AVR-Chat

--- In AVR-Chat@yahoogroups.com, farhan ahmad <a_decent22@...> wrote:
>
> ... I have designed the PCB ... (ATMEG64L)
> ... For 100 PCB's ... Is there any efficient
> way of programming the PCB without worrying
> about Fuse Bits. 

Farhan,

So, you've learned that you will have to deal with fuses but that nobody else considers it a big deal.  (For the ATmega64L, I think fuses are particularly important as you have to clear a fuse that turns this device into an ATmega103 or some such nonsense.)

The method I use personally is the "auto" tab of the programmer dialog in AVR Studio.  I just connect a target, punch the button, wait a few seconds and repeat until I get to the bottom of the stack of targets to be programmed.

To help you further, we'd need to know a little more about your hardware.  Have you used the ISP or JTAG programming interface?  JTAG has the advantage that it provides its own clock and so can be fast even if the initial fuse settings are for a slow internal clock.  Have you connected target power to the programming connector (pin 7 for JTAG)?  If so, you can probably feed power in at this connector, so for each unit you need to program you are only making one connection.

For example, suppose you chose JTAG.  Get yourself an inexpensive target-powered JTAG interface such as the AVR ICE-Cube.  Solder flying leads to target power and ground on the back of the ICE-Cube and connect a suitable source of power.  See also:
http://www.ecrostech.com/AtmelAvr/AvrIceCube/Target.htm
Connect this programmer to the first unit and carefully go through the steps to program it, always setting lock bits last.  Now, go to the auto tab and check the necessary steps.  Disconnect the programmed unit and connect the next, punch the button on the auto tab to automatically replay the programming steps.  When it's done, disconnect and connect the next.  You'll be able to get through your 100 pieces in ten or twenty minutes like this.  There is no need to dismiss and re-invoke the programming dialog.

Graham.