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 ATMega8 and a couple of passive components. The programmer
   5 uses a firmware-only USB driver, no special USB controller is needed.
   6
   7 Features:
   8 - Works under multiple platforms. Linux, Mac OS X and Windows are tested.
   9 - No special controllers or smd components are needed.
  10 - Programming speed is up to 5kBytes/sec.
  11 - SCK option to support targets with low clock speed (< 1,5MHz).
  12 - Planned: serial interface to target (e.g. for debugging).
  13
  14
  15 LICENSE
  16
  17 The project is built with AVR USB driver by Objective Development, which is
  18 published under a proprietary Open Source license. To conform with this
  19 license, USBasp is distributed under the same license conditions. See the
  20 file "firmware/usbdrv/License.txt" for details.
  21
  22
  23 LIMITATIONS
  24
  25 Hardware:
  26 "circuit/usbasp_5V_circuit.pdf" shows a simple circuit. It doesn't meet the
  27 voltage range on the data lines specified in USB 1.1. Also this circuit can
  28 only be used for programming 5V target systems. For other systems a level
  29 converter is needed.
  30
  31 Firmware:
  32 The firmware dosn't support USB Suspend Mode. A bidirectional serial
  33 interface to slave exists in hardware but the firmware doesn't support it yet.
  34
  35
  36 USE PRECOMPILED VERSION
  37
  38 Firmware:
  39 Flash "bin/firmware/usbasp.xxxx-xx-xx.hex" to the ATMega8 with a working
  40 programmer (e.g. with avrdude, uisp, ...). Set jumper J2 to activate
  41 USBasp firmware update function.
  42
  43 Windows:
  44 Start Windows and connect USBasp to the system. When Windows asks for a
  45 driver, choose "bin/win-driver". On Win2k and WinXP systems, Windows will
  46 warn that the driver is is not 'digitally signed'. Ignore this message and
  47 continue with the installation.
  48 Now you can run the precompiled version of avrdude: change in command line
  49 mode to "bin/win-avrdude" and start the program. Consult the documentation
  50 of avrdude for details. Examples:
  51 1. Enter terminal mode with an AT90S2313 connected to the programmer:
  52    avrdude -c usbasp -p at90s2313 -t
  53 2. Write main.hex to the flash of an ATmega8:
  54    avrdude -c usbasp -p atmega8 -U flash:w:main.hex
  55
  56 Setting jumpers:
  57 J1 Power target
  58    Supply target with 5V (USB voltage). Be careful with this option, the
  59    circuit isn't protected against short circuit!
  60 J2 Jumper for firmware upgrade (not self-upgradable)
  61    Set this jumper for flashing the ATMega8 of USBasp with another working
  62    programmer.
  63 J3 SCK option
  64    If the target clock is lower than 1,5 MHz, you have to set this jumper.
  65    Then SCK is scaled down from 375 kHz to about 8 kHz.
  66
  67
  68 BUILDING AND INSTALLING FROM SOURCE CODE
  69
  70 Firmware:
  71 To compile the firmware
  72 1. install the GNU toolchain for AVR microcontrollers (avr-gcc, avr-libc),
  73 2. change directory to firmware/
  74 3. run "make"
  75 4. flash "main.hex" to the ATMega8. E.g. with uisp or avrdude (check
  76 the Makefile option "make avrdude"). To flash the firmware you have
  77 to set jumper J2 and connect USBasp to a working programmer.
  78
  79 Software (avrdude):
  80 An extension to avrdude (http://www.nongnu.org/avrdude/) was written.
  81 To compile the software:
  82 1. install libusb: http://libusb.sourceforge.net/
  83 2. get the csv version of avrdude:
  84    export CVS_RSH="ssh"
  85    cvs -z3 -d:ext:anoncvs@savannah.nongnu.org:/cvsroot/avrdude co avrdude
  86 3. cp usbasp/software/usbasp.* avrdude/
  87 4. cd avrdude
  88 5. apply the patch:
  89    patch < ../usbasp/software/avrdude_usbasp.xxxx-xx-xx.patch
  90 6. configure to your environment:
  91    ./bootstrap (I had to comment out the two if-blocks which verify the
  92                 installed versions of autoconf and automake)
  93    ./configure
  94 7. compile and install it:
  95    make
  96    make install
  97
  98 Notes on Windows (Cygwin):
  99 Download libusb-win32-device-bin-x.x.x.x.tar.gz from
 100 http://libusb-win32.sourceforge.net/ and unpack it.
 101 -> copy lib/gcc/libusb.a to lib-path
 102 -> copy include/usb.h to include-path
 103 cd avrdude
 104 ./configure LDFLAGS="-static" --enable-versioned-doc=no
 105 make
 106
 107 Notes on Darwin/MacOS X:
 108 after "./configure" I had to edit Makefile:
 109 change "avrdude_CPPFLAGS" to "AM_CPPFLAGS"
 110 (why is this needed only on mac? bug in configure.ac?)
 111
 112
 113 FILES IN THE DISTRIBUTION
 114
 115 Readme.txt ...................... The file you are currently reading
 116 firmware ........................ Source code of the controller firmware
 117 firmware/usbdrv ................. AVR USB driver by Objective Development
 118 firmware/usbdrv/License.txt ..... Public license for AVR USB driver and USBasp
 119 software ........................ Source code of the host software
 120 circuit ......................... Circuit diagram in PDF
 121 bin ............................. Precompiled programs
 122 bin/win-driver .................. Windows driver
 123 bin/win-avrdude ................. avrdude compiled for Windows
 124
 125
 126 MORE INFORMATION
 127
 128 For more information on USBasp and it's components please visit the
 129 following URLs:
 130
 131 USBasp .......................... http://www.fischl.de/usbasp/
 132
 133 Firmware-only AVR USB driver .... http://www.obdev.at/products/avrusb/
 134 avrdude ......................... http://www.nongnu.org/avrdude/
 135 libusb .......................... http://libusb.sourceforge.net/
 136 libusb-win32 .................... http://libusb-win32.sourceforge.net/
 137
 138
 139 2005-04-21 Thomas Fischl <tfischl@gmx.de>
 140 http://www.fischl.de