Breadboard Sanguino

Today I finally got around to setting up the sample ATmega644(P)s I received from Atmel. Using the Sanguino schematics online I built this breadboard Sanguino.



Now unlike the Breadboard Sanguino on the Sanguino website this circuit i complete with decoupling capacitors, status LEDs, a power circuit, a 16 MHz clock, and a FTDI cable pinout so that I can program it via USB. Once I built the breadboard I had the crazy idea to burn a bootloader onto the ATmega644(P)s via my Arduino Uno... so I did just that.



Due to my stupidity I wasted 2 frustrating hours trying to figure out why I could not get the bootloader onto the chip. It turns out I had forgotten to actually connect the ATmega's Vcc and Ground to the breadboard power rails! *facepalm* Once I corrected that I went bootloader crazy and burned a total of 3 ATmegas ( one 644 and two 644P). I have already programmed the blink sketch from the Arduino Environment onto one of the boards and it worked without any problems. I now have three Sanguinos to use in my projects and a breadboard setup figured out for future microcontrollers. Now that i have a total of 5 functional microcontroller boards ( and one MSP430 that i have no programmer for =/ ) I guess it is time to begin creating cool projects with them... What shall I bring from my mind to reality? A demo robot for my robotics team? Or a Uzebox Open Source Video Game Console? Or possibly give my house intelligence? Read my future blogs and subscribe to me on youtube (mrmacthree) to find out!