On a Win7 pc the usb driver likely loads and works without issues. I've been using the STK600 (with ATmega2560) in classes at UC Irvine since January (certificate program in Embeded Systems Engineering). On Monday I start an ARM class with the Stellaris EKK-LM3S811.
Jon - Did you say Win XP for your PC. Sorry to hear that. Is FLIP specific to this dev board? AVR Studio 6 works fine with the STK600 dev board.
I don't know if the FLIP software works with all AVR-family processors or just some. Thanks for the note about the STK600 board. I have an STK500 board in my lab, so when I have some "extra" time, I'll see if Studio 6 works with it, too. Great tip.
"cheap" solution for a missing DLL... just shell out $200 for a JTAG?
It depends on how you value your time. If it takes you two days at $500/day (salary, benefits, overhead...) to figure out how to do something ($1000) or $200 to do it now, which do you choose? I used the JTAGICE3 because I have one in my lab. I did not buy it only because a USB connection wouldn't work. If I didn't have it, I'd contact the Atmel tech-support people and work through the problem over several days. Someone noted there's a new driver for the Xplained board. Things might be easier now.
BOOT LOADER: What kind of code is this boot loader capable of loading: custom code, OSs, ...?
The bootloader simply takes your compiled code and loads it into the flash memory. The boot loader doesn't care whether you load an application, OS, or debug utility. Of course you must compile your code for the given processor's machine-language code. That's what the Atmel and 3rd-party tools. If you have an OS in source code and it's compatible with the processor capabilities, you can compile it and load it.
@Rob, I really appreciated the new method where you signal Jon that you have a question and he gives you the go-ahead. The old method of interrupting was really jarring.
Thanks for your comment. We realized that after the first session in which the flow got very choppy and even jarring for Rob and me.
@luizcosta: I suspect that you can participate in DKCEC using an iPad. Certainly the chat widget should. Not sure about the downloaded PowerPoint slides though. Why not try it on an archived session just to be sure that the blogtalkradio audio widget loads and works correctly?
Thanks everyone for participating. Your comments and questions make this a much better program. Jon will come back to answer any additional questions, so feel free to post any more questions you may have.
RE: AVRDRAGON -- from Atmel site: The board (today's subject) is powered by the USB cable and equipped with the standard 10-pin JTAG header that connects to the full range of AVR debuggers.
most projects have used in-circuit serial programming, not JTAG
Many of those serial-programmed devices use the standard JTAG signals, although they might not call their programming port a JTAG connection. JTAG is pretty much standard as far as signals and timing go, but companies use different communication protocols.
For eval use what comes with the kit - if the kit doesn't work I will probably rule them out due to the risk of support issues.
You just get the Atmel Xplained board. Then you download the software and examples. Easy and straightforward. It's better to download software than to trust an enclosed CD-ROM will provide the lastet versions.
Are AVR tools compatible with other JTAG tools (like Segger pods)?
I would bet they are because they would have to provide the same information to a target MCU via its JTAG pins. BUT, you would need specific USB drivers for each pod type. Your best bet: ask the software and hardware manufacturers about compatibility.
@caa028 - good quality video especially for introductory is good. I guess I have tried too many uTube instructions that are poor quality, hard to hear and poorly organized and presented. found most of it to be waste of time.
I agree. I rely mainly on videos on vendor web sites. They provide useful information, whereas many YouTube videos lack information and provide no context.
Jon, how long do think it would take you to get this working without the JTAG?
Well, probably a couple of days after submitting a request for help via the Atmel online support form. The problem could be on my PC rather than the software, although I have used plenty of USB connections with other dev kits without problems. My PC is a fairly "clean" Win XP box that recently had a thorough clean out and reinstallation of Win XP with all updates. So, who knows. If I value my time at $250 per day, it would have been less expensive to buy the JTAGICE3. Then if I didn't use it again I could give it away or pass it on to a colleague. Time is money.
@Mr.E, an Arduino project that caught my eye for beginners was for a bipolar and CMOS transistor curve tracer. It is complete with circuit schematic, arduino code, processing code for the PC XY display and code for an open source version of matlab called scilab.
A really great project that can alsio be turned into a cheap analog signature analyzer.
If you are completely new to microcontrollers, you might start with an Arduino Uno (uses an Atmel chip) or Digilent Uno32 (uses a Microchip MCU). I also recommend the ARM mbed, which uses an NXP ARM microcontroller. All three have free tools and a lot of online support and backup info. I don't think most engineers would have problems using this SAtmel kit, though.
what is the $200 equipment that is needed for $40 kit?
I used an Atmel JTAGICE3 pod, which I already had in my lab. You don't necessarily need this if you can use the boot loader already programmed into the MCU. I suspect my problem might arise from something I did incorrectly during setup and the Atmel tech-support people likely could have helped me work it out. Because I had a JTAGICE3 handy, I used it rather than spend more time with the kit. You don't need this pod to use the kit.
@caa028 - good quality video especially for introductory is good. I guess I have tried too many uTube instructions that are poor quality, hard to hear and poorly organized and presented. found most of it to be waste of time.
@jl - videos are not substitute for documentation... but I seem to like the videos (often audio with slidepack synchronized) better than just a separate audio stream...
Mixed feelings on video. Some are good at training. Others seem to have low information density and you might have to watch most of a long one to see if they cover the topic you want.
short videos are OK, but I prefer written or printed info with drawings and diagrams. probably has a lot to do with how I learned the technology years ago.
@Rob - videos seem to contain very little pertinent information. written and complete docs are more useful. Have never seen a video that has been indexed (like web sites) so that you can skip from one part to another to drill down to the specifics
@Rob: a video presentation of how to do something physical (such as connecting a system) is often very helpful as a supplement to written instructions.
Have used several JTAG debuggers from Atmel and other chip vendors. They are very powerful for the money. Used to have to pay several $K for micro ICE kits, and they only worked with a single micro part number.
@Rob: I use a programming pod for development. However, when evaluating a chip I expect the tools to work as advertised and would invest more time in locating the missing DLL and alerting the manufacturer of the issue so they could resolve it.
If I cannot get the development kit to work as advertised, I generally give up on the emulators and start breadboarding. If I have not decided on which MCU to use, this may have just been dropped.
It's best to have a good pod for use with the processor you end up desinging in your product. However to check out multiple vendor's options, easy and cheap is best.
We normally get a JTag Device/Dedicated Programmer to speed up our Debugging. It normally is worth the additional Price if we are designing a number of boards with the same chip.
But a manufacturer should not be forcing you to purchase another $200 item to make their product work...I would just not buy their boards in the first place...
@Rob - missing information, especially device wiring or connection examples for setting up differnt applications and the devices/sensors for that specific app
@Rob, I really appreciated the new method where you signal Jon that you have a question and he gives you the go-ahead. The old method of interrupting was really jarring.
-The streaming audio player will appear on this web page when the show starts at 2pm eastern today. Note however that some companies block live audio streams. If when the show starts you don't hear any audio, try refreshing your browser.
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