PICKit 2 or 3?

[PICker]

I have the PICKIt 3 programmer but the version PICKIt 2 (old) software seems to be better in terms of performance and the only stand-alone solution  .
Did someone find a way for enhancing the new Microchip PICKIt 3 programmer (unofficial software/firmware updates)?
Thank you,
Pier Andrea.

[jellybean442]

I have the PICKIt 3 programmer but the version PICKIt 2 (old) software seems to be better in terms of performance and the only stand-alone solution  .
Did someone find a way for enhancing the new Microchip PICKIt 3 programmer (unofficial software/firmware updates)?

Actually, Microchip provides a standalone programmer for the PICkit 3, though it has been moved to their archives. Look on the Microchip page and search for "PICkit Archives".

[Cain]

If you install MPLAB IDE 8.33 or above you can find the CLI version called PK3CMD along with docs in "C:\Program Files\Microchip\MPLAB IDE\Programmer Utilities\PICkit3.

[flo0319]

If you don't like the MPLAB IDE X with it's IPE application for PICKIT3 you can download the old application from here :
ww1.microchip.com/downloads/en/DeviceDoc/PICkit3%20Programmer%20Application%20v3.10.zip

 The PICKIT3 firmware is different in between IDE versions and if you want to update it for one or another one, just unplug it from USB and plug it bake but pushing and holding the button for some seconds. For the old application maybe will be needed to download the os system manually, for IPE will be loaded automatically.

[Zaphod Beeblebrox]

A great review and probably some answers you can find in this video:
www.eevblog.com
and short funny video clip (see video starting at 3:07 min.):
www.eevblog.com

Cheers

[Delillusions]

I have an original PK2 and PK3, and I made a PK2 Clone. All of them are working. I only get the PK3 for the PIc32 series, but for the older models I still use the PK2, but I don't really know why, maybe some "old" habit.
As it was mentioned the PK3 has almost the same Standalone Programmer Software just like the PK2, althou it is somewhat hiden in the forums.

As for the EEVBLOG review. Actually it's true for the early series of PK3. I bought it maybe 2 years ago, and the LEDs ar almost as good as the PK2, almost as fast too, but it could be faster. It got a Standalone software too already, but it still changes firmwares every time I change MCU type. That's it's biggest flaw. The only really big PRO the PK3 has, that it support's newer devices. Otherwise the PK2 does the job.

[Cain]

New device support can be added to PICkit 2 using "PICkit 2 Device Data File Editor". You can DL it here...

https://sites.google.com/site/pk2devicefileeditor/

[cadence]

As well as being able to edit the PICkit2 data file to add new devices with the DL linked-to by Cain I suggest to search Google for the file PK2DeviceFile_1_63_146.zip - which adds a lot more supported chips.

My latest project uses a PIC16F1455 and I still can't get my PICkit3 to talk to it but the PICkit2 with the above data file works perfectly.

[Cain]

Thanks Cadence, wasn't aware of that and yesterday after posting the idea of doing a "community data file" to add new devices came up but looks like someone already did that and thats great!

Here is the link for DL it...

http://www.auelectronics.com/forum/index.php?topic=413.0

[thunderer]

Have you found also a guide on what and how to change the fields in that editor? There are tens of fields to edit and god only knows what do they mean.

[cadence]

It's not a 'guide' per se but each of the fields are described in the document 'PICkit2SourceGuidePCv2-61FWv2-32.pdf' which is included in the following Microchip download http://ww1.microchip.com/downloads/en/DeviceDoc/PICkit2_PCAppSource_V2_61.zip.

Check out chapter 8 from page 30 onwards.