MCU Programmer
Software
The hardware (the programmer) is compatible with the software MCU Programmer, which is also developed by me. With MCU Programmer (see below) you can communicate via the COM-port and tell the programmer what to do. The program is freeware and it's therefore free to copy and use. You can download the program at the last page, source code included. You need MS Windows to be able to run the program, Win95/98/NT/2000/XP.
As you can see above this is the data you can write into the MCU's program memory (flash). You can open an existing Intel Hex File (.HEX) or edit your own data in this window. You can also save your programs in Intel Hex File format, which is very usable when you have a circuit and just want to read the Program Memory and save the program for further use. The Data EEPROM tab is almost the same as the Program Memory tab.
It is possible to read Flash/EEPROM, write Flash/EEPROM, test connection with the programmer, write lock and fuse bits, and verify the program in the MCU's memory.
The Settings tab below is the place where you do all the settings, related to the MCU circuit.
By now it's possible to communicate with the same microprocessors as the AVR Programmer, but you can edit your own MCUs in an .INI file within the program. That's really usable when a new MCU is on the market which is pin-compatible with any of the old MCUs and has the same settings. Then you can write the new MCU in the .INI file and tell MCU Programmer the size of the Memory and so on.
When you want to read or write you choose which MCU under Device Settings and the Information below shows some important stuff about how big data/programs you can handle. Of course MCU Programmer tells you if you try to write a program into the MCU that is too big.
You can also write the MCU's Lock Bits. That's an important thing to do when you don't want any persons to be able to program your microprocessor or even to copy the information within the MCU. You also have the opportunity to write the MCU's Fuse Bits, the bits which are allowed in serial programming (ISP).
The zeroforce-socket to the left, Connect Device, is a picture which shows how to place the MCU in the programmer. Different MCUs have their own pictures.
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