Standalone Arduino / ATMega chip on breadboard

Step 1 Parts needed

I bought my parts from Digikey and Sparkfun Electronics - they're 2 of my favorite places to buy components. Anyway, here's the list:

#1 - (Qty: 1) - ATMega328 chip with Arduino bootloader pre-installed ($5.50)
#2 - (Qty: 1) - 5VDC Switching power supply ($5.95)
(Note: If you don't use a switching power supply, you must add in a voltage regulator and a couple of capacitors...see below)
#3 - (Qty: 2) - 22 pF ceramic disc capacitors ($.24 / ea)
#4 - (Qty: 1) - 16MHz Crystal ($1.50)
#5 - (Qty: 1) - Power jack ($.38) (Optional)
#6 - (Qty: 1) - Breadboard (hopefully you have one laying around, but if not, here's one. ($8.73)
#7 - Small pieces of 22 awg solid wire. If you don't have any, you can probably pick some up at your favorite electronics store.

Total cost for above before tax/shipping: about $14 (not including breadboard).

Alternatives / options:

Option / Alternative #1:
If you want to use an existing power supply you have around the house, make sure it is between 5V - 16V. If you are not sure if it is a regulated switching power supply, then you must use the following components too:
#1 option - (Qty: 1) - 5V Voltage Regulator (or another similar 5V voltage regulator) ($.57)
and
#1 option - (Qty: 2) - 10 uF Aluminum Capacitor ($.15 / ea)
(See below reference links for how to hook them up)

Option / Alternative #2:
If you don't want to use standard items #3 and #4, you can replace those with:
#2 option - (Qty: 1) - 16 MHz Ceramic Resonator (w/cap) ($.54)
This part looks like a ceramic capacitor, and you hook the 2 outside pins up to where you would hook the crystal up (covered later in the Instructable), and the middle pin goes to ground. At least this is what I've read - I haven't tried it yet. But as you may note, it is a little cheaper to go this route. :)

Ok, let's start hooking stuff up!

Comments

[shad0w88]

Hey, i can't get the ATMega328 chip with Arduino bootloader preinstalled in my country. I can get the ATMega328 chip without the bootloader, what should i do?

[Muling]

Hi, you could write your Arduino Bootloader with .. an Arduino :-D You just need to solder in a Header and connect a few cables. There you go: http://www.geocities.jp/arduino_diecimila/bootloader/index_en.html I use that Method myself and it works great.

[shad0w88]

Thanks for the response, but i don't have an Arduino, others i would have used it to burn the bootloader.

[domiflichi]

 Hi saad.dawra,

Here's a couple of links to get you started: itp.nyu.edu/physcomp/Tutorials/ArduinoBreadboard#toc9 and www.arduino.cc/en/Hacking/Bootloader

Hope this helps. 

[shad0w88]

Thanks, I'll probably have to go the parallel progammer way, cuz i don't have access to an FT232 Breakout Board, which is also probably not available. What should i do if i can't get a FT232 Breakout Board?

[domiflichi]

Did you try here:
uk.rs-online.com/web/search/searchBrowseAction.html
?
(Sorry it took so long to get back to you)

[CalcProgrammer1]

http://www.arduino.cc/en/Main/ParallelProgrammer

Build this, I built one because I didn't want to buy an expensive programmer for a small project, but I just keep on using it because it works great.  Follow that guide, it says how to build a cheap, easy to build programmer out of parts that you should easily be able to get a hold of.  You do need a parallel port on your PC, and I think you have to set it into a certain mode (in the BIOS), took a little while to get it working but I have used this to flash the Arduino bootloader on plenty of "plain" AVR chips.

[sapc]

can you put a 10mhz and a 6 mhz together somehow to create a 16mhz one, stupid local elctronics store doesnt sell them

[eshneto]

 No, you can't add the frequencies. Get the highest you can below 20Mhz.

However, because the crystal generates the clock for the microcontroller, if you use a frequency other than 16Mhz you will get a wrong timing from the Arduino library.