[dorkbotpdx-blabber] Need some help with AVR

[Mark Allyn]

Dave:

 	Thanks for the response; I have some questions in line below:

On Tue, 28 Sep 2010, David Madden wrote:

> All the small AVRs that I've used can be programmed very easily with a serial 
> protocol, and fairly easily with a parallel protocol.  ("Serial" means a 
> SPI-like arrangement, not RS-232.)  If you can control 2 outputs and 1 input, 
> you can program most AVRs.  This works unless you screw something up, at 
> which point your only option is to use a parallel programmer to erase and 
> reset the chip.

I don't think I have SPI on my desktop. What computers would have a SPI 
serial that I can use for programming? Or is there such a thing as a USB 
to SPI dongle that can go onto a linux PC?

>> If programming loading is done via USB, then does that mean that
>> there has to be an operating system already on the chip and which
>> I cannot override or replace?

If I have a USB bootloader, can I still use the USB for my own program?


Thanks

Mark Allyn