Programming/Debug hardware

[James Bendall]

Hi.

We're a PIC shop really but we've contracted out a design externally
which uses AVRs. We're going to have to maintain the code and program
the boards as they come in from the assembler.

Just wondering what would be the best hardware to program and debug
these chips.

The devices in question are the ATMega128 and the ATMega8.

 From browsing around the Atmel site and AVR studio it appears to me
that  we're going to end up having to get two separate programmers to do
it. The JTAGIce mkII only supports the 128 for debugging. How about the
Dragon?

The AVRISP mkII looks like it supports both of them for programming.

I guess I'm looking for something like the ICD2 - any ideas? There's so
many different options I'm getting confused.

Thanks.

--
James Bendall
Nu Instruments Ltd, Wrexham
http://www.nu-ins.com
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[John Samperi]

At 09:32 PM 27/09/2007, you wrote:
>Just wondering what would be the best hardware to program and debug
>these chips.
>
>The devices in question are the ATMega128 and the ATMega8.

Any old JTAG (Mk1 or the dearer Mk2) will fully support the M128
both for programming and debugging.

For the M8 you don't really have any debugging tools apart of
(the now obsolete??) ICE50. If it is not too late switch to the
M88 as it has debugWire debugging.

>The AVRISP mkII looks like it supports both of them for programming.

Correct. If however you can change to the M8, pin compatible and mostly
code compatible but some minor changes depending how much of the chip
you use, then the JTAG Mk2 is the one to get as it will support both chips
for programming and debugging.

Regards

John Samperi

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[John Plocher]

>> Just wondering what would be the best hardware to program and debug
>> these chips.


On this topic, anyone have experience with Kanda's AVRisp-u (the usb
version)?   They supply a windows programmer, but no info on how to
use it with avrdude and friends.  As I use a intelMac, I can run windows
in a VM to get a tool chain that works manually (save file, run make,
switch to the Windows window, reload .hex, program - rinse, lather,
repeat) but would rather have things better integrated and not be
forced to use windoze...

Or should I simply buy a dragon?

   -John  (happily playing with M324ps and M168s)


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