August 2010 – Modprobe

Using AVRISP mkII and Arduino IDE under Ubuntu lucid

If like me you would like to upload your sketches using the AVRISP mkII under Linux like you can easily do under OSX, I suggest the following procedure:

1. Add the following text to board.txt (located in the relative path hardware/arduino in your arduino installation folder)

jivedingo wrote it on arduino forum

##############################################################

avrispmkii_168.name=AVRISP mkII w/ ATmega168

avrispmkii_168.upload.protocol=avrispmkii
avrispmkii_168.upload.maximum_size=14336
avrispmkii_168.upload.speed=19200
avrispmkii_168.upload.using=avrispmkii

avrispmkii_168.bootloader.low_fuses=0xff
avrispmkii_168.bootloader.high_fuses=0xdd
avrispmkii_168.bootloader.extended_fuses=0x00
avrispmkii_168.bootloader.path=atmega
avrispmkii_168.bootloader.file=ATmegaBOOT_168_ng.hex
avrispmkii_168.bootloader.unlock_bits=0x3F
avrispmkii_168.bootloader.lock_bits=0x0F

avrispmkii_168.build.mcu=atmega168
avrispmkii_168.build.f_cpu=16000000L
avrispmkii_168.build.core=arduino


##############################################################

avrispmkii_328.name=AVRISP mkII w/ ATmega328

avrispmkii_328.upload.protocol=avrispmkii
avrispmkii_328.upload.maximum_size=30720
avrispmkii_328.upload.speed=57600
avrispmkii_168.upload.using=avrispmkii

avrispmkii_328.bootloader.low_fuses=0xFF
avrispmkii_328.bootloader.high_fuses=0xDA
avrispmkii_328.bootloader.extended_fuses=0x05
avrispmkii_328.bootloader.path=atmega
avrispmkii_328.bootloader.file=ATmegaBOOT_168_atmega328.hex
avrispmkii_328.bootloader.unlock_bits=0x3F
avrispmkii_328.bootloader.lock_bits=0x0F

avrispmkii_328.build.mcu=atmega328p
avrispmkii_328.build.f_cpu=16000000L
avrispmkii_328.build.core=arduino

##############################################################

2. Backup arduino’s avrdude and use your local avrdude
It seams that the avrdude binary coming with arduino 018 distribution isn’t compiled with usb support.
If your remove it and link your local avrdude binary instead, upload using mkII works like a charm.
# apt-get install avrdude libusb # cd /path/to/arduino/folder # cd hardware/tools # ln -s avrdude avrdude.without-usb-support # ln -s `type avrdude | cut -d "(" -f 2 | cut -d ")" -f 1` avrdude

Then you will be able to select AVRISP mkII \w ATmega328 or AVRISP mkII \w ATmega168 from the tools>board menu.

Stepper Motor Driver v3.0 (by makerbot)

I order PCB for this thing.
It’s a good device, easy to use with any micro-controllers.
There is more than enough, if you drop by our lab I can sell them 10.- each. 50.- with components.

Makerbot power consumption

Because I think to power a Makerbot from a car battery, I spend a little while checking the power consumption of a Makerbot.

The main board connector feed the main logic, the plastruder and the heated platform, while the hard drive connectors feed motors and leds.

I used an old ATX connectors and made four groups of wires : 3v3, 5v, 12v and ground.
The remaining wires (5VSB, /PS_ON, PWR_OK, -12v and -5v) where directly connected to the main ATX power supply.
I did the same with hard drive connectors, I disconnected 5v, 12v and ground.
Then I plugged not less than 5 “multimeters” between each power source and ground to record all different current consumption.

So I wrote this sheet :

Voltage	Average	Maximum
MB 3v3	very few	very few
MB 5v	200mA	350mA
MB 12v	2700mA	3500mA
HD 5v	30mA	50mA
HD 12v	1000mA	1700mA

The average power consumption of a makerbot with heating platform seams to be around 70W and the maximum power consumption around 85W. Differences may apply due to the custom configuration, it’s just an overview.