microcontroller (only for K8055N board or K8055 board with PIC18F2xJ50 adapter) with SVPIC18F24J50 firmware v2.5.hex or later file to get fast programming support. Alternatively you can use PIC18F24J50 with SVPIC18F24J50 firmware v2.5.hex firmware or later orPIC18F26J50 with SVPIC18F26J50 firmware v2.7.8.hex firmware or later together with Pic Programmer v2.9.9 application or later (or 64-bit Pic Programmer v2.9.9 x64 application or later) to get super speed programming support.
There is now also an option of using a modified K8055-1 with a PIC18F2550 as a programmer. Just replace the the original PIC16C745 microcontroller with PIC18F2550 with PIC18F2550 firmware v2.5.hex from this website.
Now, you are able program PIC18FxxJxx microcontrollers and additionally PIC18Fxxxx and PIC18FxxKxx microcontrollers with high programming voltage adapter and a 12 V= external power supply. You may also need different sockets with more or less than 28 pins. If you want to program PIC18Fxxxx and PIC18FxxKxx microcontrollers, you need a high voltage programming adapter. Use Pic Programmer v2.9.9 application or later (or 64-bit Pic Programmer v2.9.9 x64 application or later).
NOTE 1: If you intend to program a PIC18FxxJxx with PIC18Fxxxx or PIC18FxxKxx that operates on +5 V, you should keep in mind that you still need to provide a +3.3 V to supply power to the PIC18FxxJxx that is being programmed. Fortunately all its programming pins (MCLR, PGD and PGC - marked gray) are 5 V tollerant.
Option B for K8055N-2 and K8055-1 with PIC18F2xxx or PIC18F2xJ50 adapter:
This option is simpler due to the fact that you do not need a second transistor (see circuit below). The circuit below shows only the connections of the programming adapter for K8055N. See the schematic 2 and photos 2, 3 ....
ALSO READ:
- Getting two Velleman K8055N-2 boards to program each other “on the fly” via SK9 connectors
- SK9 connector on Velleman K8055N board is PICkit 2 and PICkit 3 ready!
NOTE 2: WHEN THE PROGRAMMING ADAPTER IS CONNECTED THE INPUT ULN2803 CHIP MUST BE REMOVED, OR ALTERNATIVELY I4 INPUT MUST BE CONNECTED TO THE GROUND. The latter alternative would allow you to use the other inputs (I1, I2, I3 and I5) normally. See photos below.
NOTE 3: if PIC18F2550 uses as a PIC18FxxJxx programmer, a +3.3 V power source is still needed to power the PIC18FxxJxx microcontroller while being programmed. MCLR, PGD and PGC pins are up to 5.5 V tollerant, so no voltage adapters are needed.
Option A for K8055-1 and K8055N-2 (the circuit also works with option B):
This option is suitable for anyone that already has a Velleman K8055 or K8055N board and would like to use it as a microcontroller programmer. The only thing that you have to do is to make a simple adapter for a few euros or a few dollars. You MUST use windows programming application Pic Programmer v2.0c.exe that you can get from Downloads section. You must copy original Velleman k8055d.dll to the same file map as Pic Programmer v2.0c.exe. For the owners of K8055 boards it is important to note that PIC16C745 is pin compatible with PIC18F24J50 or PIC18F26J50, except for Vddcore/Vcap pin and output voltages, which are in range from 0 V to 5 V. PIC18F2xJ50 microcontrollers can only be programmed within 0 V ... 3.6 V voltage range depending on the power supply voltage level. You should use an appropriate adapter (see subsection c. K8055 upgrade from PIC16C745 to PIC18F24J50 or PIC18F26J50). See the shematic 1 and photos 1 and 2 below.
Shematic 2: Option B ---> Click on the picture to enlage it.
Schematic 1: Option A ---> Click on the picture to enlarge it.
Photo 5: Velleman K8055N-2 as a PIC18 programmer. ULN2803 is removed. Click on the photo to enlarge it.
Photo 2: Connecting I4 to the ground ---> Click on the photo to enlarge it.
Photo 1: Programmer module - Option A
Photo 6: Velleman K8055-1 experiment board can also be used as a PIC18 programmer. Here is an example on how to use the adapter to connect a PIC18F2xJ50 to a K8055-1 experiment board as a programmer.
Photo 4: Velleman K8055N-2 as a PIC18 programmer. ULN2803 is removed. Click on the photo to enlarge it.
Photo 3: Programmer module - option B: Velleman K8055N-2 as a PIC18 programmer. ULN2803 is removed. Click on the photo to enlarge it.