Dangerous Prototypes

Hi Everyone;

Just got my Avr Dragon in the mail today. I was wondering if anyone knew of any tips or tricks and mods for the dragon?

(http://http://www.flickr.com/photos/79192364@N07/9510281331/)
AvrDragon.jpg (http://http://www.flickr.com/photos/79192364@N07/9510281331/) by systems tech (http://http://www.flickr.com/people/79192364@N07/), on Flickr

(http://http://www.flickr.com/photos/79192364@N07/9510291159/)
DragonInBox.jpg (http://http://www.flickr.com/photos/79192364@N07/9510291159/) by systems tech (http://http://www.flickr.com/people/79192364@N07/), on Flickr

Just a few things I noticed:
- Make a proper case (or at least a base) for it that is stable.
- Add zif-socket breakout
- Create a big poster with all connections clearly visible and marked (its a hell to find all connection)
- Create a (detachable) buffer on the lines to drive high load ICSP designs (those with LEDs, you know)

As far as a zif socket are all the pins broken out to every pin, so that I can still program smaller chips if I use a 40pin zif?
Something like this. What about the pin headers male or female?

(http://http://www.flickr.com/photos/79192364@N07/9513934706/)
20130814_200117.jpg (http://http://www.flickr.com/photos/79192364@N07/9513934706/) by systems tech (http://http://www.flickr.com/people/79192364@N07/), on Flickr

[quote author="systemstech"]As far as a zif socket are all the pins broken out to every pin, so that I can still program smaller chips if I use a 40pin zif? Something like this.[/quote]
Yes, all pins are available.

[quote author="systemstech"]What about the pin headers male or female? [/quote]
a bit of taste, what is available and whim of the time?

This is what I did (still need a case):
[attachment=0]
[attachment=1]

I also have some breakouts with buffers (made on perfboard; can't seem to find it right now). Still need that big poster.

---

I like your ideas. I'll post some pic as soon as I solder the headers on. About the buffering of the  high load ICSP header, Do you buffer all the pins or just the ones you use for certain chips?

[quote author="systemstech"]About the buffering of the  high load ICSP header, Do you buffer all the pins or just the ones you use for certain chips?[/quote]
I have a separate breakout board which can hold HC/HCT/LVC buffers depending what I work with (it is at a different location, so no pics). There are simply some headers on a perfboard and I use jumper wires. I only connect what I need for programming. I wanted to make it more fancy, but my brain-functions apparently stopped when it worked.
Once I needed some extra logic too to get it to work, which I put on a breadboard. A breadboard would work any time, but mine is often too filled with junk that I just solder something up to get it to work.

Ok put the headers on.

(http://http://www.flickr.com/photos/79192364@N07/9521161506/)
20130815_205232.jpg (http://http://www.flickr.com/photos/79192364@N07/9521161506/) by systems tech (http://http://www.flickr.com/people/79192364@N07/), on Flickr

[quote author="Bertho"]
- Create a big poster with all connections clearly visible and marked (its a hell to find all connection)
[/quote]

Is this what you're talking about?

(http://http://www.flickr.com/photos/79192364@N07/9523150188/)
SCKT3300D3 (http://http://www.flickr.com/photos/79192364@N07/9523150188/) by systems tech (http://http://www.flickr.com/people/79192364@N07/), on Flickr

(http://http://www.flickr.com/photos/79192364@N07/9523235496/)
SCKT3100A3_FINAL (http://http://www.flickr.com/photos/79192364@N07/9523235496/) by systems tech (http://http://www.flickr.com/people/79192364@N07/), on Flickr

[quote author="systemstech"][quote author="Bertho"]
- Create a big poster with all connections clearly visible and marked (its a hell to find all connection)
[/quote]Is this what you're talking about?[/quote]
Yes, indeed. However, using your example would require you to print all the various Atmel chips. Many are rather similar and you can often suffice with printing the three source headers low voltage ISP, JTAG and HV/parallel ISP. I.e. the left part of the image with the names of the pins on them (instead of color connection mapping to the target).

Your actual target often is in circuit and you probably know where you put what connection. If you use the zif-socket, then you often have the chip's datasheet at hand, which has the connections documented.

Sometimes, with the zif-socket, I wished to have a "modular" target selector where you say "map for chip XYZ and UVW programming" and it would automagically configure itself[sup:](*)[/sup:]. But alas, I am allowed to dream.

[sup:](*)[/sup:] all that remains is automatic program design, writing and generation without brain interference ;-)

[quote author="Bertho"]
- Make a proper case (or at least a base) for it that is stable.
[/quote]

Well here is my version of a case for my Dragon. Looks good and it only took three prints before I got it right.

(http://http://www.flickr.com/photos/79192364@N07/9548202965/)
DragonBoxTop.jpg (http://http://www.flickr.com/photos/79192364@N07/9548202965/) by systems tech (http://http://www.flickr.com/people/79192364@N07/), on Flickr

(http://http://www.flickr.com/photos/79192364@N07/9550993734/)
20130819_180633.jpg (http://http://www.flickr.com/photos/79192364@N07/9550993734/) by systems tech (http://http://www.flickr.com/people/79192364@N07/), on Flickr


(http://http://www.flickr.com/photos/79192364@N07/9548207997/)
20130819_180704.jpg (http://http://www.flickr.com/photos/79192364@N07/9548207997/) by systems tech (http://http://www.flickr.com/people/79192364@N07/), on Flickr

(http://http://www.flickr.com/photos/79192364@N07/9551000562/)
20130819_180809.jpg (http://http://www.flickr.com/photos/79192364@N07/9551000562/) by systems tech (http://http://www.flickr.com/people/79192364@N07/), on Flickr

I think I'll print another one in red or black. Bertho, Mats, If you want one let me know what color you want it in and pm me your info.
Next I am working on a BB for the zif socket and a BB for a 44 pin test socket.

(http://http://www.flickr.com/photos/79192364@N07/9551270866/)
brd (http://http://www.flickr.com/photos/79192364@N07/9551270866/) by systems tech (http://http://www.flickr.com/people/79192364@N07/), on Flickr

(http://http://www.flickr.com/photos/79192364@N07/9548482875/)
sch (http://http://www.flickr.com/photos/79192364@N07/9548482875/) by systems tech (http://http://www.flickr.com/people/79192364@N07/), on Flickr

I still need to adjust the headers alignment next to the socket. So this version is not right yet.

Hi Systemtech;
  nice pcb.
Here is a good pdf of the dragon from Cornell:
http://people.ece.cornell.edu/land/cour ... dragon.pdf (http://people.ece.cornell.edu/land/courses/ece4760/AtmelStuff/dragon.pdf)
This is THE site for info:
http://www.aplomb.nl/TechStuff/Dragon/Dragon.html (http://www.aplomb.nl/TechStuff/Dragon/Dragon.html)

Basically make sure that you run it from a powered hub, preferably alone.

Mick M

[quote author="systemstech"]
I think I'll print another one in red or black. Bertho, Mats, If you want one let me know what color you want it in and pm me your info.
[/quote]
I think my dragon won't fit in that box :-(

Back in 2010 my Dragon suddenly stopped working and started to sink a lot of current on( 50-75 mA) the ATG ISP pin causing AVR Studio to think the voltage on the target board was only like 1 volt.

I suspected the old Dragon nemesis NLAS2066USG a.k.a. the AHT-chip but my local Farnell didn't stock it so I tried to replace it with a Analog Devices ADG821 that's basically the same thing but in another footprint.

After soldering two of them on a SOIC adapter board and some wire wrap wires soldered to some of the vias on the PCB the Dragon is as new again!

I only needed to replace the leftmost AHT-chip on the Dragon but to be prepared for more [**censored**] to happen I installed two of the replacement chips on the adapter board.

---

[quote author="matseng"]
I think my dragon won't fit in that box :-(
[/quote]

Ok Mats;
Has the dragon board changed dimensions? If not you could always just use the bottom half to protect the board.
Or I could just print a case thats taller to fit the daughter board you've created.
What color?

What do you want for an box like this, with shipping to Norway?

Hi neslekkim;

[quote author="neslekkim"]What do you want for an box like this, with shipping to Norway?[/quote]

You'll have to wait till Sunday for me to print it I am busy this week. So what color would you like Red, Yellow, Black, or White?
Also I'd like to let you know that I sent one to Bertho which I think lives in a country close to you(Denmark) and he had some comments on the shipping and temperature.

[quote author="Bertho"]Hi Ernie,

Just an update on the box.

It has been in my home for half a day or so and the dimensions have changed considerably. I think that the transport has been quite damp and the box attracted moisture and made it swell. What type of plastic did you use?

I reported 0.8mm yesterday, and that is now reduced to 0.2..0.5mm, depending were I measure. One side of the top is now able to squeeze on the bottom.. Also, the mounting holes now fit better, with one side now being able to "click-in", which was impossible yesterday.

I'm going to leave the box in a dry spot for a couple of days to get most of the moisture out and measure again.

Again, thanks for the box.

--
Greetings Bertho[/quote]

I live in Miami, FL and it's hot and muggy, so the  dimensions might change considerably by the time it gets to you. just be warned. As far as shipping, since I think this is the second time I send something to you at cost or little to nothing it's going to cost you. How about a postcard "winter scene". :-)

Ernie

I just noticed that I became a "sr member". Does that mean I get free coffee now?

Red would be proper I think ;)
Strange about that the dimensions are changing?, I thought plastic was plastic, but maybe not?
Do you collect postcards?

Btw, just for curiosa, since you have an new Dragon, I ordered my dragon yesterday, and the seller bragged about revision 10, but I cannot find any information about revisions of this board, other than the changes back in 2009 (mountingholes etc), what is your revision?

My board revision number is  A09-0062/10. Funny the box gets it's own revision number too A09-0061/11.
I guess the 11 means the month, So the board went without a box for a month? Where did you order your board from?
I really don't collect postcards but I thought I'd make you work for it, Having to walk in the snow for a mile or so to get to the drug store. :-)

Ernie

(http://http://www.flickr.com/photos/79192364@N07/9710186130/)
20130909_080706.jpg (http://http://www.flickr.com/photos/79192364@N07/9710186130/) by systems tech (http://http://www.flickr.com/people/79192364@N07/), on Flickr

(http://http://www.flickr.com/photos/79192364@N07/9710184064/)
20130909_080650.jpg (http://http://www.flickr.com/photos/79192364@N07/9710184064/) by systems tech (http://http://www.flickr.com/people/79192364@N07/), on Flickr

Interresting, or maybe they had an old store of boxes.. I kinda overpaid, I didnt notice the currency symbol before it was too late, £47.99 is $75, oh well, it's this one:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/221271129120 (http://www.ebay.com/itm/221271129120)
Didn't want to pay $30 in shipping from mouser, so I double paid instead:)

Luckily it's still "summer" here, not winter yet :)

Yeah that sucks, Thats why when I buy something I never look back. Every time I check for prices after the buy I always find that someone had it cheaper. Well the good thing is you'll probably get it sooner from the UK.

I got mine today, same box and board revision, but the date on the box is 2013.04.01, and newer serialnumbers on both.

Are you going to use male headers or female ones?

not decided yet, but Zif I guess I will add, but notices it will cover up some holes.

anyone looked at this?
http://www.ecrostech.com/AtmelAvr/DragonRider/index.htm (http://www.ecrostech.com/AtmelAvr/DragonRider/index.htm)

That looks nice. Are you thinking of test driving one? If so post your findings pls.