USB to Serial / TTL Adapter to Program ATmega328p (w/out DTR Pin!)

This will help you upload code to an atmega328p for your standalone arduino project using USB to serial / TTL adapter!

Step 1:

First let’s see if the adapter’s working.

Plug in the adapter >> Open Arduino IDE >> Select the proper COM port >> Open Serial Monitor >> then type in “Hello World”, it should print “Hello World” in the monitor, if not something is wrong

(SKIP THE NEXT STEP IF YOUR ADAPTER IS PROPERLY WORKING)

Step 2: Fixing the Adapter's Driver

Device Manager >> Ports (COM & LPT)

If there is a yellow triangle next to “Prolific USB-to-Serial Comm Port”, that means correct driver version is not installed.

(Click this for more info)

Uninstall your existing driver (Control Panel >> Uninstall a program)

Download driver

Then install and done!

Do step 1 again to see if the adapter is now working

Step 3: Make the Necessary Wirings

For atmega328p on a breadboard, make the following connections (also, add an LED in series with a 100 ohm resistor on atmega328p pin 19/digital pin 13 for testing later)

Parts:

1. Pushbutton (normally open)

2. 1 10kohm resistor

3. 2 22pF ceramic capacitors

4. Atmega328p

5. 16 MHz crystal oscillator

Step 4: Atmega328p Pinout

Step 5: Uploading Codes

For uploading code:

1. First make the following connections with the USB to Serial/TTL Adapter

USB to Serial/TTL Adapter >>>Atmega328p

5V >>> 5V rail

GND >>> GND rail

TXD >>> Pin 2 / RX pin

RXD >>> Pin 3 / TX pin

2. Open Arduino IDE >> File >> Examples >> Basics >> Blink

3. Press the pushbutton >> Hit upload

4. Keep on pressing if it says “Compiling sketch…”

5. Release the button as soon as it says “Uploading…”

6. Done!

1 Person Made This Project!

atasamil07 made it!

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10 Comments

umar arshad

1 year ago

How to program atmega328 without bootloader using usb to ttl converter ch340

techsavage

1 year ago

Did not work at first, but got it to work. It's kinda try 1 or 2 times to upload. I use platformio on vscode btw. Create an arduino project for the ATmega328p or use terminal/cmd-line:
run command: "cd ~/Desktop && mkdir mrflasher && cd mrflasher && pio init -b ATmega328P && code ."
(If cmd does not work, install platformio command line tools)
Anyway, my platform.ini file:
[env:ATmega328P]
platform = atmelavr
board = ATmega328P
framework = arduino
next:
Include <Arduino.h> in at the top of your project where setup and loop are. paste your code underneath.
At the bottom left of vscode you see a check-mark and an arrow to the right. If you want, press the check-mark to compile, or just press the arrow to upload. (only works if you got the platformio extension). Anyway, after pressing upload:
You'll see a message like:
"Auto-detected: /dev/cu.usbserial-0001"
and immediately (half a second idk) you'll see something like:
"Uploading .pio/build/ATmega328P/firmware.hex"
When you see that last message, push the button asap for exactly 4 seconds (I timed it on my end) then release. It will take a second and gives you a success message. However, my code was just beginning a serial at 115200 and writing "second" every second, Idk yet if it works when I upload my finished code or I found a solution for it. Good luck.