The micro controllers firmware

The micro controller firmware has to be blown into the chip. It consists of the application software and the boot loader software. Also the fuse bits have to be set. The files are given in the Documentation section. For the software we need the hex files

There are many ways to blow the hex file into the micro controller. I did it the following way:

- I downloaded the "eXtreme Burner" file from the internet.  Here.

- I bought an USBasp device. Downloaded the driver software, installed the driver on my PC. I did it with Zadig. Here   and Here.

- I used a prototype patch board to insert the micro controller in and connect it to the correct pins of the USBasp, see picture.

- I started eXtreme Burner, and it saw the USBasp device. I loaded the hex file and burned it into the micro controller

- The burning is verified by the eXtreme sw

- You can also make a patch cable from the USBasp to the controller board. From 6 pins to 10 pins.

 

In the picture you just see the blue connector, that is the USB connector coming from the PC where eXtreme Burner is running on.

It is connected with the USBasp. The burning LED shows a good connection.

The cable coming out of the USBasp (which I taped to the table for a bit stability,...) has a female connector. From there the wires are connected to the patch board. I used a 40 pins DIL to show how it works. The pin 1 is at the lower right.

Look at this video to see how the connections should be done.

If you are in developing  stage, it is easier to make a patch cable.

 

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