I am trying to help my Electronics teacher who is new to Micro-controllers. (old, worked at RCA a long long time ago when they were the biggest electronics manufacturer etc.) get this micro controller working on the computers in the Cisco/electronics lab, but some of the computers arduino IDE installs dont have atmega A8 NG as a board option, and the ones that do we can't figure out what programmer to use. Our teachers computer works fine and programs it but other computers don't program it. I tried using his computer as a reference and put the same exact settings and tested all com ports on each different programmer but it wont program. all the electronics works because we can program it on his... we have a acrylic board, with a breadboard on it, the serial-to-usb (FTDI), and then the atmega A8 is on the breadboard with all the capacitors, crystal, etc. I have never used an A8.
Thank you!
Is the boards.txt file under arduino/hardware/arduino (I think that's the right path) the same? That's where the Arduino NG with Atmega8 board type is found.
Do the Atmega8's all have bootloaders on them?
If not, you will need to install a bootloader before serial downloads will work.
I don't know if Nick Gammon's bootload installer cover's the Atmega8.
If not, I recommend you guys invest in an Atmel AVR ISP MKii to make your task a lot easier:
Maybe call Mouser, see if they offer some educational discount or something.
Drivers for the MKii are in the IDE folders, search for "avrisp2.inf" to find the folder.
Do not install AVR Studio, that installs the Jungo driver and then you'll have to fight that.
This is area of boards.txt of interest.
##############################################################
atmega8.name=Arduino NG or older w/ ATmega8
atmega8.upload.protocol=arduino
atmega8.upload.maximum_size=7168
atmega8.upload.speed=19200
atmega8.bootloader.low_fuses=0xdf
atmega8.bootloader.high_fuses=0xca
atmega8.bootloader.path=atmega8
atmega8.bootloader.file=ATmegaBOOT-prod-firmware-2009-11-07.hex
atmega8.bootloader.unlock_bits=0x3F
atmega8.bootloader.lock_bits=0x0F
atmega8.build.mcu=atmega8
atmega8.build.f_cpu=16000000L
atmega8.build.core=arduino
atmega8.build.variant=standard
##############################################################
We have a usb to serial converter that has a type b usb and it has a 10 pin header like this one. this is our kit. it shows a pic of what we have? I thought the ftdi would allow us to program it?
"like this one" link? attachment?
FTDI will support serial download if there is a bootloader.
Or it can "Bit-bang" the SPI signals (that the MKii drives to install a bootloader), if you can get all this working:
http://www.geocities.jp/arduino_diecimila/bootloader/index_en.html
If you already have a functioning arduino, you could use your Arduino as ISP-programmer as well.
http://forum.arduino.cc/index.php/topic,24336.0.html
it should work
[ https://github.com/arduino/Arduino/blob/master/hardware/arduino/variants/standard/pins_arduino.h ](http:// https://github.com/arduino/Arduino/blob/master/hardware/arduino/variants/standard/pins_arduino.h)
Ep1: Installing an Arduino NG for the first time! (Windows) - YouTube
Here is the link http://www.jameco.com/1/1/24831-tk001-lcd-training-kit-sensor.html
Did you read the manual ? (about how to connect the RTS from the FTDI board )
but some of the computers arduino IDE installs dont have atmega A8 NG as a board option, and the ones that do we can't figure out what programmer to use. Our teachers computer works fine and programs it but other computers don't program it.
Maybe because his board file contains this:
##############################################################
atmega8.name=Arduino NG or older w/ ATmega8
atmega8.upload.protocol=arduino
atmega8.upload.maximum_size=7168
atmega8.upload.speed=19200
atmega8.bootloader.low_fuses=0xdf
atmega8.bootloader.high_fuses=0xca
atmega8.bootloader.path=atmega8
atmega8.bootloader.file=ATmegaBOOT-prod-firmware-2009-11-07.hex
atmega8.bootloader.unlock_bits=0x3F
atmega8.bootloader.lock_bits=0x0F
atmega8.build.mcu=atmega8
atmega8.build.f_cpu=16000000L
atmega8.build.core=arduino
atmega8.build.variant=standard
##############################################################
I am trying to help my Electronics teacher who is new to Micro-controllers. (old, worked at RCA a long long time ago when they were the biggest electronics manufacturer etc.) get this micro controller working on the computers in the Cisco/electronics lab, but some of the computers arduino IDE installs dont have atmega A8 NG as a board option, and the ones that do we can't figure out what programmer to use. Our teachers computer works fine and programs it but other computers don't program it.
That's really kind of you to help your teacher. So he's old but his computer works. Your young and your's doesn't and you don't have a clue why ? Interesting....
You seem to have all the parts needed per the Jameco site:
"AVR/Arduino compatible Atmega8A MCU pre-programmed with Arduino bootloader
16MHz crystal for accurate time measurements
USB serial interface for programming via PC with auto-reset function for MCU"
If you breadboarded this and it's not working , and you have all right parts, what do you think could be the problem ?
If it works with 'your teacher's" computer then maybe you should be focusing on your IDE install rather than the processor circuit..
Why don't you post your boards.txt file as an attachment using the "Additional Options " button below ?
While your at it, why don't you take a screenshot of you IDE "File\Preferences " screen and post that.
For the programmer what programmer would I use? Like AVR ISP, Aruduino as ISP? I assumed it was USBtinyISP?
we have a acrylic board, with a breadboard on it, the serial-to-usb (FTDI), and then the atmega A8 is on the breadboard with all the capacitors, crystal, etc. I have never used an A8.
Where did you say that ?
Can you borrow an UNO from someone ?
I own an uno, but that is my personal uno and they want to get this one working since they already have it? what programmer would I use to get this working? Like USBtinyISP? or AVR ISP? or what? I have my uno in a project of mine that I use daily
You need the UNO yo program the A8
Why do you keep mentioning TinyISP?
I thought all you needed was a serial to usb converter (ftdi)
also because crossroads said I have everything I need. I was using it as an example..
That's all you need to upload a sketch. I couldn't tell you what you need to burn a bootloader but when I program ATtiny85's using
Arduino as ISP, I use an UNO that has ArduinoISP loaded and SPI connections and I can do Burn bootloader. I've never programmed
a bootloader on an ATmega328 because I bought them with OPTIBOOT bootloader installed so all I need is an FTDI to upload sketches. Crossroads can answer the questions about burning bootloaders in an A8. I can't help you with that.
There's already a boot loader on their, arduino opti-boot. What programmer setting would one use with ftdi and atmega with no arduino uno or dev board. just atmega A8 with bootloader (I.E Arduino as ISP)
If you're just uploading a sketch and not burning the bootloader the programmer setup is "X-DON'T CARE" because it is not used for uploading sketches. If you already have a bootloader then these questions:
For the programmer what programmer would I use? Like AVR ISP, Aruduino as ISP? I assumed it was USBtinyISP?
Are IRRELEVANT, because what YOU are calling PROGRAMMING is what WE call UPLOADING SKETCHES and what WE call PROGRAMMING is burning the bootloader which requires a PROGRAMMER SETUP CONFIG like the one you keep asking about.
When you stop thinking about programming and start thinking about uploading sketches then you'll be on the right track. So far,]
that doesn't seem to be getting across. As Crossroads said, you should be good to go. And did you ever answer the question about what you connected the FTDI RTS signal to on your A8 ? I can't recall. Maybe we need to look at your wiring or have you draw a schematic of how you connected everything because I can't see why you would have any problem uploading sketches (not programming) if everything were wired correctly.