2024-06-13 19:21:56 +00:00
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The first step is to get set up with all the necessary hardware and
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software to start making your controllers do your bidding.
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## Programmer
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A programmer needn't be super-fancy. In fact, you can get by with five
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wires soldered to a parallel port plug if you'd like. [This
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Instructable](http://www.instructables.com/id/Ghetto-Programming%3a-Getting-started-with-AVR-micro/)
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steps through making a parallel port programmer. I'll probably make up a
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cable or two and bring it in to the space if you'd just like to try it
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out. Note that if you've got a breadboard, you can skip the step of
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making a programming cradle and just plug the wires into the correct
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pins on the AVR.
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If you're getting a little more serious, spend \$22 and get a [USB-based
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programmer from ladyada](http://www.ladyada.net/make/usbtinyisp/) or
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make your own [usbtiny SPI
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programmer](http://www.xs4all.nl/~dicks/avr/usbtiny/) for maybe
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\$10-15ish. If you're making your own, you'll need to flash an AVR with
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the supplied firmware, but you can do that with a parallel port
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programmer or just ask one of us to hook you up.
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This part may seem daunting -- it's not. Dive in or get someone to help
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you. The Ladyada kit is a good first/second soldering project.
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Indeed, if any of that seems too complicated, just connect some wires
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from a parallel port to the right pins on the AVR (perhaps directly onto
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your breadboard?) and you're started. There's an adapter for doing just
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that floating around the lab somewhere. For more on that style of
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programmer, see [AVR Tutorial: Bootstrapping the
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AVR](AVR_Tutorial:_Bootstrapping_the_AVR "wikilink")
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## Software
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The standard toolchain consists of a GCC-based C cross-compiler, the
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AVR-libc libraries, and the software to run your programmer: *avrdude.*
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Feel free to write the C or assembler code using whatever editor you
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like best.
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**Windows:** The whole toolchain is put together nicely with
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[WinAVR](http://sourceforge.net/projects/winavr). Download and install.
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If you're using a parallel port programmer, you'll need to also run the
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included *giveio.bat* file to get yourself permissions.
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**Linux:** I'm most familiar with Ubuntu these days. As of 2008/04,
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"sudo apt-get install avrdude avr-libc binutils-avr gcc-avr" will set
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you up. Or fetch tarballs and compile it yourself. (I'll incluce
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versions here in a few.)
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**MAC:**
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Wanted to note something quick about my MAC experience so far (Q): I
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haven't really read the link to ada's site about programming AVR for MAC
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but 'AVRMacPack' is really cool! In OSX it's a simple .pkg file to
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install and drop into /Applications - then as long as you've installed
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XCode (that comes with macbook in the 2nd CD 'Developer Tools' section)
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they have this great little script in there called 'avr-project'. When
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you run this little badass piece of code it creates a DIR for your
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project called /FIRMWARE and three things:
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`An .xcodeproj file - this is a template (with skeleton code) for writing your program in Xcode`
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`Makefile template which ROCKS - all you have to do after is change the DEVICE you're`
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` using along with PROGRAMMER and FUSES. (Will LINK my file here for reference `
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` email Q if i forget)`
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`main.c file that is just a stupid simple C template to get you started`
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In addition to the compiler and programming software, it's nice to have
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an [AVR Makefile](AVR_Makefile "wikilink") that automates the
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cross-compilation build process. Comment in/out the first few defines to
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match your environment.
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## Chips
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So you're set to program, but you need a couple chips. [This page at
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AVRFreaks](http://www.avrfreaks.net/index.php?module=Freaks%20Devices&func=viewDev)
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has some of the specs and all the datasheets in one place, but it's a
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bit overwhelming.
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A shortlist of the coolest chips includes:
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**Tiny13** -- Smallest and cheapest. 8 pins, 5 of them useful. 1k
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program memory. Goes everywhere. Cheaper and more versatile than a 555
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IC. Some hardware SPI/I2C support, but it's a pain to write for.
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**Tiny45** -- Another 8-pin, but with a high-speed (64MHz!) PWM clock
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and 4k of program memory. ~\$0.75 from Digikey. Can be made to run at
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16MHz+ using its internal oscillator, making firmware USB a reality.
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Some hardware SPI/I2C support like the Tiny13.
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**Tiny2313** -- 20 pins. It's the cheapest/smallest unit with \> 5
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usable pins. Hardware USART makes serial communication (e.g. with your
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computer) reasonably simple, which can be sweet for debugging or
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datalogging.
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**Mega 48** -- 28 pins. All of the bells and whistles, with 4k program
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memory. 6 ADC channels, buncha timers, SPI/I2C/USART communications.
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They'll do what you want.
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**Mega 88, 168** and beyond. A lot of power for under \$10. Overkill for
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most of my (Elliot's) small projects, but when you need the memory, you
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need the memory.
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Maybe we could do a few group purchases to get up to Digikey's
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price-break minimums. Interested? E-mail Elliot.
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And while you're at the AVRFreaks page, download both the long and short
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datasheets for whichever chips you end up buying. The short one has a
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nice pinout diagram on page two, while the long one explains everything
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you'll ever need to know.
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## Misc. Extras
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You're at least going to need some LED's to go blink. Pushbuttons are
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nice for playing around with inputs. Photocells give your creations
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sight. Motors and motor drivers give you legs. I'm sure there's more
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than enough scrounge around the space to get everyone started.
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[This
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Instructable](http://www.instructables.com/id/Ghetto-Development-Environment)
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details my current setup, and is a good start.
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2024-06-13 01:48:44 +00:00
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[Category: AVR Tutorial](Category:_AVR_Tutorial "wikilink")
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