The author had bought a number of PIC microcontrollers from a new range with an enhanced instruction set (PIC16F1827). However, this type of controller was not recognised by the available programmer and the necessary software update was taking its time. If you have access to an evaluation board that contains a programmer, then, using a trick, it is still possible to program new controllers very easily. This requires only four resistors, an external power supply and an additional PIC which can be programmed using the existing board.