Attiny25/45/85 FW Development Thread

BTW, Atmel was just bought out by Dailog Semiconductor (Dia who? Never heard of them… ):

Too slow Atmel acquired by Dialog

I wonder how lower frequencies are generated. Simple mechanisms like non-linearity only generate higher harmonics, overtones. Maybe the controller doesn’t keep the 19 KHz constant?

There has to be another frequency for that, maybe a loop in the code?

Skip the 45v and go straight to the 85v. It’s cheaper than the 45v on mouser and digikey, in single quantities and every other quantity level.

Thanks, will do. Need to order a Pomano 5250 clip also. Just broke mine in trying to get it to work. At least pretty sure I know wut the problem is now - too much solder on the legs, could be the over-used clip also. Think when the solder paste creeps up on the top of the legs, can't get a good grasp. I have a 25 based driver built up for a AS31 light sitting on the stock stripped driver with the switch and was able to get my old clip (black no name) working on it, so can hopefully get some testing done.

I got in my new Pomona 5250 clip now. I still can't reprogram a mounted 25V. I took an 85V, bent in the legs. I can "air" reprogram it over and over again. So I mounted it on a A22DD+1 board, continuity checked all the pins. Looks like a real nice setup for developing with - should be easy to get good contact on the clip. So, clipped it on - the test AVRDUDE command works every time - sees the ID as an 85. But when I program it, it downloads, and fails the verification of the program on the first byte every time - every time over and over. It sure looks like a good clip-on. With the bent legs, looks easier to get a good contact on all the pins. I tried several things - cleaning the pins, shimming it around - I don't know what else to do or try at this point -- out of ideas. Is there something on the driver board circuit maybe interfering with the 85?

This is the error:

avrdude: verifying ...
avrdude: verification error, first mismatch at byte 0x0000
0x4a != 0x00
avrdude: verification error; content mismatch

Any help or suggestions are extremely welcome...

Update: Just tried the "-V" option to turn off verification, but didn't help. It proceeded in programming the fuses but failed on each. The driver, also, doesn't seem to work at all.

Update: Also tried another stock 85V in "air" programming it -- works every time over and over again.

^

You know much more about this stuff than me, but I have to say that it does sound like something in the circuit design is interfering. Which board are you using and does it just have the typical components connected?

Edit: opps, the A22DD+

EDIT2: That is wight's 22mm board, right? I take it you don't have the OTC cap installed.

Right, no OTC cap. I'm using brownout detection for the power switch. I'm so close............

I think I have that driver with the 45V. I can try to flash it tonight and see what happens. Can you post or email me the exact FW you are trying to flash and the fuses?

I also have this one that is modded.

Ahhh - the firmware is my under test/debug/pre-cursor/not-quite-there version, if you know what I mean...

I'm looking around, and found someone else: vex_zg, who seems to have had similar experiences, here: https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/31826.

So, he set 8 Mhz and turned off the /8 clock option... Hhmm - I'll try anything. He has very similar experiences though - the MCU seems bricked then comes back to life! Exactly what I saw. I'm also pm'ing RMM, TK, and Mike C and asking them to check in. I know Mike has done 85 work, and RMM and TK I think started.

Are you programming at 5v?
Slower avrdude programming speed? Like -B 4. Higher is slower, max is 64.

Yes.

ImA4Wheelr - what is that hugh part on that driver pic? Mine is the same driver, yes. Dunno, vex_zg pm'ed me, saying might be something on the driver PCB, but weird because it was basically all working. I've been using this same driver. I should really just try another one built up though, maybe different design too.

The default avrdude programming SCK speed is suppose to be suitable for target MCUs running at 4 MHz clock and above. What did clock did you have the attiny85 set to?

Try avrdude -p t85 -B 4 -c usbasp

I’ve heard most chinese firmware will automatically adjust SCK though.

Just did try "-B 4"- no difference. My fuses right now are:

-Ulfuse:w:0xe2:m -Uhfuse:w:0xde:m -Uefuse:w:0xff:m

I'm using 8 Mhz, tried with and without /8 clock option, and I have brownout enabled for 1.8v.

Just tried "-B 40" and no difference.

I'm gonna remove this 85V and install one I "air" programmed. Betta the new one will work on the board, maybe can't re-program it though, and the old one will probably air program... This is ugly if this is how it's gonna be...

Minutes later....

I pulled the old one off, traced MCU pins on the board all over the place - looks real good, nothing grnd'ed that shouldn't be. Yes - new one worked on the board, w/bugs of course. Old one can now be programmed in "air". New one on the board can't be reprogrammed - once I tried (of course) to program it, the program is trashed, once again. Back in the mess I started with.

Madness I Tell You!! Sheer Madness!

Do you have an unpopulated pcb? I’d try a tiny85 on an empty board then populate one component at a time! Hunt that evil thing down!

Which usbasp do you have? Blue one with a slow SCK jumper?

I think the chinese usbasp firmware might not respond to the avrdude -B command. I'd recommend trying the slow jumper.

I feel for you Tom E. I cant offer you any help except my support for what your doing.

Hhhmmm, I got two dongles - quite unusual I would think... I think they are the same config - I'll check, after another beer. I do not have a drinking problem - or a flashlight problem... Tongue Out

Updates:

  • The JP3 jumper didn't work either - same result
  • I mounted the 85V with the bent legs that I could air program onto a blank 17mm wight DD+1 (different driver) and same problem - verify fails on the first byte. So, it's a bare board with no components other than the MCU. Clip looks well secured - looks like all legs are making contact. I buzzed out the legs and all looked good.

^

So is it the driver board that is the problem? I don't know what " I buzzed out the legs and all looked good." means. I've been flashing chips on the 17mm board without issue, but I don't recall if I have flashed any on 22mm boards.

Tom E wrote:

. . . ImA4Wheelr - what is that hugh part on that driver pic? . . . .

That is a LDO Voltage Regulator. It's an LM2936. I'm using it instead of doing the Zener mod so that I can have a momentary switch and greater than 1S cells and not have to worry about parasitic drain if I accidentally forget to lock out.

EDIT: Fixed my the above quote. Pasted the wrong text.

Sorry, updated post #243 - I tried a different driver altogether - a 17mm as opposed to a 22mm, both wight designs, both FET+1 boards, both have the same verification problem: can't seem to write/program anything to the 85V when mounted.

- The 22mm is fully populated

- the 17mm is bare with only the 85V mounted