New Bee with Arduino / ICSP

Forum 2005-2010 (read only) Hardware Troubleshooting
1

Hi, this may have been covered, but I'm NEW and know nothing about programming. I have an FTDI to RS232 cable, I just purchased a new UNO board, Can I use the FTDI to RS232 cable as my ICSP with the Arduino software and hardware? My header on cable is a 1x6 pin single row and the header on the UNO is 2x3 header (dual row). Thanks for any and all help...

Regards,

Dave M.

2

The Uno will work by just plugging the usb into the uno, no external interface is required. It has a built in Usb to serial ttl converter.

Hope this helps..

3

What is the ICSP plug for?

4

The arduino has a bootloader installed, it allows the processor to be flashed with just a serial connection.

The bootloader takes up memory and if need be, you can program the chip without the bootloader. You do this via the ICSP. You need an ICSP programmer or you can 'bit-bang' it by modifying an FTDI adapter or even use another arduino.

Edit: I use this when I need to flash via ICSP http://www.sparkfun.com/products/9825, in case you are curious about programmers. There are many others.
Oh, you also need to program via ICSP to install a bootloader.

Dave

5

So, The boot loader allows me to program via the USB on the UNO board and run, When would you use the ICSP programmer, and not use the boot loader?

Regards,

Dave M.

6

When would you use the ICSP programmer, and not use the boot loader?

  1. If the bootloader on the 328 chip got corrupted.
  2. If there is ever a bootloader upgraded needed or required.
  3. If you purchaced a blank 328 chip and want to install the bootloader
  4. If you wanted to load a sketch hex file onto the chip without using
    the bootloader. This requires different procedures and mods if
    using the Arduino IDE software, but has the potential to allow
    sketches larger then would fit if a bootloader was
    resident in the chip.

Lefty

7

One more question, but on a different topic. Can a program be read out of a ship?

Dave M.

8

Chip that is...

9

Unless the lock bits are set, the hex file can be read.

Turning that back onto C/C++ code can not.