PaulieT 
Hello Fellow AVR Freaks,
I’m using an Atmel-ICE and designing some hardware where I need to include programming headers and I am also making some special cables for the ICE.
The manual for the Atmel-ICE explains all the interface header requirements over several pages, so, I created a one page summary to make it easier for me.
Maybe some other users could benefit from this, so, I attached a PDF copy. If you see any errors, let me know.
Best regards,
Paul
js 
Nice, I'll make a sticky.
Thanks for the cheat sheet. Very nice!
Are the pin numbers on the 10-pin cable funky on the Atmel ICE? I tried making some breakout boards that have wiring that matches your cheat sheet and they don't work. I get a message that sez the target voltage is low. I don't see anything in the docs that talk about it.
--timR
js Are the pin numbers on the 10-pin cable funky on the Atmel ICE?
Not funky or wonky, what kind of a breakout board did you make and why would you need such a thing?
The ice comes already with a breakout board for ISP (6 pin Atmel standard for more than 16 years) and JTAG (10 pin).
the target voltage is low
Is your board powered up? If so then you have you wiring incorrect.
I get a message that sez the target voltage is low.
So hav u measure it wiv a meter 2 verify?
Please note: the VCC in the diagrams is the power from the target that is sensed by the ICE. The ICE does not provide power to the target, the target must have its own power.
My target is fine; I can use an AVRISPII to talk to it. I got the PCB only version of the Atmel ICE to make a test fixture for a product. Maybe that was shortsighted. I made little breakout boards for SPI, 1 wire, etc. I tried the 1 wire adapter on my target and got the low voltage warning.
The reason I asked about the funky cable numbering: when looking at the user manual and the board there is some confusing info. The connectors are marked (on the case and board) with pin 1 on the left, but when you plug a standard ribbon cable into it, the red stripe (denoting pin 1) is on the right. Also when they show a pic of the debug cable pinout (Atmel Atmel-ICE [USER GUIDE], page 15), it shows one end of the cable with pin 1 near the red stripe and the other end shows pin 9&10 near the red stripe.
I'm just trying to verify the pinout of the AVR connector on the ATMEL ICE.
--timbo
gchapman I got the PCB only version of the Atmel ICE to make a test fixture for a product. Maybe that was shortsighted.
The Atmel-ICE production programming C# application might work for Atmel Power Debugger.
https://www.avrfreaks.net/forum/microchipdirect-dev-tool-sale-2017-aug
Microchip
Using Atmel-ICE for AVR® Programming In Mass Production
http://www.microchip.com//wwwAppNotes/AppNotes.aspx?appnote=en599598
js Atmel Atmel-ICE [USER GUIDE], page 15
Are you referring to this?
Fortunately for me my 2 JTAG Mk3 and 2 Atmel ICE have arrived with the breakout boards included but if I were to make any such board I would look for pin 1 on the target connector rather that the side that plugs to the ICE, the target end shows, correctly, the Red trace on pin 1.
I cam here looking for help and when I saw this thread I thought "that's exactly what I need".
I am designing a device using a ATMega328P-AN (TQFP-32). I am planning to buy the $133 "ATATMEL-ICE" for programming and debugging, planning to use AVR Studio.
I was trying to figure out how to add the JTAG connector to my device and what all of the pins should connect to.
It is entirely possible that the above pdf contains all of the information I need, but I am just not understanding it...
clawson 
JTAG would be a good good trick with a 328P! It does not have JTAG. The debug interface for a 328P is "debugWire" which uses a subset of the ISP pins so as long as you make provision for the six ISP pins then you will have the debug interface covered too. Note that debugWire cannot stand any other components connected to the _reset pin.
Ok, that helps. But I still cannot find where to connect the pins of the 6 pin ISP connector that I want to add to my PCB on my device. I've searched and searched the data sheet and the internet, but can't make sense if it. I want to finish my initial prototype PCB design, but I don't know where to connect the ISP connector.
I am on the right track correct? I can add a 6 pin connector ISP to my device board and then program and debug it using Atmel ICE?
EDIT - after looking at the pdf again I don't know where my confusion was. Thank you for this!
JohanEkdahl 
But I still cannot find where to connect the pins of the 6 pin ISP connector that I want to add to my PCB on my device. I've searched and searched the data sheet[...]
Chapter 31 (Memory Programming), section 8 (Serial Downloading), page 360.
Then map to the pinout of the package you're using - Chapter 5 (Pin Configurations), section 1 (Pin-out), pages 14-17.
EDIT: Note that VCC is not intended to supply your board, but should be connected to the VCC of the board so that the programming dongle, e.g. Atmel-ICE can sense the supply voltage.
EDIT-EDIT: ...which has already been mentioned by frog_jr in #6 .
So looking at the debug cable 'pinout', see how the 10-pin connectors are backwards from each other? And how the numbering changes? This means you cannot use a straight cable without swapping pins on the target. Since I am making my own adapter boards this is not a problem. I was hoping someone could verify the pinouts.
--tr
So looking at the debug cable 'pinout', see how the 10-pin connectors are backwards from each other? And how the numbering changes?
Yes, the connectors on the Atmel-ICE PCB itself are reversed, obviously a screw up. Atmel compensate for that by reversing one connector on the supplied cable. If you make your own, copy it exactly! A standard (1:1) off the shelf cable will not work.
After the reversing, the pin numbering at the target is as expected.
I don't have the cable as I unfortunatly bought the pcba version.
When you say reverse. Do you mean pin
2 inverted with 9
4 inverted with 7
6 inverted with 5
8 inverted with 3
10 inverted with 1
or
1 inverted with 9
3 inverted with 7
5 not inverted
2 inverted with 10
4 inverted with 8
6 not inverted
In the second case that doesn't work with my test
From my test it would be the first proposal, It looks like the keyed in on the oposite of the wire
Can anyone confirm ?
Thanks
js Looking at the ICE carefully I see an arrow on both connectors marking pin 1 which is not what I think as pin 1. (maybe pin 9)
It looks like the keyed in on the oposite of the wire
That's what it looks like
EDIT just looked at the JTAG Ice Mk3 and it has the same arrow pointing to pin one as above.
js oops I remembered that you don't have a box with your ICE, I found this image that shows the arrows pointing to pin 1. The other side form where I would look for pin 1.
Hi,
Thank you very much, I higly regret to not have bought at least the basic kit,
I thought it was ok because I had and my bed of nail was 10 pin conector not 6 pin and got what was necessary :
https://www.adafruit.com/product... and https://www.adafruit.com/product... and which are perfect if you have the correct pinout
I've already program my batch of board with my usbasp programmer (I wanted to speed up the programing time by unsing the ICE programer) with it so will try to use it for next batch and give feedback
js I think that if you just cut one of the connector off and put another one on upside down as in the top picture then the 10 pins will be good, you will need to figure out how to wire up the interface board.
Or you can get robbed by Microchip/Digikey and get the correct cable. https://www.digikey.com/product-...
It's ok, I'll try this and if it burn the board and/or the programmer I'll buy the basic or full version to get the case and the wire
I hope ICE programmer is much faster than usbasp programmer, that's my reason for switching
david.prentice The ATMEL-ICE is not going to be significantly faster than USBASP.
ICSP programming speed depends on programmer comms with the PC and the SCK speed between programmer and SPI interface of the AVR.
Comms depend on USB throughput. USBv2.0 is faster than USBv1. The USB traffic does not contribute much to the overall time.
The SCK speed must be <= 1/4 AVR clock speed.
Enable the best clock for the best SCK speed. e.g. set fuses first. crystal oscillator, no CLKDIV8
Just use the appropriate avrdude commands with USBASP i.e. the SCK speed.
Chinese USBASP firmware sets the appropriate SCK speed automatically.
For one-off hobbyist use, the USBASP works fine.
If you use the wrong SCK speed with ATMEL-ICE it will be crippled too.
If you are doing production programming, it is important to set the SCK speed correctly.
But you are hardly likely to use ATMEL-ICE or USBASP if you are sitting in front of a bench with 1000 boards to program.
The ATMEL-ICE is much faster for debugWIRE, JTAG, PDI, ... debugging than previous Dragon, JTAGICE-mkII, JTAGICE-3
David.
Thank you, for this clear answer, I use external 8Mhz resonator, so I will first set fuse, then program with 2Mhz clk
Indeed I have 1k unit to program :-) And done 50 boards yesterday. Each boards takes me 10s which I would like to improve :-)
"Chinese USBASP firmware sets the appropriate SCK speed automatically."
I'm using chineese usbasp version that avrdude is warning for setting clock error.
Do you mean this kind of USBASP switchs to 1/4 MCU speed automaticly ?
david.prentice Which target AVR?
How big is the program?
Pogo pins or 3x2 header ?
.
1000 units at 2 sec per unit is 33 minutes.
Even at 10 sec per unit is 167 minutes. By which time you deserve a cup of tea.
.
Having a comfortable chair and convenient fixtures is important.
.
David.
Attiny85, exact time is 8,5s but it includes rebuild of firmware as firmware includes serial number as I got some devices with eeprom been corrupted in the field (may be because of brown out fuse not set at that time, but don't want to take any risk)
Programing time includes includes flash and readback check, fuse and read protection lock. I think it it is half of the 8,5 s
Program size is 4k and I'm using a bed of nails with pogo pins and usually do batch of 50-100 units at once so it's ok, it's around 15-20s per board including board exchange and positioning
gchapman Program size is 4k ...
More about ISP SPI speed :
Pololu
5.7. Programming faster
via https://www.pololu.com/product/3172/
ronhymes JTAGICE & ATMEL-ICE 6-pin vs 10-pin. Does debugwire function through the 6-pin ISP connector or does it require the 10-pin?
If 10-pin only for debug, is there a published interface to an AVR such as attiny24?
js With Atmel original tools you have 6 pin header for ISP and also for debugwire for small chips such as the Tiny24.
The 10 pin header is for JTAG debugging for larger chips.
clawson Does debugwire function
