Simple DIY Parallel AVR Programmer completed!

[RaceDriver205]

Finally! Ive built an Atmel In-circuit programmer that actually works!
The details for this are from this URL:
http://www.olimex.com/dev/avr-pg2.html
You may notice how very simple it is.
I built the Serial programmer as well but it didn't work. Serial ports are phased out now anyway.

I did a PCB & layout here:
http://www.geocities.com/race_driver205/atprogpar.jpg
http://www.geocities.com/race_driver205/atprogparpcb.jpg
Gotta love that part count. Note that the PCB obviously needs scaling.

Now that hurdle's been crossed, I can move onto the next stage of the pitch shifter - finding out why its not working 

[bioroids]

Wow that's really a simple circuit. I asumed the programmers needed more stuff, for some reason.

Luck!

Miguel

[RaceDriver205]

The serial ones even simpler! but my serial one didn't work for some reason.

[amz-fx]

Sometimes it seems like getting the programmer working is half the struggle!

Here are some that I made and am using:



At the top is a serial programmer for 8-pin Atmel AVR chips. You can read the words "Pony Prog" through the pcb. Below that is a special programmer for the Attiny11 which requires an external high voltage supply.

Bottom row on the left is a parallel PIC programmer and then two simple parallel AVR burners.  I've programmed a lot AT90S2313 chips with those last two...  they are actually the same circuit but I changed the layout when I built the second one for a friend (but he bought one before I got it built).

[RaceDriver205]

So far ive had 3 serial programmers that havent worked. Im pretty sure it must be the cable im using.
What sort of serial cable did you use for them? I also built the ATTiny11 programmer, without success.

[amz-fx]

So far ive had 3 serial programmers that havent worked. Im pretty sure it must be the cable im using.
What sort of serial cable did you use for them? I also built the ATTiny11 programmer, without success.

It's just a plain vanilla serial cable that was laying around my office...  nothing special. I've had good luck with the serial programmers - those both worked first time.

The parallel proggie in the bottom center did not work at first and I tinkered with the values and made some mods to get it going with the port on my old laptop, which is why it looks so kludged together.

regards, Jack

[Dave_B]

I had issues with a serial PIC programmer about a year ago.  If you're programming in high voltage mode, as I was, it could be that your serial port isn't quite up to the task. 

For me, after realizing how much time I lost messing around with the programmer, I bought an STK500.   

[amz-fx]

Here's the schematic to the parallel programmer for the AVRs:

http://www.qsl.net/ba1fb/fbprg.gif

Couldn't be simpler!

Lots of people have made this one with success but occasionally it requires a mod or two to get it working.

-Jack

[RaceDriver205]

Its not HV tho, right?

[amz-fx]

It gets all of its power from the parallel port.

-Jack

[Peter Snowberg]

I cheer on all attempts to make anything DIY, but I sure am glad I just bought the STK500. It's never presented a single hassle or even the slightest burp from the tools.

Debugging can be an immense pain if your tools misbehave.

[Dave_B]

Debugging can be an immense pain if your tools misbehave.

I'm curious how many failed attempts are the result of High-Voltage programming with an unpowered programmer.  That's what I was doing last year.  It started out fine, then slowly degraded to the point that it wouldn't burn a chip.  I've only recently started up again with the STK500 I bought a couple of months ago.  It's been really nice to take the programmer out of the troubleshooting equation. 

[The Tone God]

The Dragon is powered off the computer's USB bus and has a built in switching supply to produce the voltage for HV programming. I'm really falling in love with the Dragon.

Andrew