Connor Monahan

Programming various Atmel chips

This is meant to be a compendium of programming guides for a series of useful Atmel chips.

Diagram of the Arduino Uno, which will be used to program each of these chips:

ATmega328P

Diagram: ATmega328P pinout

One time: burning the bootloader

  1. Connect an unwired Arduino to the computer.

  2. Set Tools/Board to “Arduino/Genuino Uno” and upload the example ArduinoISP sketch.

  3. In Documents/Arduino, create a new folder called “hardware”.

  4. Download breadboard-1.6.zip and unzip it in the hardware folder. The final directory tree should look like this:

    Arduino IDE hardware folder structure

  5. Restart the Arduino IDE.

  6. Wire the devices as shown.

    ATmega328P on a breadboard bootloader configuration

  7. Connect a 10 µF capacitor from reset to ground on the Arduino.

  8. Set Tools/Board to “ATmega328 on a breadboard (8MHz internal)”.

  9. Set Tools/Programmer to “Arduino as ISP”

  10. Click Tools/Burn Bootloader.

  11. Post the error it gives you in the comments below. (hopefully none)

Every time: uploading sketches

  1. Set Tools/Board to “ATmega328 on a breadboard (8MHz internal)”.

  2. Set Tools/Programmer to “Arduino/Genuino Uno”

  3. Wire the device like shown.

    ATmega328P on a breadboard programming configuration

  4. Press the upload button.

ATmega328 (without the P)

Seriously consider buying a regular ATmega328P unless this is all they have at your local electronics store.

One time: burning the bootloader

Follow the same instructions as for ATmega328P, but after step 3 edit “boards.txt” within Arduino/hardware/breadboard/avr. Find the line that reads “atmega328bb.build.mcu=atmega328p” and change atmega328p to atmega328. After step 9, revert this change (the bootloader causes the chip to respond in the same way as a ATmega328P).

Every time: uploading sketches

Same instructions as for ATmega328P

ATtiny84 (14-pin DIP)

No bootloader is required.

Diagram: ATtiny84/85 pinout

Uploading sketches:

  1. Connect an unwired Arduino to the computer.

  2. Set Tools/Board to “Arduino/Genuino Uno” and upload the example ArduinoISP sketch.

  3. Open Arduino’s preferences. In Additional Boards Manager URLs, insert https://raw.githubusercontent.com/damellis/attiny/ide-1.6.x-boards-manager/package_damellis_attiny_index.json and press OK.

  4. Go to Tools/Boards/Boards Manager. Search for attiny. Click the first result and press Install.

  5. Restart the Arduino IDE.

  6. Wire the board as follows.

    ATtiny84 on a breadboard programming configuration

  7. Set Tools/Board to ATtiny24/44/84

  8. Set Tools/Processer to ATtiny84

  9. Set Tools/Clock to 1MHz

  10. Set Tools/Programmer to Arduino as ISP.

  11. Click Sketch/Upload using Programmer.

ATtiny85 (8-pin DIP)

No bootloader is required.

Uploading sketches:

Follow the instructions for the ATtiny84. For step 6, wire the board as follows:

ATtiny85 on a breadboard programming configuration

For step 7, select ATtiny25/45/85. For step 8, select ATtiny85.

Sources: