Hi, I have a ssc-32 but the Atmega8 doesnt work.
I have another Atmega8L and I want to introduce thee code of the ssc-32 to the chip.
Can anyone help me doing this.
Thanks.
Hi Oscar,
I can program them, but you’d have to send it to me along with an SASE (Self Addressed, Stamped Envelope). That is, as long as LM is OK with it.
See if LM can do it for you first. Might not even be your chip.
You might as well get a new '168 chip! The Beta .ABL file is posted, but I don’t know if it has the boot loader in it.
Alan KM6VV
Thanks a lot, but I am from Mexico, and I need to this the faster it can be possible…
Can you tell me how to do it pleaseeeee 
…
I need to finish the project for nov.20 so theres no more time…
If you can tell me how to do it it’ll be great…
Thanks
Since the ssc-32 is supposed to be part of an “open source” type of project, I’d just swap chips and see if your choise of firmware can be loaded into the new chip using the lynxterm application.
Hi Oscar,
If you need it that quick, second-day order it from LM.
Otherwise, buy the CodeVision AVR compiler, a programmer, download the older source for the chip you have, and program it.
If your chip is still recognized by SEQ or Lynxterm, simply download the program (see the SSC32 page bottom in the LM catalog) and re-program the part. In order for the chip to be programmed, it’s boot loader must still be intact. A new, blank chip will not have that bootloader; and will require a programmer (hardware). In that case, AVR Studio4 can be used to program the part; and a STK500 or AVRISP MKII, etc. are the hardware programmers required.
Well, do we know if the ABL file is complete with the boot loader, or just meant to be downloaded w/ SEQ/Lynxterm? No new source code seen yet.
Alan KM6VV
Can’t say about the bootloader status. As the alternative will probably be a new ssc-32 at $40+, I’d give it a shot to see what happens. Could be a dead end, but you never know till you try.
edit:
Looking at the ssc-32 schematic, the normal programming pins on he chip don’t seem to be connected to anything, so the bootloader section may need to be pre loaded in the chip.
lynxmotion.com/Product.aspx? … egoryID=52
lynxmotion.com/images/html/proj078.htm
If you are facing a deadline than you have to balance the need to hit that deadline with the cost in time and money to solve your problem. welcome to a first hand real view of industry type issues.
The simplest, safest, and most direct solution to your problem is to buy another SSC-32 and have it shipped overnight to you. You are out $50USD, but you are up working and back on track to meeting your goal.
Consider this… We all think it is probably the Atmel IC that is dead but that may not be the only thing that died. You could easily find that even if you re-program a new chip you are no better off than you are now, possibly even worse off as you would again have to start trouble shooting from nearly zero. meanwhile the clock is ticking…
Soldiering on though… If you already have another ATMega8 sitting there how did you plan on programming it for whatever it was purchased for? What do you have for development tools available? Some of the Atmel devices have built in bootloaders but I don’t think the ATMega8 is that sophisticated. You will need a programmer of some sort so you need to figure out what is available and work from there.
I’d hafta agree with Eddie, if you’re going to order something, maximize the effort, get the board which directly solves the problem. Hard telling what other problem(s) might be on the board. Get an extra chip too, which MIGHT fix your current board. With a new chip, you can attempt to fix your current board. What electronics education level (and/or school level) are you at?
Alan KM6VV
Are “extra chips” sold? I asked a while back and there was no answer.
Not yet but Jim has indicated when the new 2.00 code is released (out of beta) he is planning on making 168’s with the code programmed into them available to buy.
My interest is in the current chip for doing other things beyond robotics, such as web based home/business security/monitoring/control applications. The new chip may have extra unneeded features that would tend to make it less desirable for those applications.
The source code is all there for the current 1.06 (whatever) version. Also there is ASM code for the boot loader. Do you have a programmer (MKII, only about $30+)? That’s cheap. Someone might be able to program them for you!
Actually, I wouldn’t think they’d be that useful for anything other then R/C servo driving. The Atom boards would do the tasks you indicate better.
What programming languages are you interested in?
Alan KM6VV
This is a great idea. It would be nice-- if the chip ever does go bad–you can keep the same board and just pop in a replacement.
Back to the origional issue, if one is electrically inclined, it might be possible to program a fresh chip in the ssc-32. If time is short, then maybe a DIY programmer could be made. Below is a simple DIY type of programmer that works with the PonyProg application.
lancos.com/prog.html
sparkfun.com/commerce/produc … ucts_id=14
olimex.com/dev/images/avr-pg1b-sch.gif
olimex.com/dev/images/avr-icsp-10.gif
There would appear to be another problem. Unless one has a HEX file (ABL is supplied for download), then you can’t program a “fresh” (no boot) chip, as far as I can see.
Oh well, I can’t get my STK 500 to talk to the PC or the AVRISP MKII to talk to the ATMega168 chip anyway!
When I get to the machine with the compiler, I’ll see if I can compile code for the ATMega168. That should give me a boot loader on the '168 (I think), and from there the SSC32 board and Lynxterm or SEQ MIGHT allow me to re-program new 2.0 code. I think…
Alan KM6VV
I believe they have the source and hex files for the boot loader up under open source. lynxmotion.com/images/html/proj078.htm
I wonder if this same boot loader would work on the new 168 processors.
Kurt
Hi Kurt,
Yes, I’ve worked the 1.03 code. I’m hoping I can still use the boot loader! I’m going to re-compile for the -168 chip, program it, and see if I can then download the new 2.0 abl. That will have to do until the next open-source release.
Alan KM6VV
UPDATE:
Well, the Mega8 boot loader (bootldr8.hex) won’t run on the '168, expected as much. And assembling the bootldr8.asm file with a new INC file (m168def.inc) yields 20+ errors, due to different labels used for registers. I haven’t studied further to see if it’s just a simple edit job, or a re-write.
At this point we need new boot files for the '168 before proceeding.
Alan KM6VV