Microchip Pickit4 Clone

[FxDev]

I started working with Microchip dsPIC33AK series. This is a very new dsPIC series with 200MHz and 32bit FPU! It looks good but it needs minimum Pickit4 to program. 

I have 5-6 Pickit3 programmers but according to Microchip's statement MPLAB X will not support these programmers anymore after 6.20.

So it seems like we will be stuck with Pickit4 or Pickit5.

But the cheapest Pickit4 starts around 100$ and I don't want to spend that money on just one programmer.

I think there will be a solution for this and I want to get your opinion
I have a test kit of dsPIC33CK series, it has PKoB4 internal programmer and I programmed dsPIC33AK series easily with it. Its circuit diagram is also clear and it seems like we can have a programmer equivalent to Pickit4 for almost a third of the price. Also, I don't think Microchip will stop supporting it since it uses it in test kits.

Has anyone tried this before?
I see an EEPROM in the circuit diagram, but it can be copied. The Hex codes for the programmer are under Program Files/Microchip.

I'm thinking of using the diagram I gave in the link below as a basis. What do you think?

https://www.es.co.th/Schemetic/PDF/DM164136_QG.PDF

[Postal2]

.... What do you think? ...

I looked at d2-DSPIC33CK32MP202T-I-SS.pdf and I see no problem implementing it in my program that supports Microchip, if dsPIC33AK is no different from dsPIC33СK. But I am constantly reminded how bad I am, and everyone else is good. Probably, if this is so, then these good people will do everything faster and more accurately than me.

[fchk]

I have a test kit of dsPIC33CK series, it has PKoB4 internal programmer and I programmed dsPIC33AK series easily with it. Its circuit diagram is also clear and it seems like we can have a programmer equivalent to Pickit4 for almost a third of the price. Also, I don't think Microchip will stop supporting it since it uses it in test kits.
https://www.es.co.th/Schemetic/PDF/DM164136_QG.PDF

This basically is a PICKIT4 without circuit protection, high voltage generation and Programmer to Go option. Microchip sells this as MPLAB SNAP.

With all the assembly and manufacturing costs I doubt you will end up much cheaper than that, especially for low volumes. And you need the initial firmware for the ATSAM.

[JPortici]

I started working with Microchip dsPIC33AK series. This is a very new dsPIC series with 200MHz and 32bit FPU! It looks good but it needs minimum Pickit4 to program. 

I have 5-6 Pickit3 programmers but according to Microchip's statement MPLAB X will not support these programmers anymore after 6.20.

So it seems like we will be stuck with Pickit4 or Pickit5.

But the cheapest Pickit4 starts around 100$ and I don't want to spend that money on just one programmer.

I think there will be a solution for this and I want to get your opinion
I have a test kit of dsPIC33CK series, it has PKoB4 internal programmer and I programmed dsPIC33AK series easily with it. Its circuit diagram is also clear and it seems like we can have a programmer equivalent to Pickit4 for almost a third of the price. Also, I don't think Microchip will stop supporting it since it uses it in test kits.

Has anyone tried this before?
I see an EEPROM in the circuit diagram, but it can be copied. The Hex codes for the programmer are under Program Files/Microchip.

I'm thinking of using the diagram I gave in the link below as a basis. What do you think?

https://www.es.co.th/Schemetic/PDF/DM164136_QG.PDF

SNAP is currently heavily on sale (15 dollars) https://www.microchip.com/en-us/development-tool/pg164100
- AFAIU they are dumping this hardware revision as it has some problem with certain AVR families, no issues with microchip's parts and ATSAMs -

I agree that current prices for pickit4 are otrageous, also for PK5 which is a PK4 with BLE so you can change the programmer-to-go image via an app. Which i give ZERO crap for (but i see the value in, just not my use case) so get 'em while they're hot

[FxDev]

That's what I want
15$ is ok for me

So no need to design it.

Thanks for information!

[JPortici]

So no need to design it.

Just so you know, you would have needed to come up with the firmware as well. As far as i know, the firmware is not public.
If you just need chips to program the thing in circuit, you can also consider NortGuy's NSDSP (but you can't debug through the IDE)