AVR-Chat

Paul Maddox wrote:

> Dear all,
> 
>   Is it possible to somehow program say 40 or 50 AVRs all at the same time?
> Or somehow automate it?

I built a programming jig that can program AVR's quite quickly, it first 
programs the fuses for external clock 16Mhz etc. then programms at ~8Mhz 
then programs the fuses as they are needed.

>  Also is it possible to do this with Surface mount versions before they're
> inserted into the PCB?

Yeap mine has a TSOP socket, but they are expensive.
> 
>  I've had a look and the only thing I can find has lots of 10way IDCs, so
> I'd need to mount them all before programming them, which adds parts and
> space (and hence cost) to the PCBs?
> 

You can use the Idea I use on production PCB's I just place 6 Pads on 
the PCB with a PTH hole, the trace is connected on the bottom of the PCB 
and the top pad has NO traces leeding from it (this is to prevent 
problems if the PTH is damaged) then I press the PCB on a set of gold 
nails and the points sit in the PTH hole, I have a traffic light that 
tells me what is happening (RED means Fail Green means PASS and Yellow 
means programming) If you want speed and you know the PCB is ok and the 
program algorythm is good then you can skip the verify and just test the 
PCB's that fail (sometimes some chips need a slightly slower SCK for ISP)

This method does not add much in the way of board realestate, and 
virtually nill cost (only 6 extra holes and size is not important as 
long as you can get some gold nails (mine are Oscope probe tips from RS 
that are just soldered to a dummy PCB (I try to keep as many designs as 
possible using the same mounting holes and places for the ISP connections)

Another option one customer of mine uses is to route the traces to the 
edge of the PCB and has a snap off section that goes into an edge card 
connector, just rub the contacts with a pencil eraser, plug in, program, 
test and snap off the excess PCB (the traces are spaced apart wide 
enough not to need any cleaning once snapped and do not short out....


Regards,

Kat.




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