2017510 PocketAVRProgrammerHookupGuidelearn.sparkfun.
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PocketAVRProgrammerHookupGuide
CONTRIBUTORS: JIMB0
FAVORITE 4
Introduction
DoyouneedmorecontroloveryourAVRs?WhetheritsanATmega328,ATmega32U4,ATtiny85,ifitsanAVRtheresagoodchancetheAVRPocketProgrammer
canprogramit.
TherearemanyreasonsforprogrammingyourAVRviaaninsystemprogrammer(ISP).IfyourAVRdoesnthaveabootloaderonit,itsprobablytheonlywayto
loadcode.Ormaybeyouwanttooverwritethebootloadertosqueezeoutsomeextraflashspace.Ormaybeyouwanttopokeatthefusebits,tochangethebrown
outvoltage.Ormaybeyoujustwantafasterandmorereliablecodeupload.
CoveredInThisTutorial
InthistutorialwewillintroduceyoutoalloftheimportantaspectsoftheAVRPocketProgrammer.Itssplitintoaseriesofsections,whichcover:
BoardOverviewAlookatthehardwarecomponentsthatmakeuptheAVRPocketProgrammer.
InstallingDriversHowtoinstalltheAVRPocketProgrammersonaWindowsmachine(MacandLinuxuserscanskipthispage).
ProgrammingviaArduinoHowtousetheubiquitouseasymodeAVRIDEtouploadsketchesviatheAVRPocketProgrammer.
UsingAVRDUDEAmoreadvanced,commandlinebasedapproachtousingtheAVRPocketProgrammer.
RequiredMaterials
Mostimportantly,tofollowalongwiththistutorial,youwillneedanAVRPocketProgrammerandanAVRtoprogram.Ontopofthat,aminiBUSBcableisrequired
toconnecttheProgrammertoyourcomputer.
ThatmicrocontrollertobeprogrammedcanbeanyAVRwith64Korlessofflash.TheATmega328onanArduinoUnoorRedBoardworksperfectly,butthe
ATmega2560ofanArduinoMegadoesnot.
Beyondthat,youmayneedsomethingtointerfacetheProgrammertoyourAVR.Herearesomeusefulaccessories,whichmightmakethejobeasier:
StraightMaleHeadersIfyouhaveanAVRonadevelopmentboardlikeanArduinoProthe2x3(or2x5)ISPheadermaynotbepopulated.Youcanuse
straightmaleheaders(alsoavailableinalongpinnedversion)tomakeatemporarycontactbetweenISPcableandyourdevboard.Thereisalsoa2x3pin
version.
ISPPogoAdapterLiketheheaders,thisISPadapterisdesignedtoprovideatemporaryelectricalconnectionbetweenadapterandAVR.Thisisagreat,
morereliablealternativetotheheaders.
AVRProgrammingAdapterIfyouAVRislivingonabreadboard,youprobablydonthaveaninterfacetothestandard2x3ISPpinout.Thissimplebreakout
boardmakesinterfacingtheprogrammerwithyourbreadboardedcircuitpossible.
SuggestedReading
Whetheryoureabeginnerorexperiencedelectronicsenthusiast,thePocketProgrammershouldbeeasytogetupandrunning.IfyouveprogrammedanArduino
before,youllbewellpreparedforthenextstep.Herearesometutorialswedrecommendreadingbeforecontinuingonwiththisone:
WhatisanArduino?IfyoureunfamiliarwithAVRs,checkoutthistutorialtolearnaboutthemostpopularoneofthelot.
InstallingArduinoArduinoisntrequiredtousetheProgrammer,butitcanmakethingseasier,especiallyifyoustillwanttoprogramyourAVRusingthe
Arduinolibraries.
SerialPeripheralInterface(SPI)ThePocketProgrammerusesanSPIinterfacetosenddatatoandfromtheAVR.Clickthistutorialtolearnthemeanings
behindMOSI,MISO,andSCK.
BoardOverview
BeforewegettousingtheAVRPocketProgrammer,letsquicklyoverviewwhatcomponentsfilltheboardout:
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USBConnectorThisisyourdataandpowerinputtotheProgrammer.AminiBUSBcableplugsinhereandconnectsyourcomputertotheProgrammer.
2x5ISPHeaderThisshroudedheadermateswiththeincludedProgrammingCable,andallowsyoutosendtheprogrammingsignalsouttoyourAVR.Its
polarizedtomakesureyoucantpluganythinginbackwards.
PowerTargetSwitchUnlikealotofISPsoutthere,theAVRPocketProgrammercandeliverpowertotheAVRtobeprogrammed.Flickthisswitchtothe
PowerTargetside,tosend5VtotheAVR.Moreonthisbelow.
ATtiny2313Thisisthechipthatworkstheprogrammingmagic.ItconvertsbetweenUSBandSPItoturncommandsfromyourcomputerintowordsand
instructionstoloadintoyourAVRtobeprogrammed.UnlessyouwanttocustomizetheTinyISPfirmware,youcanleavethischipalone.
TheunpopulatedISPheader,abovetheATtiny2313,isbrokenoutincasethatchipneedstobeprogrammed.Itsmostlyusedinproductionbythose
whoprogramtheprogrammers.
74AC125BufferThischiphelpstoaddsomeprotectiontotheprogrammerbybufferingthedatalineoutputs.AnotherICtomostlyignore.
TheboardalsoincludesavarietyofLEDstoindicatepower,status,anddatatransfers.
AVRISPPinouts
AVRsareprogrammedthroughanSPIinterface.TherearesixuniquesignalsrequiredforcommunicationbetweenISPandAVR:VCC,GND,Reset,MOSI,MISO,
andSCK.
Toroutethosesignalsbetweendevices,therearetwostandardizedconnectorsone6pin,2x3connectorandanother10pin,2x5:
AVRISPpinoutstopview.
TheAVRPocketProgrammerincludesanonboard2x5connector,andtheincludedAVRProgrammingCableterminateswithboth2x5and2x3connectors.
PowerTargetSwitch
IfyoureworkingwithanAVRonabreadboardoraprototype,powermaybehardtocomeby.TheAVRPocketProgrammerallowsyoutoroute5VouttoyourAVR.
Itcandeliverupwardsof500mAbeforetrippingtheonboardPTC.
IftheswitchisinthePowerTargetposition,itwillroute5VouttoyourAVR.Otherwise,iftheswitchispointingtowardsNoPower,nosignalwillbeconnectedtothe
5VpinontheISPconnector.
Becarefulusingthisfeature!Itwilloutput5Vandonly5V!Ifyoureworkingwitha3.3Vor1.8Vsystem,makesurethisswitchisintheNoPowerposition.
InstallingDrivers
DriverinstallationisrequiredonWindowsmachinesonly.IfyoureusingMacorLinux,feelfreetoclickovertothenextsection.Otherwise,followalongbelowas
weoverviewtheinstallationprocess.
Therearetwosetsofinstructionfordriverinstallationonthispage.Thefirstistheeasiest,quickestmethod,andshouldworkformosteveryone.Thesecond
installationprocessisonlyrequiredifthefirstonefailsittakesamoremanualapproachtothedriverinstallation.
InstalltheDriversAutomaticallywithZadig
Tobegin,plugtheAVRPocketProgrammerintoyourcomputer.Uponinitiallyconnectingtheboard,Windowswilltrytoautomaticallyinstallthedrivers.Some
computersmaybelucky,butmostwillturnupwithamessagenotifyingyouthatthedriverinstallfailed.
Clickthelinkbelowtodownloadthedrivers:
DownloadtheZadigUSBtinyDrivers
UseyourfavoriteunzippertoextracttheZIPfile.Dontforgetwhereyouputtheextractedfolder!
AfteryouvepluggedtheAVRPocketProgrammerintoyourcomputerandyourmachinehasrunthroughtheprocessofcheckingforandfailingtoinstalldrivers,
proceedtothezadig_v2.0.1.160folderyoujustunzipped.ThenRunzadig.exe.
ZadigisawonderfultoolthatcaninstallthedriversonjustaboutanyWindowsplatformoutthere.Uponopeningtheprogram,youshouldbegreetedwithawindow
likethis:
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2017510 PocketAVRProgrammerHookupGuidelearn.sparkfun.com
Thereareafewoptionstoverifybeforeinstallingthedriver:
SelectthedeviceThetopdropboxcontrolswhichdeviceyouwanttoinstallthedriverfor.Hopefullyyouonlyhaveoneoptionhere,somethinglike
UnknownDevice#1.Ifyouhavemorethanoneoption,checkyourdevicemanagertoseeifyoucanmakesenseofwhichiswhich(pluggingandunplugging
adeviceusuallyhelps).
SelectthedriverClickthearrowsinthisboxuntilyouhappenuponlibusbwin32(vx.x.x.x),thatsthedriverwewanttoinstall.
Afterverifyingthosetwoselections,clickInstallDriver.Theinstallationprocesscantakeafewminutes,butafteryouvewatchedthescrollbarzoombycountless
times,youshouldbegreetedwithaThedriverwasinstalledsuccessfullymessage.
Ifyouweresuccessful,closeoutoftheZadigprogramandproceedtothenextsection!
IfZadigdidntworkforyou,checkouttheinstructionsbelowforhelpmanuallyinstallingthedrivers.
ManuallyInstallingthelibUSBDrivers
If,forsomereason,Zadigdidntworkforyou.Readtheinstructionsbelowtomanuallyinstallthedrivers.
Note:IfyouareusingaWindows8machine,beforeyoucaninstallthedriversyoullneedtodisabledriversignatureenforcement.Followalongwithourtutorial
toturnthatoverzealoussafetyguardoffforaminute.
Clickthelinkbelowtodownloadthedrivers:
DownloadtheUSBtinyDrivers
UseyourfavoriteunzippertoextracttheZIPfile.Dontforgetwhereyouputtheextractedfolder!
AfteryouvepluggedintheProgrammer,andWindowshasfailedtoinstallthedriver.Followthesestepstoinstallthedriver:
1.OpentheDeviceManagerThereareafewroutestoopenupthedevicemanager.
YoucangototheControlPanel,thenclickHardwareandSound,thenclickDeviceManager.
Or,simplyopentheruntool(pressWindowsKey+R),andrun devmgmt.msc .
2.IntheDeviceManager,youshouldseeanUnknowndevicelistedundertheOtherdevicestree.RightclickUnkownDeviceandselectUpdatedriver
software.
3.ClickBrowsemycomputerfordriversoftwareintheUpdateDiverSoftwareUnknownDevicewindowthatpopsup.
4.ClickBrowseandnavigatetothe../usbtinyisp_libusbwin32_1.2.1.0folderyoujustdownloaded.ThenclickNext.
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5.Windowswillbegininstallingthedriver,andthenimmediatelynotifyyouthatthedriverisntsigned.ClickInstallthisdriversoftwareanywayoption,to
proceedwiththeinstallation.
6.Afterafewmoments,thedrivershouldsuccessfullyinstall.YoullbepromptedwithaWindowshassusccessfullyupdatedyourdriversoftwarewindow.Close
that,andyoullseeaUSBtinyentrypopulatedintheDeviceManager,undertheLibUSBWin32Devicestree.
Congratulations!Proceedovertothenextsection,andwellstartusingtheProgrammer!
Breatheeasynow!OnceyouveinstalledtheUSBTinyProgrammerdriversonyourcomputer,youshouldnteverhavetodoitagain.Nowitstimetoprogram
something!
ProgrammingviaArduino
Arduinohasabuiltintoolthatallowsyoutouploadyoursketchviaaprogrammerinsteadoftheserialbootloader.IfyourejusttakingyourfirststepstowardISPing
yourArduinocompatibleAVR,thisisagoodplacetostart.
ConnecttheProgrammer
First,letsconnecttheprogrammertoourArduino.MostArduinosbreakoutthestandardized2x3ISPheadertowardstheedgeoftheboard.Plugthe2x5connector
endofincludedprogrammingcableintoyourAVRPocketProgrammer,thenconnecttheother,2x3endintoyourArduino.
Notethenotchontheconnectorfacingthesamedirectionaspin1(markedwithasmallwhitelinehere)onthe2x3Arduinoconnector.
WhenconnectingtheprogrammingcabletoyouArduino,makesureyoumatchupthepolarity!Thecablehasanotchononesideoftheplastichousing.This
shouldpointtowardspin1oftheArduinosISPheader.Pin1isusuallyindicatedbyastripenexttotheholeorpin.
IfyourArduinodoesnthavetheISPpinspopulated,checkoutthebottomsectionofthispageforsometipsandtricksweveusedthroughtheyears.
PoweringTarget
Whileconnectingyourprogrammer,doublechecktomakesurethePowerTargetswitchisinthecorrectposition.TheprogrammercanpoweryourArduinoalone!
Ifyouwantittohandlethattask,slideitovertothePowerTargetposition.
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ThePowerTargetfeatureisespeciallyusefulifyouonlyhaveoneUSBslot/cableavailable.
UnplugyourArduinofromUSBifyouregoingtopoweritviatheProgrammeryoudontwanttocreateanyuglyreversecurrentflowsthroughyourpower
sources.
ProgrammingviaArduino
NowthattheprogrammerisconnectedtoyourArduino,openuptheIDE.ThenopenanexamplesketchlikeBlink(File>Examples>1.Basics>Blink).
Beforeuploading,weneedtotellArduinowhichprogrammerwereusing.GouptoTools>ProgrammerandselectUSBtinyISP.
AlsomakesureyouvesettheBoardoptioncorrectly!Theserialportselectionisntrequiredforuploadingthesketch,butisstillnecessaryifyouredoing
anythingwiththeserialmonitor.
Touploadthesketchusingtheprogrammeryouselected,gotoFile>UploadUsingProgrammer.Ifyoullbedoingthisalot,getusedtopressingCTRL+SHIFT+U
(COMMAND+SHIFT+UonMac).
TheArduinowillrunthroughitsnormalprocessofcompiling.Afterthesketchcompiles,theProgrammerwillstartlightingupblueeverywheretheD+andD
LEDswilllightup,andsowilltheStat2LED.WhentheStat2LEDturnsoff,theuploadwillbefinished.CheckthestatusareaofyourArduinoIDEtoverifythatthe
sketchisDoneuploading.
Ifyouveuploadedasketchviatheprogrammer,youvealsowipedoffthebootloader.IfyoueverwanttoputtheserialbootloaderbackonyourArduino,checkout
thenextsection.
ProgrammingaBootloader
TheArduinoIDEalsohasafeaturebuiltintoallowyouto(re)uploadabootloadertotheAVR.Hereshow:
MakesureyouvesettheBoardoptioncorrectlyamongotherthings,thatwillsetwhichbootloaderyoullbeuploading.Then,simplynavigateuptoTools>Burn
Bootloaderattheverybottomofthemenu.
Thisprocessmaytakeaminuteorso.NotonlywillthebootloaderbewrittenintotheflashofyourAVR,thefusebits(settingtheclockspeed,bootloaderspace,etc),
andlockbits(barringthebootloaderfromoverwritingitself)willalsobe(re)set.
ThebootloaderuploadprocessiscompletewhentheBurningbootloadertoI/Oboard(thismaytakeaminute)messageturnstoDoneburningbootloader.It
reallydoestakeawhileitsnotlyingwhenitsaysitmaytakeaminute.
PogoPinsortheAngledHeaderPress
MostArduinoboardsshouldhavemalepinspopulatedonthis2x3connector.Ifyourboarddoesnthavepinsshootingoutofthoseholes,thereareafewoptions.
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Youcansolderacouplestripsof3straightmaleheadersinthere,togetthebest,mostreliableconnection.Butifyouwanttoavoidsoldering,youcanusethose
sameheaders(longheadersworkbetterforthis),pluggingthelongendintotheprogrammingcableandpushingtheshortendintotheemptyholes,whileangling
themtomakecontactonallsixpins.
AnothersolderlessoptionistousetheISPPogoAdapter,whichwillaffordyouamorereliableelectricalconnection.
BothofthesemethodscanbetrickyyouhavetoholdthosepinssteadywhilethecodeuploadstoyourArduinobuttheyreagoodsolderless,temporaryoption.
UsingAVRDUDE
IfyourelookingformorecontroloveryourAVRPocketProgrammerandtheAVRitsconnectedtofollowalongbelow.WelldemonstratehowtouseAVRDUDE,
anopensourcecommandlinewonderutilityforreading,writingandmanipulatingAVRs.
IfyouhaveArduino,thenyoualreadyhaveAVRDUDEinstalleditsthetoolArduinousesunderthehoodtouploadsketches.IfyouneedtoinstallAVRDUDE
separately,checkoutthedownloaddocumentation.
SanityCheckDeviceSignatureVerification
AVRDUDEisacommandlinetool,so,inordertouseit,youllneedtoopenuptheCommandPrompt(Windows)orTerminal(Mac/Linux).
TomakesureAVRDUDEisworking,andyourAVRPocketProgrammerisconnectedcorrectly,itsgoodtodoalittlesanitycheckfirst.Typethisintoyourcommand
prompt:
avrdudecusbtinypatmega328p
(Note:ThisisallassumingyouhaveanATmega328Pconnectedattheotherendofyourprogrammer.Ifyouhaveadifferenttypeofmicrocontroller,youllneedto
formulateaslightlydifferentcommand,checktheSpecifyAVRDevicesectionbelow.)
Ifeverythingisconnectedcorrectly,youshouldgetaresponselikethis:
ThisbasiccommanddefinestheprogrammertypeyoureusingandtheAVRitstalkingto.AVRDUDEwillattempttoreadtheDeviceSignaturefromyourAVR,
whichisdifferentforeachAVRtypeoutthere.EveryATmega328Pshouldhaveadevicesignatureof 0x1E950F .
FlashProgramming
Nowthatyouveverifiedthateverythingisinworkingorder,youcandoallsortsofmemoryreadingandwritingwithAVRDUDE.Themainpieceofmemoryyou
probablywanttowriteisflashthenonvolatilememorywheretheprogramsarestored.
Thiscommandwillperformabasicwritetoflash(usingthisHEXfileasanexample):
avrdudecusbtinypatmega328pUflash:w:blink.hex
Writingtoflashwilltakealittlelongerthanreadingthesignaturebits.Youllseeatextstatusbarscrollbyasthedeviceisread,writtento,andverified.
The U optioncommandhandlesallofthememoryreadsandwrites.Wetellitwewanttoworkwith flash memory,doawritewith w ,andthentellitthelocationof
thehexfilewewanttowrite.
FlashReading
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The U commandcanalsobeusedtoreadthememorycontentsofanAVR.Acommandlikebelow,forexample,willreadthecontentsofyourAVRandstorethem
intoafilecalledmystery.hex.
avrdudecusbtinypatmega328pUflash:r:mystery.hex:r
ThisisincrediblyusefulifyouwanttocopythecontentsofoneArduinotoanother.Ormaybeyoureamasochist,andyouwanttotryreverseengineeringthe
mysterycodeinanAVR.
UsefulOptions
HerearejustafewlastAVRDUDEtipsandtricksbeforeweturnyoulooseontheAVRworld.
SpecifyAVRDevice
TwooptionsrequiredforusingAVRDUDEaretheprogrammertypeandAVRdevicespecification.Theprogrammerdefinition,assumingyoureusingtheAVR
PocketProgrammer,willbe cusbtiny .IfyouneedtouseadifferentprogrammercheckoutthispageandCTRL+Ftocprogrammerid.
TheAVRdevicetypeisdefinedwiththe p option.WeveshownafewexampleswiththeATmega328P,butwhatifyoureusinganATtiny85?Inthatcase,youll
wanttoput pt85 instead.CheckoutthetopofthispageforanexhaustivelistofcompatibleAVRdevicetypes.
VerboseOutput
Addingone,ormore v stoyourAVRDUDEcommandwillenablevariouslevelsofverbositytotheaction.Thisishandyifyouneedasummaryofyourconfiguration
options,oranindepthviewintowhatdataisbeingsenttoyourAVR.
Theresplentymorewherethatcamefrom.CheckouttheAVRDUDEOptionDocumentationfortheentirelistofcommands.
ResourcesandGoingFurther
HerearesomemoreAVRPocketProgrammerrelatedresources,shouldyouneedthem:
AVRPocketProgrammerGitHubRepositoryHereyoullfindeverythingfromPCBdesignfiles,andfirmwaretocustomenclosuredesigns.
AVRPocketProgrammerSchematic
AVRPocketProgrammerFirmware
AVRDUDEManual
GoingFurther
Wevegotplentymoretutorialswherethatcamefrom.Ifyourelookingformorestufftolearn,orarelookingforsomeprojectinspiration,checkoutthesetutorials!
InstallinganArduinoBootloaderUseyourAVRPocketProgrammertoloadabootloaderontoanArduino.Thistutorialwillteachyouwhatabootloaderis,
whyyouwouldneedtoinstall/reinstallit,andgoovertheprocessofdoingso.
WirelessArduinoProgrammingwithElectricImpIfyourefeelingconstrainedbytheUSBcables,checkoutthistutorialwhereweuploadcodetoanArduino
wirelessly!
TinyAVRProgrammerHookupGuideIfyourelookingtoprogramATtiny85sspecifically,checkouttheTinyAVRProgrammer.
UsingtheArduinoProMini3.3VIfyourealreadydirectlyprogrammingyourArduino,takeitastepfurtherwiththeArduinoProMini.
WirelessXBee/AVRBootloadingUseyourAVRPocketProgrammertouploadacustombootloader,thenwirelesslyprogramyourArduino.
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