This repo provides you with all necessary info (and files) to build an Arduino shield to program Atmel's atmega88/168/328 𝜇-controllers. For that matter, the underlying Arduino board should be loaded with the ISP-programmer sketch (built-in example). Two versions have been included. All images in the description below, refer to the 16MHz version with an external crystal oscillator. An alternative (minimalistic) version is also available in all respective sub-folders (marked as 'minimal'). It concerns a shield to program the same µ-controllers using their 8MHz internal clock.
After having tested one of your new marvelous ideas with an existing eco-system, a lot of airwires and a piece of breadboard, you will probably start designing a state-of-the-art custom pcb to finalize the building of your project. During such a design phase, I however got tired of wiring up the ISPC connector over-and-over-again. As (like many people) I was having a spare UNO, which could serve as an in-circuit serial programmer, I decided to design a minimalistic shield to fit on top of it.
The shield has been designed with EAGLE from AutoDesk/CadSoft. This shield project can be opened with the free version (download here). Only through-hole components have been used in order to make the build also feasible for any junior electronics enthusiast. In the pdf-folder of this repo pdf versions of all important EAGLE views are available, for those not wanting to install EAGLE. Pay attention to print the bottom and top-layer layouts without re-sizing (1:1). To have the printed circuit board built by a commercial PCB-shop, the full gerber-files are also available. When etching the board at home, don't forget to add the vias, or solder pieces of wire from solder to component side.
Currently, unpopulated boards for both the full and minimalistic version are still available from our workshop. If interested, contact us via 📧.
The board has been fit with a narrow 28-pin ZIF socket, which is wired up to be universal for several types of AVR's. On the boarder of the PCB, pin headers with double functionality have been mounted. Pins on the bottom-side to fit on the Arduino board, and feed-through female headers on the top for easy access of all Arduino connections. The push button, is connected to the reset lines of the AVR in the ZIF socket (and the ICSP on the shield) with a 10kΩ pull-up resistor. When the shield is cut correctly, the reset button for the underlying Arduino UNO should still be accessible. In order to make the Arduino Uno work as an ISP programmer a 10µF capacitor needs to be connected on its reset-line. Three LED’s are available to visualize the correct functionality of the programming procedure. An optional AVR ISP connector has been foreseen in order to use the shield as stand-alone with a commercial programmer.
| Part | Value | Package | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| R1 | 10kΩ | 0207/7 | resistor |
| R2,3,4 | 470Ω | 0204/5 | resistor |
| C1 | 10µF/16V | E2,5-6E | polarized capacitor |
| C2 | 100nF | C050-025X075 | capacitor |
| C3,4 | 22pF | C2.5-2 | capacitor (version with xtal-oscillator) |
| X1 | 16MHz | QS | oscillator crystal (version with xtal-oscillator) |
| LED1 | 3mm yellow | 3mm | LED |
| LED2 | 3mm red | 3mm | LED |
| LED3 | 3mm green | 3mm | LED |
| IC1 | 28-pin | ZIF28-N | 28-pin narrow ZIF-socket |
| ICSP1 | 2x3 pin-header | 2x3 | AVR ISP-6 Serial Programming Header (optional) |
| S1 | momentary | 6x6x6mm | momentary tact push button |
| S2 | toggle | 9x4mm | mini toggle switch |
| CON1 | 6-pin | SIL06 | long needle female stackable pin header strip |
| CON2,3 | 8-pin | SIL08 | long needle female stackable pin header strip |
| CON4 | 10-pin | SIL10 | long needle female stackable pin header strip |
First the the ISP-programmer sketch (built-in example) should be loaded to the Arduino UNO board. During that operation, switch S2 should be set to "RUN". Select “Arduino Uno” as target board in the tools-menu. Load the ISP-programmer sketch with the “UPLOAD” button. Once loaded, switch S2 can be set to "PROG" to send a sketch to the atmega 𝜇-controller in the ZIF socket.
To load a sketch to your atmega 𝜇-controller in the ZIF socket, make sure that the correct target board is selected in the tools-menu (you might need to download a specific library -> tools-menu, board manager). This time, use the “UPLOAD USING PROGRAMMER” option from the sketch-menu.
When using the "8MHz internal clock" shield, an adapted board configuration should be used (read "fuse-settings"), which can be found in the source-folder. Other versions can be found on the Arduino website (see paragraph on minimal hardware). To install this package driver, create a "hardware" folder in the Arduino sketches folder on your computer (path to be found in the Arduino preferences),
and copy the unzipped package archive in there.
Next restart the Arduino IDE, and the required board will appear in your board's list.
When loading a new sketch to the target µ-controller, the 3 LED’s will tell you how things are going :
- Green : ICSP programmer running (fading LED means 'idle')
- Yellow : uploading sketch (programming code is being uploaded)
- Red : Error! (oops, something went wrong during the upload)
So far, I have tested the shield with the below list of 𝜇-controllers :
- atmega168
- atmega328
Programming shield should also function correctly for other pin-compatible µ-controllers, such as :
- atmega88
If you are having any good suggestions, just drop me a line 📧. If feasible, I'll be happy to implement any proposed improvements. And if you are having lots of time, I'll be happy to share the work with you ;-).
When you create your own version, don't forget to send us some nice pictures of your construction. We'll be happy to publish them in the 🎊Hall of Fame🎊.
At this moment, there is no specific license attached to this project.
So, today, if you like it, have fun with it (at your own risk of course :-D), and especially, be creative.
Oh, and when using anything from this repository, it is highly appreciated if you mention its origin.
If you would like to use any of this work (or the whole project) for commercial use, first contact us 📧, so we can add the appropriate license, which best fits your business.