Awhile ago, I wanted to get into programming different microcontrollers, so I looked for the cheapest one I could find, and ended up buying this: My cheap chinese programmer from ebay.
Anyways, I'm pretty sure it sucks, but would I be able to follow Brad's tutorials with it? Where on the ZIF socket would I place my pic, with the microcontroller closer or farther away from the USB socket, and would the top the microcontroller face the USB socket or away from it?

Better yet, would I just be better off getting a PICkit? And would I want a PICkit 2 or 3? What package would I want (Development KIT, Debug Express, F1 evaluation kit, Starter kit, ect.)

Also, can a PICkit 3 do all that a PICkit 2 can, but has more features/coding/whatever else? If so, what exactly is the different between the two?

I know very little about programming, but would want to get a programmer that I can use to get started, but have all the features I would need to program what I want when I actually know how to program.

Anyone have any suggestions?

It looks like that one you have bought has an ICSP port - In Circuit Serial programming Port. This means that you don't actually need to plug your pic into the green ZIF socket, program it, remove it and plug it back into the circuit you are making.

The PICKIT2 and PICKIT3 both use the ICSP port to program the pic - the advantage with this is that you can leave your PIC microcontroller in the circuit - connect up 5 wires from the PICKIT2 or 3 (or in this case - your programmer) and you can program it that way.

Check out this image from the ebay listing:


it shows the underside of the board and has written on it six things in a line. These are the connections that go to your pic microcontroller.
-NC (this means no connection, just leave it out)
PGC (this is your programming clock connection, it connects to pin 12 of the pic16f628a or 16f648a)
PGD (this is your programming data connection, it connects to pin 13 of the pic16f628a or 16f648a)
GND (this is your ground connection, it connects to pin 5 of the pic16f628a or 16f648a)
VCC (this is your +5v connection, it connects to pin 14 of the pic16f628a or 16f648a)
VPP (this is your programming voltage connection, it connects to pin 4 of the pic16f628a or 16f648a)

You can follow along with the tutorials in assembly which are quite fun - I then highly recommend looking into swordfish basic instead of assembly. It is easier and you can do some great things with less code!

Infact, I am working on a development board which will be excellent for those like yourself looking at getting into programming. although it won't be available until Christmas.

Wow, thanks for the help man, you saved me money and lots hours of trying to figure this thing out, I was about to go and buy a PICkit off the internet... its not as cheep as I'd like...

No worries, I can't vouch for how the software works for that particular programmer, but hopefully it is quite straight forward and IT autodetects your microcontroller like the PICKIT DOES.

let us know how you get on.

I am having a lot of trouble finding the software for this programmer. I am not sure if I will be able to make it work.

I had a quick look and couldn't find it. Send the seller a message though ebay and ask them to email you the software - they should have sent it to you when you bought it.

The only thing I found on that Programmer was a ZIP file at the bottom of this page http://www.banggood.com/Wholesale-K150-Icsp-Usb-Pic-Automatic-Programming-Develop-Microcontroller-Programmer-p-43254.html

Or click on this to download the file, I think it contains an English version of the software:
http://driver.iigoal.com/drivers/SKU030547.zip