Category Archives: Microcontrollers

All You Need to Know About AVR ISP, UPDI, JTAG, PDI and TPI.

AVR microcontrollers were first introduced almost 30 years ago and since then there have been a few changes, especially since Microchip absorbed Atmel. The AVR was one of the first microcontrollers to have onboard flash memory that could be electrically erased and reprogrammed and this enabled the introduction of In System Programming or ISP.

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AVR High Voltage Programmer

The only way to re-enable Reset or SPIEN fuses on some older AVR chips like ATtiny13A, to allow them to be reprogrammed, is to use High Voltage programming (HVP) method. This was available on AVR Dragon, STK500 and STK600 but since these have been discontinued, there is a lack of suitable programmers.

So, what is now the best solution for AVR High Voltage Programming?

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How to use AVRISP-MKII with AVRDUDE and Great cow basic

Atmel have stopped making AVRISP-MKII but Kanda sell a Waveshare version that is identical to the original. Atmel Studio fully supports AVRISP-MKII and it is simple to install and use with Studio but it can also be used with AVRDude and Great Cow Basic compiler.

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Handheld Programmer on Android Phone

Kanda have released a free Android App, for smart phones and tablets, that lets you update your AVR or PIC handheld programmer contents from your phone. Just load the programmer, copy it to a programmer file (.PRG), send it to your customer, distributor or engineer and they use their phone or tablet to update the programmer.

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AVR Programming – ISP, JTAG, TPI, PDI and UPDI

When AVR microcontrollers were first introduced in 1995, In System Programming was simple, with one programming method (Serial Programming Interface or SPI) and a recommended 5 x 2 10-pin target interface. For 10-15 years, this stayed the same except for the addition of JTAG programming on some devices and a move towards a 3 x 2 6-pin target header. In the last few years, new interfaces have sprouted like weeds, including TPI, PDI and UPDI. What do this all mean and how does it affect you?

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