Guide: how to flash ATtiny13a based drivers (NANJG, QLITE, etc.) with custom firmware

You’re all welcome! Big thanks to all those BLF’ers whose posts made it possible for me to figure this out! :party: And for the efforts of the likes of DrJones, JonnyC, Tido, and others for creating and sharing their code!

Do it djozz!

Good job Hoop, I like this compilation guide. Those are all great resources you tapped into there and I think you’ve put them together well. We’ve been needing for someone to do this.

In order to repair the forum software’s butchering of your command line text, you can try using the HTML PRE tag. - HTML pre tag After bracketing your text with the PRE tag you’ll have this:

avrdude -p t13 -c usbasp -u -Uflash:w:star.hex:a -Ulfuse:w:0x75:m -Uhfuse:w:0xFF:m

Very nice Hoop, I think you may have just pushed me enough over the edge into buying the equipment.

Now if I can only learn to solder 8 more 7135s proficiently to the QLITE REV.A 7135*8 3.04A, I’ll have the 5A Eagle Eye X6’s I wanted for around $5 more each instead of $15! :slight_smile:

Maybe an addition of everyone’s modes and examples would be a good addition?

It’s probably worthwhile to add instructions on the Pomona SOIC clip [5250]. I think the general consensus is that it’s superior in every way and worthwhile over the eBay contraption. It should cost <$20 shipped in the US, but it does not come with cable. I currently have mine hooked up with a harness made from one of these 40-wire female-female strips. Ordering the Pomona clip from Mouser or Digikey is a perfect time to stock up on small components like resistors, capacitors, diodes, FETs, extra ATtiny13A’s, etc.

Nice work Hoop! Concise and well written.

I have been procrastinating - this write up may push me over the edge :slight_smile:

John.

No excuses now :wink:

I wrote a post in another thread with perhaps some useful info: what programmer to buy

At least the info on what AVR Dude responds with if it can find the programmer or not, and then if it can find the chip or not, is of interest. I was having problems and it took me a while to figure it out.

Nice! Good Howto:

Good job!

Not as hard as it seems is it :wink:

Thanks for providing the SOIC8 eBay link. I discarded the idea previously when I found 3M SOIC8 cost about $48 from element14 in my country. I will give it a try when I get hold of the components.

Thanks! Great job and this is very nice compilation indeed. :slight_smile:

Love it!

I like having all useful info in as few posts as possible!

When I flashed a few of mine (never done it again after) I had to ask people through PM, and most information was hidden deep in threads..

luckily you have made a good overview.

you could even change the title to "Guide: How to flash a "you name it" with custom firmware."

edit: it would be very nice if there would be a thread where everyone can post their codes in, so people can copy and paste them....without having to reinvent the wheel.

Thanks Mr Hoop. Seem to remember that you and I had a reflector transaction a few years back. Hoop is a real stand up guy.

Any reason why the wiring is changed at BOTH ends? I mean pulling out the delicate pins on the SOIC clip, when you have already had the connector open a the other end. I’d be inclined to do all the wire swaps at the black plug end

Simply put: you’ve misunderstood which section is the most fragile.

  • The fragile part of the SOIC clip is the “next” section, the section after the part Hoop shows that you need to change. There are 16 pins in the clip itself. The delicate part contains the 8 pins which interface with the IC (they are retained somewhat precariously by melting plastic, glue, etc). The top section of each of those pins is nicely nested inside the middle of the clip and interfaces with it’s mating pin. From that section up is very solid and easy to assemble/disassemble.
  • The IDC connector and ribbon cable is quite sturdy… as long as it’s a cohesive whole. Once you start taking it appart things get worse. Once you start attempting to manually punch things down into those pins without a punchdown tool, it doesn’t feel as sturdy. Once you don’t have a ribbon cable at all and have to tear the ribbon up for 5 centimeters back in order to trade the pinout around…. it really feels like crap. If you broke the cap when you took the IDC connector apart you’re really sunk at that point.

The provided cable (IDC to ribbon to male pins) does not give all necessary signals. It’s an 8 conductor ribbon and 10 pin connector; two of the 10 female pins of the connector do not make a connection to the ribbon. It’s missing MISO. Nobody would take apart the IDC connector if they didn’t need to get MISO. Once you’ve got the appropriate 8 connections on that end swapping the other end is super easy. The end result is as sturdy as a person can expect to get at this price point.

I don’t know which piece is more delicate than the next.

I was just going by what was posted in the very first post of this thread, where he says, in relation to the clip

It just seemed to me easier to only open and tinker with one end. But as long as it wired correctly, it won’t matter

Great job thanks for writing this up. Its just what I needed to get me started.

Well now you know. The part that gets killed is the “business end”. You’ll see wearing out clips mentioned in other SOIC-clip related discussions here on BLF. Damaging the solder joints like Hoop warns about is nothing but an annoyance. Once you have one in hand you’ll understand.

Good idea NeilP. I’ll have to try that and see if it’s any easier.