IPenguin shows how to verify a crystal oscillator is working using the Logic Sniffer. This should work with the crystal circuit on many microcontrollers. Get a Logic Sniffer for $50, including free worldwide shipping.
Tag Archives: AVR
AVR crypto library
The power of microcontrollers is limited relative to FPGAs. Nevertheless, Das-labor has developed a set of implementations of different cryptographic algorithms in C designed to function within the limited memory space of microcontrollers. Check out the Avr-Crypto Wiki.
Android controls robot with Bluetooth
PocketMagic demos the use of an Android phone’s Bluetooth capability to transmit commands to a module interfaced through an Atmega8 with a robot car. While this project controls a Perseus 3 robot platform, the code and circuit could be easily adapted to use with any device that could be interfaced with the Atmega8, and the […]
Function generator using Atmega16P
Scienceprog shows how to construct a function generator using the Atmega16P. Code and schematic are included, and the project uses a repurposed PC power supply to provide 5 and 12 volt sources.
Processor quick start guides
The new processor quick start guides were a big hit. Maff^ contributed a basic guide to the AVR, and Dpropicweb greatly expanded the PIC guides. We finished the MSP430 guide, and added new guides for the Coolrunner-II CPLD and Spartan 3 FPGA (in progress). Check out all the guides, and add one for your favorite […]
Processor quick start guides
Getting started with a new processor family is a minefield. Our new quick start guides for the PIC, LPC ARM, and STM32 ARM, are a collection of notes on these processor families. If you’re already familiar with one processor, these condensed guides can help you get started on a whole new platform without scouring the […]
Writing code for AVR
Hack a Day posted the final installment of their AVR programming tutorial: writing code. See also: Introduction Hardware Compiling code
AVR programming tutorial
Spend your weekend with the final installment of Hack a Day’s AVR programming tutorial: compiling code.
New family of Arduino boards
A new Arduino UNO development board is available. The name has changed, but it still fits standard Arduino shields. The FT232R USB chip (also used in the Bus Pirate) has been replaced by an extra AVR that provides USB->serial emulation with the open source LUFA USB stack. This news has been pretty unavoidable. UNO boards […]
Inexpensive multi-programmer update
An update of the inexpensive, medium-speed AVR/PIC/CPLD/Arduino programmer is posted in the forum. This programmer is designed for people who don’t own a programmer, and just want to rescue a bricked PIC or AVR. This version takes into account the pin connection diagram MichaelZ outlined during our last design review. The update has a single […]
Preview: Inexpensive multi-chip programmer
This is a preview of an inexpensive, medium-speed AVR/PIC/CPLD/Arduino programmer. It’s designed for people who don’t own a programmer and just want to rescue a bricked PIC or AVR. The programmer uses the bitbang mode of a FT232R FTDI USB->serial converter chip. The same one used on the Bus Pirate and Arduino. There’s existing apps […]
MMC/SD/SDHC card library
Hidden away in SparkFun’s AD5330 demo is an open source FAT SD card read/write library from Roland Riegel. The MMC/SD/SDHC card library is intended for AVR microcontrollers, and it supports FAT16 and FAT32, partition tables, and low-level read/write operations. The source download includes an example application. This project should be pretty easy to port to […]
Bus Pirate high voltage programming adapter
Today we’re giving away an assembled Bus Pirate high-voltage programming adapter. It has a 5pin PIC programming header, a 6pin AVR programming header, and a small 13volt boost-converter power supply. A 13volt supply is needed to program PIC 12/16/18F microcontrollers, and clear the RESET fuse in AVRs. It’s doesn’t do much right now though, because […]
Free PCB Sunday: Bus Pirate PIC/AVR programming adapter
We go through a lot of prototype PCBs, and end up with lots of extras that we’ll never use. Every Sunday we give away a few PCBs from one of our past or future projects, or a related prototype. PCBs by Seeed Studio. This is a PIC and AVR high-voltage programming adapter for the Bus […]
Bus Pirate AVR programmer update
EGHM confirmed that the Bus Pirate will program ATMega8s at 3.3volts from AVR Studio. Thanks for the update. Public domain image by DustyDingo.
Bus Pirate AVRDUDE tutorial
Michal posted detailed instructions for programming AVRs with the Bus Pirate and AVRDUDE. But what happens if you have 2, 3, or even 7 AVRs on the same circuit board? Michal shows us how to use extra Bus Pirate pins to select among AVRs, or drive a 1-to-8 decoder to control even more chips. Michal […]
USBprog
USBprog is an open source multi-chip programmer. It currently programs AVRs with an ISP mkII clone, does JTAG debugging with OpenOCD, and some other stuff. We’re going to take a close look at the source and protocol used with OpenOCD to see if it can be implemented in the Bus Pirate. Thanks for the tip […]
Bus Pirate STK500v2 AVR programmer firmware
See the latest version in the documentation wiki. Here’s an alternate firmware for the Bus Pirate that clones an STK500 programmer for AVR microcontrollers. We ported the GPL’d source from Guido Socher’s AvrUSB500 ATMEGA8-based programmer to the PIC. The firmware should work with any applications that support the STK500 v2 protocol. We used it to […]
STK500v2 USB AVR programmer clone
We just finished porting STK500 v1 source to the Bus Pirate, but STK500 v2 is required for AVR Studio 4.11+. Fortunately, we found AvrUSB500, an open source AVR programmer that includes v2 protocol handling routines.
Bus Pirate as STK500 compatible programmer?
Via Hack a Day comes word of a USB PIC-based STK500 AVR programmer. The really interesting part of this project, to us, is the stk500.c source that handles the programming interface. It should be potable to the Bus Pirate as a separate firmware, or as a mode in the existing firmware. AVRDude already supports the […]