Simple programmer for ATSam Microcontrollers - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: ifrenide
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 02, 2019, 12:14:09 am
content: Hello,I want to know if there is a simple programmer for ATSam3u2CA-AU if not, what is the cheepest programmer to do the work, and what is the software used here to upload the code, thanxbest regards.

author: ogden
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 02, 2019, 12:50:26 am
content: First thing you do - open product page in the manufacturer's web,https://www.microchip.com/wwwproducts/en/ATSAM3U2CAll answers are there.

author: ifrenide
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 02, 2019, 01:06:59 am
content: secondly? hahahahahathank you

author: ogden
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 02, 2019, 01:29:25 am
content: Secondly you demonstrate that you did try to find answer yourself, do not sitwaiting for someone to do homework for you.

author: ifrenide
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 02, 2019, 01:31:02 am
content: I saw this website without finding any schemtic for a DIY project as a programmer for Atmel SAM series microcontrollers. officialwebsites can't give you an alternative option; they support their products.Dogen

author: ogden
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 02, 2019, 01:42:12 am
content: If you expect to DIY "simple programmer" using passive components, then you are out of luck. Today programmers are much more complex than that. Simplest way to get cheap JTAG adapter for non -stm32 MCU's: you buy ~4$ ST-Link and "hack" it into black magic probe:https://embdev.net/articles/STM_Discovery_and_Nucleo_as_Black_Magic_Probe#Building_Firmware_for_ST_Link_V2_Clones_and_Flash_Using_Two_Cheap_ClonesOther option would be to drop ATSAM idea and use stm32 MCU instead

author: ifrenide
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 02, 2019, 02:00:53 am
content: I searched the entire google to find a simple programmer without any postive result. I decided to make a post here hoping I can find any suggestion .I can't use a microcontroller other than ATsam because the project is already done by someone I want just make it for myself.the cheepiest debugger/programmer is thishttps://fr.aliexpress.com/item/32996278504.html?spm=a2g0o.detail.1000014.2.4a1ae824cDT4XE&gps-id=pcDetailBottomMoreOtherSeller&scm=1007.13338.115306.0&scm_id=1007.13338.115306.0&scm-url=1007.13338.115306.0&pvid=01a34239-8ba4-4fba-ac06-36a9836be78bDogen If you find any alterbative solution please tell me.

author: ataradov
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 02, 2019, 05:39:17 am
content: It really depends on how much time you are willing to invest into messing with this vs use vendor tools. My projecthttps://github.com/ataradov/edbgwill program that device and works with any CMSIS-DAP compatible hardware. The cheapest widely available hardware that I know of is LPC-Link2, which can be turned into a CMSIS-DAP programmer.

author: ogden
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 02, 2019, 06:49:17 am
content: Quote from: ifrenide on November 02, 2019, 02:00:53 amI already told you. 2$ ST-Link clone + little work.https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32792513237.html

author: westfw
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 02, 2019, 10:02:18 am
content: QuoteThe SAM3U chips have a bootloader built into ROM which supports serial and USB, so if all you want to do isprogramthem, you don't need a programmer at all.

author: ifrenide
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 03, 2019, 02:35:53 am
content: Yes, that's rigthWESTFWthe great.Thank you very much, you confirmed what I read about it. we don't need a programmer at all, only a software and the microcontroller connectes to PC via USB cable , and it's done. the built in bootloader will do what the programmer suposed to do.And you Ataradov you're not wrong but, you did something unessecery since here is a bootloader, but not a problem,good attemt.

author: ifrenide
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 03, 2019, 03:02:53 am
content: MrWESTFW, can we solder the 4 wires " +5v,GND,D+,D-"of the USB cable directely to the ATsam3u microcontroller and upload the code, using BOSSA?

author: ataradov
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 03, 2019, 03:14:10 am
content: SAM 3U is a 3.3V-only device. And it will need a lot of bypass capacitors to actually run anything. Also, USB operation requires 12 MHz crystal.Also, I'm not sure what BOSSA is, but those devices use SAM-BA. There is a corresponding PC tool with the same name.But the chances of making it work outside of a board are slim.

author: ifrenide
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 03, 2019, 03:31:45 am
content: Hi atardov, suposing that I will make a pcb for ATsam microcontroller and then i will desolder it .the PCB will include 3.3 regulator , and the filtering caps, should I solder the 12 Mhz crystal and the 2 caps as known to ATsam?I mean what is thepracticalconfiguration to upload the code to ATsam3u ?concerning BOSSA i'm sure that is an excelent alternative for SAM-BA and it is simple to use compired to it.best regards.

author: ataradov
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 03, 2019, 03:36:18 am
content: If you want to use SAM-BA over UART, then you don't need a crystal. If you want to use USB, then you do need a crystal and load capacitors.You probably won't need all the bypass caps just for programming, but you will absolutely need all the capacitors on the VDDCORE. They are a part of the internal LDO circuit.If you follow all the guidelines in the schematic checklist of the datasheet, then I see no reason for it to not work.

author: ifrenide
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 03, 2019, 03:43:59 am
content: Thank you very much Mr ataradov.If you don't mind , is this the same procedure for AT90USB162?I posted a topic by the way about it , and I got answers but I need a practical confirmation from you Mr ataradov.best regards.

author: ataradov
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 03, 2019, 03:55:35 am
content: AT90USB162 does not have SAM-BA, but I think it has some sort of default loader. But you may want to double check that.

author: ifrenide
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 03, 2019, 04:06:32 am
content: thank you very much Mr ataradov