Hacking programmer for chiip

[WII20]

I have tried building the programmer for Chiip four times and every time I run the programmer from chiipwin32.exe file, it says "avr device not responding" "initialization failed rc=1" I don't know what I'm doing wrong; I have checked the connections and they all seem to be ok and it still doesn't work.

Any suggestions? (is it possible that someone in the US can build a Chiip programmer for me and send it to me for a reasonable price?) Thanks

 

[Perplexer]

If you're running WinNT/Win2K/WinXP, then did you first install giveio? This allows AVRDude direct access to the hardware.

Download the AVRDude win32 app and batch files, then make sure you run install_giveio.bat FIRST, then program the chiip.

 

[WII20]

hey perplexer, thanks for the advice; but I just tried doing that and I still get the same error....

 

[fiver]

Show us the exact command line you are using. Also, are you certain that your parallel port works correctly?

 

[mikeosoft]

hey man i could build you one, i'm in Boston Massachusetts

 

[WII20]

I downloaded the batch files that Perplexer linked to and downloaded the AVR DUDE Chiip Beta 4 file. I clicked on install giveio , and then clicked on program and I still get the same message "avr device not responding". Here is a pic of the 4th programmer I built: (I used 30 awg wire)
I tried this on both a desktop and a laptop. Mikesoft, I'm gonna send you a pm shortly.

 

[fiver]

It's kinda hard to tell from your pic, are you sure you used 220 ohm and not 220k ohm resistors?

 

[WII20]

Ye, I used 220 Ohm resistors; I ordered all the parts from futurlec (which someone posted the part list before). The other times around, I had to go out and get 47uf capacitor at 35v instead of 25v from Radioshack. I also had to get get two 16 pin IC sockets and glue them together (the atmel chip fits in perfect), since they don't carry 28 pin IC sockets. I also soldered the pins of the resistors at 4,5,6,7,8 of the sub connector together, soldered a wire to that and then soldered the wire to the capacitor and then from there soldered another wire from the capacitor to the IC socket. I did the same for point 25 but without a resistor. There was also times where when I was soldering, I felt the wire getting very hot; is it possible that one of the wires may have been burnt out?

(To solder the wire unto the resistors and pins of the IC Socket, I formed a circle with the tip of the stripped wire and then just slid it on the pin (like threading with a needle) and then soldered.)

 

[anitabill]

I could be wrong because it is hard to see in your picture. I think you did the same thing we did when we built ours. On the diagram on the Chiip website you are looking at socket from the top. Not from underneath like he describes for the D-SUB 25. It appears you have the wires reversed on your socket. I did the same thing the first time and received the exact same error. Again I could be wrong…If you can take a better pic it would helpful.

TheTwins

 

[Perplexer]

I agree with Anitabill; it looks like you have the wires connected to the wrong pins on your (32-pin

) socket.

 

[twintwo]

I think you are right on the money.... From the looks of your pic, it does look like exactly what myself and anitabill did the first time we built it. Same error also. If so... should be a quick fix to reverse the wiring.

 

[WII20]

YES!!, I thought the diagram was from underneath , thats how i connected the pins!! When I get home tonight, I'm going to reverse the connections and see what happens,, and I'll also take a better pic. Thanks so much guys!!!! I hope this works

 

[twintwo]

We are keeping our fingers crossed for ya

The Twins

 

[hazamatic]

Haha yeah I did the same thing when I built my programmer (reversed the connections).

Good luck man, I'm sure it'll work when you fix the connections.

 

[mikeosoft]

hey man congrats, i almost did that too but caught it when i looked the final time b4 soldering... lol. guess u don't need me ha, i enjoyed this project alot

 

[WII20]

I reversed the connections and it still gives me the "avr not responding" message :'( . Heres a pic of the programmer after I reveresed the pins

 

[anitabill]

The pic is very blurry. But I dont see the (-) side of your capacitor connected to pin 25 on the D-SUB 25 connector. Is it there? I can see it connected to 7 on the socket but it also needs to be connected to 25 on the D-SUB 25 connector.

 

[WII20]

hey anitabill, it doesn't look like its connected, but i just doublechecked and it is....

 

[Smack]

just to be safe, try your programmer on a different computer/LPT port and see if you get the same result. I got the exact parts from futurlec so if it helps look at the back of the 25pin connector. Each pin is numbered on the solder side. You mentioned you used a different capacitor but I honestly have no idea if that would make a difference.

Check the end of the resistor on pin 9. It looks like it might touch the cluster of 4-8. What does you chip itself look like. Is it possible that you fried it soldering to it?

 

[WII20]

I haven't soldered anything to the chip yet but, when I was reverse soldering the pins of the ic socket, i forgot to take out the chip out from the socket. The chip felt hot (from the heat transfered) but the chip pins look alright. Could I have fried the chip this way?