http://dangerousprototypes.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=170 It looks like the PICKIT2 uses a small boost converter. http://www.oshonsoft.com/picprogprousb.html USB Pro PIC-PIC18-PIC16-AVR Programmer  USB Pro AVR Programmer Serial Port Pro PIC-PIC18-PIC16-AVR Programmer   http://www.oshonsoft.com/picprogproserial.html Serial Port Pro AVR Programmer   http://www.woe.onlinehome.de/proj_gif/prg2051.gif   http://hw-server.com/obrazek/atm_sch_.gif http://chaokhun.kmitl.ac.th/~kswichit/easy1/ws1s1.gif   http://images.batronix.com/graphics/circuits/mc_prog_b_sch.gif   http://www.next.gr/uploads/41-6d10a5dc66.png