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[Reply #15 on:]

@tim7
How are you connecting your pro mini ?Like I did in the pictures above? and you connect it to what? another arduino uno ?

[Reply #16 on:]

I use an Uno as the programmer.  In your picture it looks like you're taking 3.3V power: this is bad, so check you haven't cooked the ProMini or its inputs.  You should use 5V power to match the logic levels coming from the programmer.

Nick Gammon has written a number of sketches which talk directly to the board to be programmed.  This takes the PC software (AVRdude) out of the equation and simplifies the programming process.

[Reply #17 on:]

Aaaaaaaaaa.... ok okkkk.... Now I get it.
I don't know why I miss-read that page so many times. My mind was locked to wiring and I couldn't see anything else.
Ok....so moving on.
I want to burn this bootloader http://www.experiment4.com/2011/08/21/slowduino/#comment-137
I run his Mushclient, I now have the new header file and I guess I should insert it somehow in the original code.
Like if I press S then go to burn the bootloader_slowpoke_1Mhz.h routine.
Am I correct?

[Reply #18 on:]

I'd suggest testing ICSP communication to the ProMini first.  Nick Gammon has (again) a suitable sketch and detailed instructions: http://www.gammon.com.au/forum/?id=11633

I don't remember the details of changing the binary in Nick's Atmega_Board_Programmer sketch, except that the code was very clear.

By the way, if your only goal is to reduce power consumption then take a look at the ATmega power-saving modes.  The microcontroller can be put to sleep for a set period of time, during which the power draw is just a few uA.  I wrote some example code which you can find here: http://arduino.cc/forum/index.php/topic,92840.msg744375.html#msg744375, and I'm also going to reference Nick Gammon yet again: http://www.gammon.com.au/forum/?id=11497.  It could save you messing around with modified bootloaders.

Note that the ProMini's voltage regulator and power LED draw about 1mA.  In my low-power projects I disconnect these components by cutting a trace on the PCB as shown below.  You can un-do the cut later if needed, by connecting the two VCC pins together.

[Reply #19 on:]

Wow, that's an extremely well documented page... It has everything..and very well described 
I suddenly have  ton of admiration for this Nick Gammon

My device can't be put to sleep, because it has to permanently detect the interruption of a infrared beam... so all sleep modes are useless for me.
Also that bootloader was not for my board, and as soon as I will have time I will try to run it down to 1mhz using Nicks instructions.

@tim About your idea of cutting the voltage regulator, I have some questions:

1. is it really necessary to cut it?
It is used only to power up the board, and if I use the RAW pin I will bypass the regulator.
I will use several batteries in series & paralell to have 3V

2. is the voltage regulator used if the board is powered via the RAW pin ?

3. Even though the arduino can work down to 1.8V, I am using devices that work at 3.3V so I should let the brown-out intact at 3.3V.
Am I right?