Do those EBAY Arduino PRO MINI ATMEGA328 boards for $3 have a bootloader? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: wilfred
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 18, 2014, 05:09:15 am
content: /.

author: sleemanj
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 18, 2014, 05:14:50 am
content: Quote from: wilfred on April 18, 2014, 05:09:15 amYes they do (unless the seller/factory forgot to program them, which is always possible of course).I've brought in quite a lot of them (some for use, some for resale), and never, touch wood, had a bad one. Although I don't buy them from ebay.Just watch that they have a 328 on them, I've seen them being sold with the 168.Of course if you were unlucky to get one without a bootloader, you'll just need a second working one to act as ISP to load the bootloader on the dud.

author: true
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 18, 2014, 05:16:08 am
content: Out of 5 from the same seller, I've received one with a dead MCU, and another without the bootloader. But they were the best looking assemblies, go figure.

author: dannyf
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 18, 2014, 09:57:39 am
content: i have used maybe 20 - 25 of those, mostly pro micro. they all worked as avr. i tried arduino on maybe 3 - 5 of them and none failed.

author: Zeta
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: April 19, 2014, 10:06:22 am
content: Quote from: sleemanj on April 18, 2014, 05:14:50 amwould you share your source ?

author: george graves
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 19, 2014, 11:35:18 am
content: are you hoping to shave of $0.02 cents?ha! Just asking it it can get any lower!

author: deth502
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 19, 2014, 11:48:08 am
content: Quote from: sleemanj on April 18, 2014, 05:14:50 amive not worked with those, only the full size dev boards (just pry out the ic and use that in any permanent circuits) but wouldnt you need a 2nd arduino to act as an isp to program one of these reguardless?

author: sleemanj
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 19, 2014, 12:58:13 pm
content: Quote from: deth502 on April 19, 2014, 11:48:08 amNot sure what you're asking, but if the bootloader has been programmed, then you can use aUSB-Serial adapterto program it, the Pro Mini's have standard 6 pin FTDI pinout for a header.You only need an ISP (if it's real, or an arduino acting as one, or some other means) to actually load the bootloader initially.

author: zapta
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 03, 2014, 08:32:00 pm
content: Quote from: sleemanj on April 19, 2014, 12:58:13 pmThose USB/serial adapters are compatible with the Arduino IDE which use the DTR signal to reset the board to access the bootloader.BTW, I have had good results with this onehttp://www.ebay.com/itm/Crius-FTDI-Basic-Breakout-Arduino-USB-TTL-6-PIN-3-3-5V-for-MWC-MultiWii-Lite-/251317473754?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a83b051da

author: retrolefty
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 03, 2014, 09:05:06 pm
content: Quote from: sleemanj on April 19, 2014, 12:58:13 pmOr if you wish you can upload sketches using the IDE using the 'upload using programmer' thus eliminating the need for a bootloader and a USB serial converter cable/module altogether to upload programs.