Arduino as ISP for ATTiny25 (Brain Machine)

[dcrisley]

Hi, folks, newbie here.
I'm trying to modify the program on the BRAIN MACHINE using the Arduino Duemilanove atmega328 as the ISP using my Mac OS X 10.5.8 and the latest Arduino environment, 1.0.
The Brain machine kit now uses the ATTiny25 and Mitch has the program just for the ATTiny25 available on github.
To use the Arduino as an ISP, I started with the hi lo tech tutorial: http://hlt.media.banned.edu/?p=1695
Of course, the blink sketch didn't work, lots of errors, etc. but, like we've all done, much questing and searching through forums, changing lines of code in pages, downloading secret custom core files, using a capacitor to disable the reset, ditching everything and starting over finally bore fruit: a blinking light.
The main thing I had to do was find core files specifically for the ATTiny25 which I found and it works. I get errors at the end of compiling but the light blinks in spite of them.

Now the nitty gritty: When I paste Mitch's Brain Machine program into a sketch and hit VERIFY it compiles with no errors. When I hit UPLOAD, you guessed it, tons of errors, BUT it completes the upload just like with the BLINK sketch. So I figured maybe it'll work anyway so I replaced the chip in the kit with my chip and it just blinks in the monotone error sequence: on off on off...

So I'm just wondering if anyone out there has tackled this very problem and it would be great to hear about their experiences!
If anyone has advise to offer please remember I know virtually nothing about writing code. I'm just doing what others suggest word for word.

[strykeroz]

Hi

I just tested this on an ATTiny85 - it loaded fine, without errors (aside from the last two "avrdude: please define PAGEL and BS2 signals in the configuration file for part ATtiny85" which are just warnings to ignore). I used both with the banned core then loaded it again using the Arduino-Tiny core, both set to run at 8MHz on the internal clock using Arduino ISP sketch modified to work on my Eleven (Uno compatible).

I can't tell you if the sketch works as it's supposed to, but it loaded without issues. Unfortunately I only have 85's, no 25's to test for you. What are the errors you're seeing?

Geoff

[dcrisley]

Hello, strykeroz, thank you for your reply.
Yes, I figured since the ATTiny 25/45/85 all have the same package it shouldn't make a difference, right? Well I guess there's something in each of those models that tells the Arduino which chip it actually is. I finally found the files for the ATTiny25 and put them in my hardware file. I configured the chip to run at 8mhz, upload the program/sketch, and get these errors:
Binary sketch size: 1024 bytes (of a 2048 byte maximum)
avrdude: please define PAGEL and BS2 signals in the configuration file for part ATtiny25
avrdude: stk500_initialize(): programmer not in sync, resp=0x15
avrdude: stk500_initialize(): programmer not in sync, resp=0x15
avrdude: stk500_initialize(): programmer not in sync, resp=0x15
avrdude: stk500_initialize(): programmer not in sync, resp=0x15 (Is this the reset situation? I have a 10uF cap from reset pin to ground)
avrdude: please define PAGEL and BS2 signals in the configuration file for part ATtiny25 (This error didn't affect other sketches)

Actually, these errors did not affect the download or performance of the other sketches I've uploaded to the ATTiny25


Sometimes you get one of those puzzles you can't put down!