Decided to build a dedicated dedicated programmer, advice needed :)

Basically the prototype will consist of bare min parts, but instead of a shield (which is nice) it still lacks what's really needed, so here's my solution..

A Ziff socket (just ordered one).
A FTDI Basic breakout Arduino Board (Just ordered one)
1 20mhz crystal
2 27pf caps
1 USB female socket to connect and program your sketches.

a prototyping copper backed board to wire it all on
I'm going to use 3 blocks of 8 pin dip sockets to fit the Atmega328p on (spread across)
I'll program the atmega chip the IDE ISP sketch, but the chip can be lifted out and reprogrammed
i think i'll add an ISP header to solve that issue.

once the binary is on the chip, we're good to go.

End User (out of the box) -

Step 1. Plug your USB cable into this device .... done
Step 2. Pick up a Chip you wish to program with Arduino, place it into the ZIFF socket on this device, pull the leaver, so it sits in etc, done.
Step 3. Run Arduino.
Step 4. From the Menu, select "Tools" > "Programmer" > "Arduino AS ISP"
Step 5. From the Menu, Select "Tools" > "Board" > "Your Device" be an Uno, or Lilypad or an Atmega.
Step 6. Code a program for the chip you're programming.
Step 7. Upload.

Step 8, lift out your CHIP, it's been programmed.... if you need to upgrade the ISP program on the atmega firmware, it will (once made) be acced via 6 pins for the ISP.

So it's not a Shield, it's a dedicated programmer, all you need is atmega chip and Arduino to get programming.... anything missing, need to be added, I expect shipping delays 3 -4 weeks this time of year so it's going to give me a lot of time to think up of the design..

But if it came in a kit or board, who would be interested in this kind of device?

I use a lot of ATtiny84s so I built this for that sort of thing:

http://arduino.cc/forum/index.php/topic,134673.0.html

It works for project prototyping and burning the final chips. Turned out very very useful. I can develop code for Tiny85s on it, too because they have a very similar structure (I'll get around to making a proper Tiny85 version one day...), and the screen is very very useful.

PS: It's "ZIF", only one 'f' because it stands for Zero Insertion Force.

Are you sure you want a 20MHz crystal? Would you not be better using 16MHz.

Having just bought a shield type programmer, I'm not too sure what things it lacks that are really needed. I have not yet come across a case where it has let me down or did not work or has me wondering about what additional feature it needed to get the job done.

fungus:
I can develop code for Tiny85s on it, too because they have a very similar structure (I'll get around to making a proper Tiny85 version one day...)

Yeah, it's too bad the pin-out's between the x5s and x4s are so different. It would be really nice if they had though to put the power and ISP pins in the same physical locations. That way you could do the x4s, x5s in the same 14 pin socket.

BillO:

fungus:
I can develop code for Tiny85s on it, too because they have a very similar structure (I'll get around to making a proper Tiny85 version one day...)

Yeah, it's too bad the pin-out's between the x5s and x4s are so different. It would be really nice if they had though to put the power and ISP pins in the same physical locations. That way you could do the x4s, x5s in the same 14 pin socket.

Yep.

I thought of putting two ISP headers on it, one for each type of chip, but it seemed risky. Get it mixed up and kill a chip...

I was going to try using a ZIF with a 4-way 6 pole switch to allow the pinouts to be changed to suit 28, 20, 14 & 8 pin variants that are supported by the various IDE cores available all in the same socket. Has anyone tried this?

In my so-far nebulous idea there would be a 2nd ZIF for plugging in a programmed ATMega328 which would have the ISP code on it so the thing could be self-contained, with the programs for the ATTiny etc fed through the other ATmega via an FTDI link to the PC. Or, having the first ATmega setup to flash bootloaders to ATMegas in the other socket at the press of a button.

I have the parts, it's just a matter of sneaking it up the priority list, giving it some more thought, and allocating the time...
Geoff

Well, with that device, you still need an Arduino Board.

here's essentially the map of the board.

The idea is, I could take it with me anywhere, if i come across a chip, be an Attiny or Atmega3268p, I pull out this board, use the ZIFF socket, connect my usb cable and reprogram the chip, i'm going
to have to include a reset, because that ISP Arduino ISP sketch sometimes locks up and requires a reset! - hence the ISP header to reprogram the atmega without lifting it out.

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