AVR NooB

[AtomSoft]

Hey guys i have decided to jump into AVRs for sure this time. I was reading more about the actual features and found i like them a lot.

I have 3 older AVRs here but plan to get more up to date ones. I wanted to know if this is considered a good starting point programmer/debugger for AVRs:

Digi-Key - ATAVRISP2-ND (Manufacturer - ATAVRISP2)

The AVRs i currect have are :

1x ATMEGA88 (obsolete now)
2x ATTINY2313 (older)

Those im sure will get me into programming AVRs...

I want to program in C ... is AVR Studio a good standard? Or would someone please recommend something or which is the one to use?

Also Can i use the programmer above with AVR Studio ?

Thanks for taking the time to read this and possibly reply

 

[AtomSoft]

Or should i get:

Digi-Key - ATAVRDRAGON-ND (Manufacturer - ATAVRDRAGON)

 

[nickelflippr]

Still an AVR newb myself, but I vote for the ATAVRISP2, it just works. AFAIK you have to run the mkII and Dragon from AVR studio, not a standalone programmer like the Pickit 2.

The Dragon is a real tangle of jumper settings, lacks a case, no ICSP cable (what???), or pcb bumpers, a piss poor design in my opinion. The AVR freaks forum is strewn with tales of woe. The debugger of the Dragon is just not that important to me.

 

[AtomSoft]

Thanks ill be sure to try the ATAVRISP2 then. I am on AVR Freaks but never really looked around alot or anything. I will be sure to check them out.

 

[johnsmith123]

I want to program in C ... is AVR Studio a good standard? Or would someone please recommend something or which is the one to use?

Also Can i use the programmer above with AVR Studio ?

Thanks for taking the time to read this and possibly reply

you can use avrstudio, or lots of guys like to use winavr. (its free, Google it)
You should be able to use the programmer with both programs.

If you are short on cash, its easy to build your own programmer with few components.

BEWARE of how you program the fuses, you can easily lock yourself out of the avr if you program the fuses incorrectly.

If this happens a parallel programmer (like the avrdragon) will be necessary to restore the fuses so your avrisp programmer will work again.

Good Luck

 

[AtomSoft]

oh ok... thanks for the tips

 

[Sceadwian]

Food for thought. The Dragon was not meant to be a full development kit, it's an advanced programmer/emulator/debugger. Yes it comes as a nearly naked PCB, but this has the advantage that you can put any style headers on it that you want and customize it to taste.

The ATAVRISP works (I had two, I've given both of them away free to other users as I have an STK500 now) The thing is ALL the ATAVIRPS does is ISP programming, no other bells or whistles and can't do high voltage or serial programming (if you need it) and does not program 32 bit chips.

The Dragon supports every 8 and 32 bit AVR chip that Atmel makes, it supports JTAG programming, in circuit debugging high voltage serial and parallel programming. And it has an emulation interface for every AVR device that exists with 32kb of flash or less. It has mounting holes for standoffs and some prototyping area on the programmer itself, basically it is a tool designed to allow the user to customize it, it was never meant to be sold as a fully featured development environment and anyone that thinks this is a problem bought a Dragon without doing their research, and is kicking it for the wrong reasons.

So the AVRISP is okay, but the only thing you will ever be able to do with it is ICSP programming on the chips that support it. As stated if you set the fuses wrong on a chip and disable the programming mode that it requires you'll have bricked the chip without a more advanced programmer, that's why I got an STK500 (the Dragon wasn't out at the time)

I'm pretty sure you'll outgrow the AVRISP in relativly short time span, but it's a quick gun and run sollution to getting a programmer that works well now. If you continue with AVRs the Dragon will probably be a good investement.


One thing to keep in mind is that Atmel does no currently have ab uilt in C compiler, you have to use AVR GCC which interfaces well with AVRStudio.

 

[AtomSoft]

I knew that the dragon was a good choice from a friend... Futz... He seemed to love his. I just hope once i get it some users here will help me get setup with it.

AVR GCC is the thing to get ? (WINAVR)

 

[Sceadwian]

If you want to program in C as far as I know it's the only free solution. And it's also the best as far as I know, it is definitly the one most well supported. I haven't used it, but that's the jist I get from my AVR travels. You can still do all your work in AVR Studio, it knows how to use AVR GCC to compile code. It shouldn't be complex to set up, if you can't figure it out explain what you did and what's going on and I'll do my best to help. I haven't set it up myself (I've only used AVRStudio in ASM) but I have chips that really need to be used with C and I've been stalling for about a year and a half in setting it up =\

The one thing that can be good about the AVRISP is it's a stupid simple programmer, there's really not much to it. But if you're committed to the AVR line the Dragon is only a little bit more expensive and massivly more functional, it does require that extra bit of work though.

 

[AtomSoft]

Work is Fun in this field heh (for me mostly) I dont mind the small price difference especially for the extra ability to program in more ranges of the AVR line... Also I dont want to run into a AVR i cant program due to that heh. Ill try C for sure. I get paid this Monday so i will order the dragon and maybe some AVRs like 1 32bit and 1 8 Bit, but on the upper end. This way i have memory and pins needed and can use them for dev purpose and buy a smaller AVR to fit exact needs when done... This saves me money and time when developing. I hope to post a ton of things on my blog related to this. As you can see from my other post i have some other microchip items i dont ever plan to use on ebay for sale and even a ARM Olimex LPC2148 board for sale heh..

I will most likely be selling a LOT of PICs also. Just a ton i never use. I do plan to use some still but i think im overstocked when it comes to them. I have a few 18F4550 (DIP) some DSPICs and some older 40pin 18F448 pics ... Its just over whelming to have so much you dont use heh..

I also need to make more space for the AVR stuff too! heh ..

 

[Sceadwian]

Good luck, never touched the 32 bitters, though I hear good things. Can't do that with an STK500 (I don't think) I think the Dragon will fit you well, though if you can give it a housing, or at least standoffs or pads or whatever to keep the board off the table.

 

[AtomSoft]

Thanks... ill be sure to get a nice thin sheet of plexiglass and make a housing for it. Or at least a bottom cover heh

 

[AtomSoft]

Just wanted to share this find:

https://www.electro-tech-online.com/custompdfs/2010/02/doc1619.pdf
https://www.electro-tech-online.com/custompdfs/2010/02/doc2521.pdf **********GREAT!!!
https://www.electro-tech-online.com/custompdfs/2010/02/doc2546.pdf
https://www.electro-tech-online.com/custompdfs/2010/02/doc7903.pdf **********GREAT!!!

Originally found at:
**broken link removed**

 

[Sceadwian]

I have an STK500, all it has is rubber feat on the bottom, I kind of like the exposed PCB myself. Although you do have to t ake a little more care with it as opposed to something in a case it just screams 'geek cool' to see populated PCB's like that sitting around, especially if they have any lights on them =>

 

[AtomSoft]

Yeah i love the junebug!! I still keep it around even tho i use PICKIT 2 now heh

 

[AtomSoft]

Just got my AVR Dragon a few days ago.. now im trying it and can blink a LED but how the hell do i set the CLOCK? I tried to program clock fuses but verify fails? anyone can help?

 

[Sceadwian]

All that's set up in software isn't it? I don't think the Dragon has many jumpers, the pins on there are mostly headers.

 

[AtomSoft]

i need a tutorial heh im lost with this now

 

[AtomSoft]

The YELLOW worries me ... is the ORANGE correct? Also.... When i try to change FUSES or LOCKBITS i get a verified FAILED error...
Take a look at this image:
**broken link removed**

 

[Sceadwian]

lower the ISP frequency in settings.