[oopic] Re: Parallel Cable on OOpic

--- In oopic@yahoogroups.com, Brian Lloyd <brian-wb6rqn@...> wrote:
>
>
> On Mar 1, 2008, at 12:08 PM, ooPIC Tech Support wrote:
>
> > If you don't have a DB25 printer port on your PC you can't use the
> > ooPIC
> > parallel port cable. None of the "so called" USB/printer" parallel
> > port
> > adapters will work. If you don't have an ooPIC with firmware B2.2+ or
> > later, you can't program on a computer that doesn't have a parallel
> > printer port.
>
> What about supporting a USB-to-I2C adaptor? That should let you
> directly access the EEPROM for programming. That seems like a good
> alternative to bit-banging an ancient parallel port.
>
> --
>
> Brian Lloyd Granite Bay Montessori
> brian AT gbmontessori DOT com 9330 Sierra College Blvd.
> +1.916.367.2131 (voice) Roseville, CA 95661, USA
>

http://www.gbmontessori.com
>
>

The parallel port programming concept predates SCP which allows serial
port programming. In addition, the debugger never really worked very
well with the parallel port and you had to move the cable to the other
I2C connector to get it to work at all (oDDELink). I wouldn't count
on ANY effort to enhance parallel port programming especially since
parallel ports don't come on new computers.

Now, could you BUILD a gadget to do USB -> EEPROM programming and run
it outside the IDE? Sure, walk in the park. The compiler outputs a
.oex file with the binary code and there are a lot of ways to get from
a PC to I2C; bit-banged or otherwise. Personally, I would use a USB
Bit Wacker
http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=762 but
that's because I just finished a project with the device.

Considering how short the files are, bit-banging wouldn't be a bad way
to go. After all, that's how the IDE does it! In fact, that's how
the OOPic does it.

But, short of having a REAL parallel port, programming the OOPic with
a parallel cable just isn't going to happen. If the chip is so old it
doesn't support serial programming, well, that's going to be a
problem. Get an old computer with Win98 and hang on to it. I do...

Parallel programming always worked because it held the OOPic in reset
while it stuck code in the EEPROM. SCP will only work if the OOPic
isn't jammed up (cosmic wedgie).

Richard

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