Readme.txt

   1 This is the README file for USBasp.
   2
   3 USBasp is a USB in-circuit programmer for Atmel AVR controllers. It simply
   4 consists of an ATMega48 or an ATMega8 and a couple of passive components.
   5 The programmer uses a firmware-only USB driver, no special USB controller
   6 is needed.
   7
   8 Features:
   9 - Works under multiple platforms. Linux, Mac OS X and Windows are tested.
  10 - No special controllers or smd components are needed.
  11 - Programming speed is up to 5kBytes/sec.
  12 - SCK option to support targets with low clock speed (< 1,5MHz).
  13 - Planned: serial interface to target (e.g. for debugging).
  14
  15
  16 LICENSE
  17
  18 The project is built with AVR USB driver by Objective Development, which is
  19 published under a proprietary Open Source license. To conform with this
  20 license, USBasp is distributed under the same license conditions. See the
  21 file "firmware/usbdrv/License.txt" for details.
  22
  23
  24 LIMITATIONS
  25
  26 Hardware:
  27 This package includes a circuit diagram. That circuit can only be used for
  28 programming 5V target systems. For other systems a level converter is needed.
  29
  30 Firmware:
  31 The firmware dosn't support USB Suspend Mode. A bidirectional serial
  32 interface to slave exists in hardware but the firmware doesn't support it yet.
  33
  34
  35 USE PRECOMPILED VERSION
  36
  37 Firmware:
  38 Flash "bin/firmware/usbasp.atmega48.xxxx-xx-xx.hex" or
  39 "bin/firmware/usbasp.atmega8.xxxx-xx-xx.hex" to the used controller with a
  40 working programmer (e.g. with avrdude, uisp, ...). Set jumper J2 to activate
  41 USBasp firmware update function.
  42 You have to change the fuse bits for external crystal (see "make fuses").
  43 # TARGET=atmega8    HFUSE=0xc9  LFUSE=0xef
  44 # TARGET=atmega48   HFUSE=0xdd  LFUSE=0xff
  45
  46 Windows:
  47 Start Windows and connect USBasp to the system. When Windows asks for a
  48 driver, choose "bin/win-driver". On Win2k and WinXP systems, Windows will
  49 warn that the driver is is not 'digitally signed'. Ignore this message and
  50 continue with the installation.
  51 Now you can run avrdude. Examples:
  52 1. Enter terminal mode with an AT90S2313 connected to the programmer:
  53    avrdude -c usbasp -p at90s2313 -t
  54 2. Write main.hex to the flash of an ATmega8:
  55    avrdude -c usbasp -p atmega8 -U flash:w:main.hex
  56
  57 Setting jumpers:
  58 J1 Power target
  59    Supply target with 5V (USB voltage). Be careful with this option, the
  60    circuit isn't protected against short circuit!
  61 J2 Jumper for firmware upgrade (not self-upgradable)
  62    Set this jumper for flashing the ATMega(4)8 of USBasp with another working
  63    programmer.
  64 J3 SCK option
  65    If the target clock is lower than 1,5 MHz, you have to set this jumper.
  66    Then SCK is scaled down from 375 kHz to about 8 kHz.
  67
  68
  69 BUILDING AND INSTALLING FROM SOURCE CODE
  70
  71 Firmware:
  72 To compile the firmware
  73 1. install the GNU toolchain for AVR microcontrollers (avr-gcc, avr-libc),
  74 2. change directory to firmware/
  75 3. run "make main.hex"
  76 4. flash "main.hex" to the ATMega(4)8. E.g. with uisp or avrdude (check
  77 the Makefile option "make flash"). To flash the firmware you have
  78 to set jumper J2 and connect USBasp to a working programmer.
  79 You have to change the fuse bits for external crystal, (check the Makefile
  80 option "make fuses").
  81
  82 Software (avrdude):
  83 AVRDUDE supports USBasp since version 5.2.
  84 1. install libusb: http://libusb.sourceforge.net/
  85 2. get latest avrdude release: http://download.savannah.gnu.org/releases/avrdude/
  86 3. cd avrdude-X.X.X
  87 5. configure to your environment:
  88    ./bootstrap (I had to comment out the two if-blocks which verify the
  89                 installed versions of autoconf and automake)
  90    ./configure
  91 6. compile and install it:
  92    make
  93    make install
  94
  95 Notes on Windows (Cygwin):
  96 Download libusb-win32-device-bin-x.x.x.x.tar.gz from
  97 http://libusb-win32.sourceforge.net/ and unpack it.
  98 -> copy lib/gcc/libusb.a to lib-path
  99 -> copy include/usb.h to include-path
 100 cd avrdude
 101 ./configure LDFLAGS="-static" --enable-versioned-doc=no
 102 make
 103
 104 Notes on Darwin/MacOS X:
 105 after "./configure" I had to edit Makefile:
 106 change "avrdude_CPPFLAGS" to "AM_CPPFLAGS"
 107 (why is this needed only on mac? bug in configure.ac?)
 108
 109
 110 FILES IN THE DISTRIBUTION
 111
 112 Readme.txt ...................... The file you are currently reading
 113 firmware ........................ Source code of the controller firmware
 114 firmware/usbdrv ................. AVR USB driver by Objective Development
 115 firmware/usbdrv/License.txt ..... Public license for AVR USB driver and USBasp
 116 circuit ......................... Circuit diagram in PDF and EAGLE format
 117 bin ............................. Precompiled programs
 118 bin/win-driver .................. Windows driver
 119 bin/firmware .................... Precompiled firmware
 120
 121
 122 MORE INFORMATION
 123
 124 For more information on USBasp and it's components please visit the
 125 following URLs:
 126
 127 USBasp .......................... http://www.fischl.de/usbasp/
 128
 129 Firmware-only AVR USB driver .... http://www.obdev.at/products/avrusb/
 130 avrdude ......................... http://www.nongnu.org/avrdude/
 131 libusb .......................... http://libusb.sourceforge.net/
 132 libusb-win32 .................... http://libusb-win32.sourceforge.net/
 133
 134
 135 2006-12-29 Thomas Fischl <tfischl@gmx.de>
 136 http://www.fischl.de