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Electronics => Electronics => Topic started by: pomprocker on February 05, 2009, 01:31:46 AM

Title: Possible Axon programmer hack?
Post by: pomprocker on February 05, 2009, 01:31:46 AM
So if you own an Axon, but don't own a programmer, this might work:
http://www.geocities.jp/arduino_diecimila/bootloader/index_en.html (http://www.geocities.jp/arduino_diecimila/bootloader/index_en.html)

Title: Re: Possible Axon programmer hack?
Post by: ed1380 on February 05, 2009, 10:33:36 AM
last i remember the axon already has a bootloader. just need a usb cable
Title: Re: Possible Axon programmer hack?
Post by: pomprocker on February 05, 2009, 10:58:37 AM
last i remember the axon already has a bootloader. just need a usb cable


no no no

People sometimes buy the Axon and maybe need to re-program the bootloader, but don't own an AVRISPMKII or something similar. This hack may work for those folks.
Title: Re: Possible Axon programmer hack?
Post by: MaltiK on February 05, 2009, 01:51:06 PM
Don't you still need a USB-TTL or RS323 Serial cable to write the bootloader, and this is about the same price as a USBtiny ISP?

Title: Re: Possible Axon programmer hack?
Post by: pomprocker on February 05, 2009, 04:16:44 PM
With this hack it doesn't look like it.

The way I can see this works is your just plug the Axon into your computer via USB cable. From there you wire up the TX/RX line directly to your 2x3 programming header.

Unfortunately, I don't own an Axon, otherwise I'd try it out.

You don't need a usb-ttl cable because I believe the Axon has a ft232rl already.
Title: Re: Possible Axon programmer hack?
Post by: Admin on February 06, 2009, 03:40:07 AM
That badly written site appears to show how to upload a bootloader (or any program) to an ATmega without a bootloader or AVRISP programmer.

The Axon has the CP2102 which is a TTL to USB converter IC. This is connected to UART1.

However I believe this site requires you to use the ICSP header with USB somehow, but without spending half an hour studying it I'm not sure what they are saying . . .
Title: Re: Possible Axon programmer hack?
Post by: Ro-Bot-X on February 06, 2009, 06:34:06 AM
The site shows how to use Arduino Diecimilla as a hardware programmer to program other microcontrollers. It also shows how to burn the bootloader to a new mega168 on the Diecimilla board. Pretty interesting. But you have to use it from the command com... I still want a real programmer to be able to program chips directly from IDE.