A cost effective solution for SPI programming all of the currently available AT89Sxxxx and AT90Sxxxx series devices straight from your serial port using a terminal program. Yes that's right! NO extra software required, all you need is a terminal package that supports XModem-CRC transfers and all of them do. Full optical isolation is provided so the hosts serial port can not be damaged and LEDs indicate Txd and Rxd. The X-Programmer is a professional product, not just a PCB, and is housed in a small (90x50x16mm) enclosure.

By incorporating a 6 way connector into your designs it is possible to perform in-circuit programming, the X-Programmer will take control of the Reset line whenever you perform any SPI programming operation and then release it (the target micro has then been reset) along with the SPI lines so that it is transparent to the target - NO MORE CHIP SWAPPING !!

The X-Programmer is powered from the target microcontroller board, supply current is only 16mA. Data sent to and received from the X-Programmer is in byte format (i.e. not intel hex). A manual detailing all connections and specifications is provided, a 9 pin male d-type plug connects to you target or adaptor cable. Target clock frequencies down to 8MHz for AT89Sxxxx devices and 2MHz for AT90Sxxxx devices are supported, maximum target clock is as per Atmel's specifications.

Follow this link for an on-line version of the manual.
Here's a hex to binary file converter if you need it.

Subject: BASCOM, X-Programmer
Date: Tue, 4 Aug 1998 15:38:07 -0400
From: Jim Cranston jimc@reliant-cdi.com
To: "Don McKenzie (E-mail)" don@dontronics.com
CC: "Mark Alberts (E-mail)" mcselec@xs4all.nl,
     "Jason Kyle (E-mail)" jpkyle@xtra.co.nz

Dear Don (if I may),

I wanted to give you some feedback on two development products I
recently purchased, one from you (BASCOM (Mark Alberts,
mcselec@xs4all.nl)) and one I would encourage you to carry
(X-Programmer from JPK Systems (Jason Kyle (jpkyle@xtra.co.nz)).  With
these two products, my compile/download/run cycle is well under a
minute!

Many others have lauded BASCOM, and I enthusiastically agree!  The
product works well, and Mark Alberts has been incredibly responsive,
to the point of adding support for the X-Programmer at my request!
Good product; good support; good people: it gets no better than this
(actually, it does, as Mark is continuing to improve the product).

The second product is JPK Systems' X-Programmer.  What a wonderful
device, and again, Jason is excellent to work with.  For the
professional developer or serious hobbyist, this is a "must-have" item
because it includes full optical isolation between the programming
computer and the target system. As anyone who has done it can tell
you, it's slightly-higher cost than the "hobby" programmers is
insignificant compared to the damage which can be done when a slipped
probe shorts the 5-Volt logic supply to the stepper-motor supply, or
worse, the mains (line-voltage).  Documentation is excellent, devices
are being added, Jason is very responsive, the programmer can stay
in-system during operation, and setup time was (quite literally) about
6-Seconds.  Again, I recommend it highly.

Finally, of course, is Dontronics!  You have lot's of useful items, a
great breadth of products (except for the X-Programmer :) ) and I was
very pleased (amazed, actually) at the quickness of your responses to
me.  (All three of these sites/items were on my last mailing to some
professional associates of devices I have used and >still< recommend.)

Thanks for your assistance,

Jim Cranston
Principal Engineer, Reliant-CDI
jimc@reliant-cdi.com
 

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