Righto, had no luck so I took fate into my own hands.
I rooted and tooted about and found I had a Quasarelectronics AS3150ZIF - USB PIC Programmer I forgot I had, so I'm about to give that a try, just downloaded the software in fact.
The Piccy Pic, is a Pic3 3.5 version.... scouring the internet folks not only had trouble with them and other softwear seems to be common place, I was about to get the Pic4 or 5 they too have as much problems, so I'm gonna stay clear of that. It seems be from the software itself. One guy tried repair a PIC3 his self and had no luck, changing this n' that..... sooo I got the ol hammer out.
Opened the case, the led's were all working and that but very little voltage on any of 'output' pins to the PIC, first I got the testmeter, the highest voltage I got was 1.25V on the +rail, I then got the scope out I stopped in aghast.....
now I ain't no digital expert but all I got on the pins was a damped oscillation and all of them - I'm darn sure that ain't right in any shape or form - I thought it was the scope's lead at first, do I stand in the dunces corner or what?
I then inspected as many components I could, fuse OK, diodes tested OK and the voltage reggy seems to be working as expected mind you I don't have the SirKit.... I then just give up.
Theres a choke in there going from a couple of heavy SMD diodes, I'm wondering if it's capacitor failure, the ringing gave me that impression. Knew I should have stuck to Arduino family.
I don't fancy paying £80 or so for a Pic that's liable to conk out at any time without warning.
Dave