Another "stk500_getsync(): not in sync"

Forum 2005-2010 (read only) Hardware Troubleshooting
1

Hello,

I have ATmega168, pretty barebones: crystal, 10k RESET resitor and a few capacitors and LEDs.

I burned "ATmegaBOOT_168_diecimila.hex" with a parallel programmer and for serial comunication I use DKU-5 (Prolific PL2303).

When I plug it into power the LED11 starts to blink forever, pushing RESET button dims it and I have not wired DTR.

I push the button down, run the software and release it after ~3 seconds. (The LED still blinks while the software is running)

In Arduino software I get:

Binary sketch size: 896 bytes (of 14336 byte maximum)
avrdude: stk500_getsync(): not in sync: resp=0x00
avrdude: std_disable(): protocol error, expect=0x14, resp=0x51

so I tried:

avrdude -p m168 -C ../etc/avrdude.conf -c stk500 -P com3 -b 19200 -U flash:w:blink.hex -v -v -v -v > log.txt 2>&1

attached bellow.

I'm running WinXP.

Please, does anyone knows what could be the problem? (I read several threads here about "not in sync", so far without luck...)

avrdude: Version 5.4-arduino, compiled on Oct 11 2007 at 19:12:32
Copyright (c) 2000-2005 Brian Dean, http://www.bdmicro.com/

System wide configuration file is "../etc/avrdude.conf"

Using Port : com3
Using Programmer : stk500
Overriding Baud Rate : 19200
avrdude: ser_open(): setting dtr
avrdude: Send: 0 [30] [20]
avrdude: Send: 0 [30] [20]
avrdude: Send: 0 [30] [20]
avrdude: Recv:
avrdude: stk500_getsync(): not in sync: resp=0x00
avrdude: ser_open(): setting dtr
avrdude: Send: . [1b] . [01] . [00] . [01] . [0e] . [01] . [14]
avrdude: Recv:
avrdude: stk500_2_ReceiveMessage(): timeout
avrdude: Send: . [1b] . [01] . [00] . [01] . [0e] . [01] . [14]
avrdude: Recv:
avrdude: stk500_2_ReceiveMessage(): timeout
avrdude: Send: . [1b] . [01] . [00] . [01] . [0e] . [01] . [14]
avrdude: Recv:
avrdude: stk500_2_ReceiveMessage(): timeout
avrdude: Send: . [1b] . [01] . [00] . [01] . [0e] . [01] . [14]
avrdude: Recv:
avrdude: stk500_2_ReceiveMessage(): timeout
avrdude: Send: . [1b] . [01] . [00] . [01] . [0e] . [01] . [14]
avrdude: Recv:
avrdude: stk500_2_ReceiveMessage(): timeout
avrdude: Send: . [1b] . [01] . [00] . [01] . [0e] . [01] . [14]
avrdude: Recv:
avrdude: stk500_2_ReceiveMessage(): timeout
avrdude: Send: . [1b] . [01] . [00] . [01] . [0e] . [01] . [14]
avrdude: Recv:
avrdude: stk500_2_ReceiveMessage(): timeout
avrdude: Send: . [1b] . [01] . [00] . [01] . [0e] . [01] . [14]
avrdude: Recv:
avrdude: stk500_2_ReceiveMessage(): timeout
avrdude: Send: . [1b] . [01] . [00] . [01] . [0e] . [01] . [14]
avrdude: Recv:
avrdude: stk500_2_ReceiveMessage(): timeout
avrdude: Send: . [1b] . [01] . [00] . [01] . [0e] . [01] . [14]
avrdude: Recv:
avrdude: stk500_2_ReceiveMessage(): timeout
avrdude: Send: . [1b] . [01] . [00] . [01] . [0e] . [01] . [14]
^C

2

Basically, it means it is not communicating with the chip.

Check TX/RX comms wiring and see if you have the two reversed.

In order to launch the bootloader it is a really small window you have- so hit reset and right away enter on your command line. If the computer misses the initial chance, it will not sync properly at all, since it only looks for the programming attempt at the very start of the boot process.

3

DKU-5 (Prolific PL2303) cable is 3.3V. If your Arduino works on 5v this may cause problem.

Nadir

4

DKU-5 (Prolific PL2303) cable is 3.3V. If your Arduino works on 5v this may cause problem.

I read that

You may have noticed that the cable's output level isn't 5V; it's 3.3V. So how does it work when the ATmega expects 5V? Well if you'll look at the ATmega datasheet you'll see that the minimum input high VIH is 0.6*VCC, which is 3V when VCC is 5V. So even though the cable puts out only 3.3V the ATmega still recognizes it as a high.

But in case this indeed causes the problem what can I do about it?

5

DKU-5 (Prolific PL2303) cable is 3.3V. If your Arduino works on 5v this may cause problem.

YOU WERE RIGHT! Powering ATmega by 2 x 1.5V batteries works!

Thank you, thank you!