Hello I developped a circuit around the PIC16F648A. Using MPLAB X-IDE without any ICE for debugging is hard for me, so now I think I'm going to buy a ICE like the REAL ICE, which also can be used in the near future and is a top product. For the 16F648A I have to use the Header Board AC162053 as stated here: http://www.microchip.com/wwwproducts/DevTool/PIC16F648A. Now my question: In my circuit, all I/O ports of this microcontroller are connected (even on RA5 there's an external reset circuit with resistor and capacitor) Am I right that using the Header Port has a lot of advantages, in such that I do not have to change anything om the port connections to make the REAL ICE working properly? Newer PIC devices which do connect directly by a RJ-11 to the REAL ICE must complain with several requirements regarding MCLR, PGM, PGC and PGD connections. So all I have to do is pull out the microcontroller from the circuit, put in the Header Board and debugging can start thru MPLAB X-IDE? Of course In-Circuit Programming is not possible that way, but that's no problem. Thanks Dieter