From http://arduino.cc/en/Tutorial/ArduinoISP:
5.Wire your Arduino board to the target as shown in the diagram below. (Note for the Arduino Uno: you'll need to add a 10 uF capacitor between reset and ground.)
Can anyone explain electronically WHY this is needed and why it works? What is it about Uno in particular that causes this problem? Why 10uF and not 0.1uF or something?
Yes, I tried searching, but couldn't find any good explanations. Just, "Do this, it works."
When avrdude connects to the serial port the DTR signal is asserted, which has the side effect of triggering an auto reset. So avrdude then finds itself talking to the bootloader rather than the ISP sketch. The capacitor absorbs the auto-reset pulse and allows avrdude to establish proper communication with ArduinoISP.
More recent versions of the Uno bootloader detect corrupt serial communication (the bootloader and ISP sketch use different baud rates) and quit immediately. This usually allows avrdude to start working properly without need for suppression of the auto-reset.
The sad part is that a very tiny code tweak to the 8u2 code could switch autoreset on the UNO from using DTR to RTS which would mean that this autoreset on tty port open issue could be avoided altogether. The original reason that DTR was used over RTS on the early boards was because to use RTS required changes to Avrdude to toggle RTS before the download started when using Arduino boards. Whereas, DTR is asserted (it drops to gnd while the port is open) by the OS when the port is first opened without the application having to do anything. The cap turns the DTR drop into a pulse which is used for reseting the AVR. This allowed auto reset to "work" without any modifications to Avrdude.
Now that Avrdude has been updated to include an "Arduino" protocol that toggles RTS to create the autoreset pulse, there is no need to use DTR for autoreset anymore. My view is that the USB to serial AVR chip code should be tweaked to use RTS rather than DTR. It is a very small code change.
I prefer using RTS over DTR because it allows opening the serial port without resetting the AVR but yet still allows autoreset to reset the AVR for uploading new code.
--- bill
Ok, fascinating, thanks. But what is it about UNO in particular? This is not needed on Duemilanove or the Arduino Pro.
Slightly different autoreset circuit. Because of the different autoreset circuit on Uno, the hack to crater it into not functioning (disabling autoreset) is different.
If you look at the Uno Rev2 and Rev3 schematic there is now a pulldown on the signal line from the 8/16u part going into the cap that goes to the reset line on the AVR. The signal line from the FTDI chip (or the DTR connector pin on the pro) going to the cap does not have a pull down on it. If I remember correctly, I believe this was added after it was shown that because of the simplistic circuit that under certain conditions of using the RESET line, severe ringing with overshoot occurred on the AVR reset line and bricked the AVR by tricking it into thinking it was going into high voltage programming mode.
I think the arduino 2009 had the best circuit. If the RESET-EN jumper is desoldered or c13 is removed and then r2 is in place then RTS can be used instead of DTR and all this mess goes away including the ringing issue.
On the pro you have the option to simply re-wire your serial adapter to use RTS and feed that into the DTR pin on the connector to avoid the need to disable auto reset.
--- bill
I'm really glad someone brought this up. I hate doing things and not understanding why. Thanks everyone for the thorough explanations.
My view is that the USB to serial AVR chip code should be tweaked to use RTS rather than DTR.
Six-pin FTDI cables don't have RTS pins. Just DTR (and CTS).
SirNickity: I'm really glad someone brought this up. I hate doing things and not understanding why. Thanks everyone for the thorough explanations.
My view is that the USB to serial AVR chip code should be tweaked to use RTS rather than DTR.
Six-pin FTDI cables don't have RTS pins. Just DTR (and CTS).
Ummm.... Go have a another look at the FTDI 6 pin connector pinout. Here is a link to the data sheet. See pages 17 and 19. http://www.ftdichip.com/Support/Documents/DataSheets/Cables/DS_TTL-232R_CABLES.pdf DTR is not on the 6 pin cable. It uses RTS instead. Even the label on the Arduino Pro board labeled it correctly as RTS with respect to a standard 6 pin FTDI cable. http://arduino.cc/it/Main/ArduinoBoardPro
But all this is irrelevant with respect to the code inside the 8u/16u AVR chip that has replaced the FTDI chip for the USB to serial conversion. To switch to using RTS instead of DTR is a simple code change inside the 8u/16u AVR chip to use the RTS status bit in the messages vs the DTR bit when driving the output that goes to the other AVR reset pin.
--- bill
Ahh.. you're correct. My mistake.
USB to serial AVR chip code should be tweaked to use RTS
If we're going to fiddle with the 8u2 and "arduino" programmer type in avrdude, I'd like to get away from using rs232 signals at all. I think PaulS suggested picking a rare and uncommon bitrate, and resetting the Arduino AVR when that was set.
OTOH, "backward compatibility with 500,000 existing Arduinos..."
what is it about UNO in particular?
Different and Dumber bootloader, running at a different bitrate. Possibly a newer version of Avrdude in newer IDE releases. Prior to Uno, the Bootloader would exit quickly when it saw "illegal" commands. The Uno bootloader isn't smart enough to check for illegal commands (although the most recent version can check for improperly received commands, as "probably" occur when commands are received at the wrong speed.)
Another reason is that there have been attempts to reduce the size of the bootloader. The smaller it is, the less bells and whistles. Could add all kinds of capabilities to it, but that would just lead to complaints doe to the amount of memory that it would use.
tim7: More recent versions of the Uno bootloader detect corrupt serial communication (the bootloader and ISP sketch use different baud rates) and quit immediately. This usually allows avrdude to start working properly without need for suppression of the auto-reset.
I got my Arduino Uno R3 last year. So, do you think it might have a bootloader smart enough to allow me to use the aruino as an isp without the 10uF capacitor?
Are you using it to bootload other parts? Use Nick Gammon's bootload install sketch instead.
http://www.gammon.com.au/forum/?id=11635 or http://www.gammon.com.au/forum/?id=11637
I got a china usb avr programmer that came with this software ("progisp") wich i can't use in my computer, due to my present configurations.
So, I'm trying to use my arduino to reprogram the ATmega8 at the avr programmer with the USBasp firmware from Thomas Fischl (I'm following this post: http://www.sciencetronics.com/greenphotons/?p=938).
Anyhow, will I be able to do it with the Arduino Uno? Is the capacitor really necessary?
yagossc: I got a china usb avr programmer that came with this software ("progisp") wich i can't use in my computer, due to my present configurations.
So, I'm trying to use my arduino to reprogram the ATmega8 at the avr programmer with the USBasp firmware from Thomas Fischl (I'm following this post: http://www.sciencetronics.com/greenphotons/?p=938).
Anyhow, will I be able to do it with the Arduino Uno? Is the capacitor really necessary?
Read & follow: http://www.gammon.com.au/forum/?id=11635
Anyhow, will I be able to do it with the Arduino Uno? Is the capacitor really necessary?
I Just tried ArduinoISP on a brand new uno: without measures to disable autoreset, it does not work.
But once auto reset disabled, ArduinoISP works very reliably.
Personally, I don't go for the capacitor (or resistor) solution. I cut the "reset-en" trace and solder a pair of pin headers over it so I can enable/disable autoreset with a jumper.
Hi there, I just wanted to check something with you guys, and this seems like the right place and posting to post it, i playing around with programming a ATTiny85 through an arduino got it all wired up, code is compiling with no issues, i have not uploaded it or done anything else with it, i just wanted to check a few things before i burn out my mcu, or do anything stupid, i have been going off this tutorial : http://www.kobakant.at/DIY/?p=3742
As you guys deal with arduino's and multiple levels of programming on a variety of mcu's, i would rather ask here, if this tutorial correct, i am not using the code from there, just the methodology, mainly im looking to ensure i can burn bootloader to the ATTiny85 through the arduino, and i have seen within a forum something regarding setting of fuses for ATTiny85, how wouldi go about doing this, Just looking for info and thank you
I have the same question because i have also read it somewhere and especially when you fix a chinese clone board it is said "When burning bootloader and uploading the ASP place a 10uF capacitor between the GND and RESET pin". I did it, but as soon as i never had problems with auto-resetting why was this needed?