Programming for a Bread Board

I'm brand new to the microprocessor field, but I'm looking to get involved.

While this is probably very obvious to anyone who has actually used this before, I'm looking to use the ATMega168, eventually in just a bread board (and maybe PCB in the long run).

Can I use the Arduino Duemilanove to program & test the chip before moving it to my bread board, or will the chip only work when it's in the Arduino environment?

Thanks, I'm looking forward to getting my hands dirty and my wallet empty with this new hobby.

Bruce

Bruce,

Can I use the Arduino Duemilanove to program & test the chip before moving it to my bread board

Yes you can. It doesn't need the environment once the sketch is loaded.

You can make your own breadboard - i.e.
http://art364.pbwiki.com/Standalone+Arduino

Or get something like this "really bare bones board"
http://www.moderndevice.com/RBBB_revB.shtml/

Enjoy!
[edit]Changed link to "really bare bones board"[/edit]

Can I use the Arduino Duemilanove to program & test the chip before moving it to my bread board, or will the chip only work when it's in the Arduino environment?

If developed on the Duemilanove then the 168 chip can be moved to the breadboard and needs only a 16mhz resonator or crystal(with caps) and a pull-up resistor for the reset pin.

Or if you get a standalone USB serial converter cable or module you can actually develop the application while the chip is still on the breadboard. It is only requires that your AVR chip has a bootloader already burned into it, several vendors sell them.

http://store.fundamentallogic.com/ecom/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=4_7&products_id=17

Below is the USB serial module I use to develop programs on the breadboard using the Arduino IDE software. I've soldered header pins to it and it plugs into the breadboard. It uses the same USB chip that the Arduino modules use.

Lefty

I have yet to find a USB adapter that is geared 100% for Arduino breadboarding like this one:


Any idea where someone can buy them individually?

Gravitech:

Look at the Promini schematic, wire up your standalone chip the same way.