JTAGICE mkll connector integrity

Log in or register to post comments
Go To Last Post
5 posts / 0 new
Author
Message
schamton
schamton's picture
Level: Hangaround
Joined: Wed. Feb 17, 2010
Posts: 157 View posts
#1
Posted by schamton: Wed. Oct 6, 2010 - 10:55 PM
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
Total votes: 0

Hello,

I'm having some issues with the connector of the programmer. Sometimes i need to press it down so that the pins make good connection to the jtag header and be able to program the chip.

A few questions:

AVR studio 4 shows a couple of 'OKs' when programming a chip, but is this a 100% guarantee that all the software / hex file has been transferred successfully to the chip? or maybe not only transferred, but especially if the chip has been programmed correctly?

Is the head / connector replaceable?

Are there any more robust programmers out there maybe for industrial applications? (that would be able to connect and disconnect and program thousands of atmegas per year?) - I am mostly using atmega16s and atmega64s, but i am not sure what programmer options there are...

--- a few times i had some issues programming chips, and with the same code, some of them would work fine, and maybe a few would not work as expected... what is the failure rate for atmega16s & atmega64s?

thank you!

- Eric

Tags:

AVR Microcontrollers, megaAVR and tinyAVR, ATmega16, ATmega64
Top
Koshchi
Koshchi's picture
Level: 10k+ Postman
Joined: Wed. Nov 17, 2004
Posts: 15658 View posts
Location: Vancouver, BC
Posted by Koshchi: Wed. Oct 6, 2010 - 10:57 PM
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
Total votes: 0

Quote:
but especially if the chip has been programmed correctly?
If you have AVR Studio set to verify the download, then yes.
Quote:
Is the head / connector replaceable?
Yes.

Regards,
Steve A.

The Board helps those that help themselves.

Top
schamton
schamton's picture
Level: Hangaround
Joined: Wed. Feb 17, 2010
Posts: 157 View posts
Posted by schamton: Wed. Oct 6, 2010 - 10:59 PM
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
Total votes: 0

could you tell me how to set up AVR studio to verify the download?

EDIT. there's a 'verify device after programming'... i guess that would do it

Top
schamton
schamton's picture
Level: Hangaround
Joined: Wed. Feb 17, 2010
Posts: 157 View posts
Posted by schamton: Thu. Oct 7, 2010 - 04:07 PM
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
Total votes: 0

any other input?
thanks,
- Eric

Top
stu_san
stu_san's picture
Level: Raving Lunatic
Joined: Fri. Dec 30, 2005
Posts: 2321 View posts
Location: Fort Collins, CO USA
Posted by stu_san: Thu. Oct 7, 2010 - 04:57 PM
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
Total votes: 0

Depending on the volume, you may be able to get Atmel to pre-program them for you. Your Atmel rep might have info on this.

You could design a programming jig with a ZIF socket where the JTAG ICE mkII is quasi-permanently connected to the JIG and you just drop the processor in and program it. Since you won't need many of these boards, a prototyping PC Board house could supply the boards cheap. They won't be terribly complicated so you could lay them out. Check out expresspcb.com -- we've used them in the past and they supply the layout software.

Come up with a fast connect/disconnect connector, put that on all of your boards, and build a wired adapter for the JTAG ICE mkII. Sorry, no suggestions on the connector mechanism.

Use a straight programmer instead of the JTAG ICE mkII. There are several simpler, cheaper models that only program. If you want to stick with JTAG, we used this product for field service folks (but it's still expensive at $149). The connector is simpler flat cable which would be much easier to replace than the cable/connector on the JTAG ICE mkII.

If you're willing to use the ISP programming mechanism instead of JTAG, there are lots of cheaper programmers out there. Check out this programmer from Sparkfun (list price: $14!!).

I would seriously think about separating the engineering/debug function (JTAG ICE mkII) from the manufacturing function (ISP?). If you really are doing thousands of devices a year, a dedicated set of hardware for manufacturing is the right call. With the smaller devices you're talking about (mega 16/64 and so on (hopefully the newer PA models :wink:)), either ISP or JTAG will work fine.

Finally, Google (or Bing, if you swing that way) is your friend. Put in the phrase "AVR programmer" and see what happens.

Stu

Engineering seems to boil down to: Cheap. Fast. Good. Choose two. Sometimes choose only one.

Newbie? Be sure to read the thread Newbie? Start here!

Top