Let's make a closely MXT like detector!

[Carl-NC]

Even then, use an F-series chip that is reprogrammable and debuggable.

[KRinAZ]

Why would you want to use a C-series micro? They are OTP and non-debuggable. If you want to stick with PIC use a more modern chip with plenty of flash and MPLabX support.

Agreed 100%
This bit of the conversation - with any talk about a PIC or MPLab - is purely about the effort to get the code from the PIC16C76 from my MXT. Believe me, I am sold on using a modern micro for this project, and over in post #113 I cover my choice of STM32's for this project, and why I chose the ones I did. If I do ever mess around with PIC micros it would be with F (flash based) ones, but I don't see myself messing with PICs - other than trying to read code from them when the need arises - e.g. Altra's desire to get the code from the PIC in his CNC machine...but that is off topic for this thread...

The talk about the debugging capabilities of the PIC16Cxx only relates to an easier vs harder route to getting the code from the PIC (if possible) for potential use of code bits in this project.

Thanks for making this point - this project is STM32 based for sure, 100%, no worries, I already have a NUCLEO-F303K8 to use for the early breadboarding and prototyping for this project. The schematic and control board won't use a NUCLEO though, but a (currently) STM32F303K8T6 LQFP32 chip.

[KRinAZ]

Hi KRinAZ, can you tell us what your "fun tools" are? I have an old cnc machine controller that uses a pic18f. The company that made the controller has been out of business for at least 15 years. I would like to build a back up controller if I can dump the hex. Thanks

First a note - again - this project going forward will use a STM32 micro, the below is just for those who want to try to access the code burned into a PIC....

The tools that I was able to use to produce (disassembled from program memory) assembly code from a C storage PIC (e.g. the code from the PIC16C76 in my MXT) are:
One of
PICStart Plus - beige p/n 10-00157 Revision 10 thru 19 (I have r10, had to burn another PIC17C44, then install it, to do a firmware upgrade) running v3.11.00 firmware (called Picstart Plus OS 3.11.00, included with MPLab IDE v5.7.4)
PICStart Plus - beige p/n 10-00157 Revision 20 thru 22 (better, can download firmware directly to update it)(should work? but I haven't tested)
PICStart Plus - black p/n 10-00379 any Revision (best, can also download firmware directly to update it)(should work? but I haven't tested)
no other programmer, or debugger, to my knowledge, will work

MPLab IDE v5.7.4 - (still accessible at Microchip site) which is ancient and requires true Win95 or Win95 emulation via Win10x32 with NTDVM - but includes tools that are removed from later versions of the MPLab IDE (like outputting usable disassembled assembly code).
no other MPLab, to my knowledge, will work

I have not yet found a way to copy out the binary code directly into a .hex file, but I believe the assembly code can produce a binary file if needed via MPLab...