next topic »

[on:]

I find those bootloaders in my Arduino environment:

C:\arduino-1.0.1\hardware\arduino\bootloaders\optiboot\optiboot_atmega328-Mini.hex
C:\arduino-1.0.1\hardware\arduino\bootloaders\optiboot\optiboot_atmega328.hex

The "-Mini" is not mentioned in README.TXT

Standard Targets
I've reduced the pre-built and source-version-controlled targets
(.hex and .lst files included in the git repository) to just the
three basic 16MHz targets: atmega8, atmega16, atmega328.

- What's the difference between -Mini and regular (size seems very similar) ?

- Are they both usable for a standalone 8MHz (no external crystal) ATMEGA328P ?
(readme mentions they are all for 16MHz target: do I need to change some stuff and run omake for an 8MHz target, is there a foolproof tutorial on how to do that ? )

[Reply #1 on:]

Those are both 16MHz bootloaders. This one is 8MHz:
ATmegaBOOT_168_atmega328_pro_8MHz.hex

I don't believe an 8MHz version of Optiboot comes with the IDE, but I re-compiled it for 8MHz and uploaded it here:
http://arduino.cc/forum/index.php/topic,101064.msg760450.html#msg760450

When using the internal RC oscillator instead of a crystal, it may or may not run close enough to 8MHz to allow serial comm (and therefore the bootloader) to function without errors. I've had pretty good luck though, and I think others have as well; many of the chips seem to run pretty darn close at least at room temperature. Just be aware that it may be a bit of a crap shoot.

[Reply #2 on:]

The -mini version is for the Arduino-mini board.  I'm not sure how it's different, it seems to be a slightly older version than he others.

I would say that for an 8MHz chip, make sure the fuses are right,use the 16MHz bootloader hex file, and modify boards.txt to run the uploads at half speed (57600 bps)

[Reply #3 on:]

Those are both 16MHz bootloaders. This one is 8MHz:
ATmegaBOOT_168_atmega328_pro_8MHz.hex

I don't believe an 8MHz version of Optiboot comes with the IDE, but I re-compiled it for 8MHz and uploaded it here:
http://arduino.cc/forum/index.php/topic,101064.msg760450.html#msg760450

When using the internal RC oscillator instead of a crystal, it may or may not run close enough to 8MHz to allow serial comm (and therefore the bootloader) to function without errors. I've had pretty good luck though, and I think others have as well; many of the chips seem to run pretty darn close at least at room temperature. Just be aware that it may be a bit of a crap shoot.

Thanks you very much, Jack.
I understand Bill's (westfw) hint to reduce upload speed aims at helping with clock speed deviations without a crystal. Thanks as well.
What I do not understand is how a prebuilt bootloader sets the serial speed dynamically after a reset ?
Is there a fixed speed dialog first, and then both sides change serial speed according to their initial sync dialog ?

On the other side, as I have the task to load a bootloader first, there's not too much benefit of using a bootloader at all, instead of loading the target hex file directly.