USB AVR Programmer Upgrade Notes

September 20, 2006

How to upgrade USB AVR programmer using Bascom & parallel cable:

  1. Removed ATMega8 from programmer
  2. Insert ATMega8 on breadboard
  3. Connect 12 MHz Xtal to chip and caps (ATMega8 PDIP pins 9 & 10)
  4. Connect ground pin (ATMega8 PDIP pin 8)
  5. Connect Parallel programmer (Reset, Ground, MOSI, MISO & SCK; ATMega8 PDIP pins 1,8,17,18 & 19)
  6. Connect 5 V to VCC (ATMega8 PDIP pin 7)
  7. Confirm fuse settings CKSEL=1110 SUT=10 (other fuses are left at default)
  8. Run Bascom programmer and set chip to ATMega8
  9. Erase chip
  10. Load AVR-Doper hex file into buffer
  11. Program and verify ATMega8
  12. Insert chip back in programmer
  13. Test chip on blank AVR

Note: I now keep a spare ATMega8 chip on hand. This allows me to use the USB programmer to upgrade itself. I load the new hex file into the spare chip and then swap it with the one in the programmer