Society of Robots - Robot Forum
Software => Software => Topic started by: Trumpkin on December 18, 2007, 09:56:13 AM
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I really need somemone to help me with this problem because I'm near giving up. Whenever I select Write all in Ponyprog it says device missing or unknown device ive tried both with and without the usb to serial adapter I've also tried checking my soldering and I have checked the voltages I also switched out my Atmega 8 chip out two times. I know the settings are correct in ponyprog I selected Atmega 8 and I selected Com port 1 (which is what i'm using). I am beginning to think that I have done everything and I'm really frustrated. >:( >:(
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Could it be that I shocked the voltage regulator?
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Voltage regulator is unlikly to be burnt (untill plugged incorrectly). What programmer are You using? If it is selfmade nothing can be said without schematic. Main project schematic is also strongly welcome. Without that only common recommendations can be told: check voltage on VCC pin of the MCU, search for short cirquits (with DMM), check wiring of ISP cable.
Also ponyprog docs contain following:
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Q: My PC doesn't have any LPT/COM port, can I use a USB2COM or USB2LPT adapter?
A: Some USB adapters don't work at all while other adapters are very slow. So I suggest to avoid USB adapter
and buy COM/LPT PCMCIA or PCI adapters that emulates 100% native LPT and COM ports.
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I'm using the $50 robot microcontroller and I unfortunatley bought the cheap programmer
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First of all, according to ATMEL appnotes RESET ( pin 1) must be pulled up to VCC (not a battery+ !!!!) with 5-10 KOhm resistor and grounded with 0,1 mkF ceramic capaticor. It is Atmel application notes AVR040 (http://www.eetasia.com/ARTICLES/2003APR/A/2003APR25_EMS_MPR_AN04.PDF?SOURCES=DOWNLOAD) and AVR042(http://www.eetindia.com/ARTICLES/2004DEC/A/2004DEC02_MPR_AN07.PDF?SOURCES=DOWNLOAD).
Second, there is control LED in schematic. Doesn`t it flash once when you try to program?
Third, unplug all connectors excluding power and ISP and try with pony again. If it fails, and You sure your wiring is right, there is nearly +5 Volts on VCC when power is on and all connections are OK (You also need to check all ISP wires with DMM, i.e. measure resistance), something is wrong with programmer.
If You have LPT or COM in your PC it is possible to assemble very simple programmer for any of them ( pony supports LPT STK200 programmer with administrator rights, COM programmer is in Russian, but if it is neccesary I can try to translate it to English).
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Here is a page in german for simple AVR serial or parallel ports programmer. Use Altavista or Google to translate the page in english. The translation is not perfect, but lets you get the important stuff.
http://s-huehn.de/elektronik/avr-prog/avr-prog.htm (http://s-huehn.de/elektronik/avr-prog/avr-prog.htm)
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steel monkey, I think you have to program the led to blink
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When RESET goes low ( during programming) LEDs tend to flash even if programming goes wrong (chip undetected for example). It is because logic levels on pins are changing during RESET. So, if it flashes, it shows programmer is working ( but it doesn`t mean that programmer is not working if LED doesn`t flash!). It can be easily observed, that is why I asked it.