Have you guys seen this?

http://metalab.at/wiki/Metaboard

It's pretty darn awesome!

- (Mostly) Arduino code compatible - use Arduino IDE to write and program. Not exactly clear what isn't compatible - I'm guessing the USB port uses the interrupt lines, so may use one of the hardware interrupt lines.
- No USB-> TTL converter! Bootloader has USB firmware - AtMega168 connects directly to USB port.

It's very close to arduino form factor, but I think the pin headers have been moved to the 0.1 in grid. No ISP headers.

They give a step-by-step procedure for the entries required to the arduino preference and board files to allow you to upload from within the IDE directly over USB. The USB bootloader is linked to at the obdev website for free.

Seems like it could be a great trade off of functionality/pins for the gain of native USB support.

They even provide a full single sided schematic and board file to make your own.  I'm going to try making one this week.

I'm working on this, those days.
Amazing work.
Quote:

With Arduino 11 the serial pb will disappear (not tested yet but something like metaboard.upload.disable_flushing=true will solve the pb)

If you are running Linux like me you will have to set udev rule in order to allow the avrdude process to upload sketch (see http://forums.obdev.at/viewtopic.php?p=4436)
I think a timeout bootloader will be better than the jumper selectable boot mode.
Perhaps it will be better to rewrite completly the bootloader in order to have a CDC metaboard (but perhaps it will load to much the CPU).
This way you will be able to use serial.prints/reads to talk to the host
I'm sure il will be possible to make a simple arduino (able to program other avr, do a serial to usb converter, etc) at a very very low cost (10$ removing the external power regulator)

Nicolas

This looks awesome, and seems like a great way to make an inexpensive board.

Is it possible to communicate with the computer from within an Arduino sketch?  Would the board still appear as a virtual serial port?  Would there be a way to create a version of the Arduino Serial functions that would work?  How many limitations would that impose on the other processing done by the sketch?

mellis wrote on 04.04.2008 at 19:03:53:


This is the main issue to solve. 2 solutions
- Firmware side : AVR-USB CDC bootloader (see avrdoper for example).
- Host side : a custom virtual com port

Nicolas

Did you flash the correct bootloader? I used a Mega168 as opposed to your Mega8. When I first plug it in, I get the "Unknown Device" message, but when I set the bootloader jumper, and press the reset button, I get a "USBasp Device Connected" message, as it asked for the driver.

Fimware folder had different .hex files, I choosed the right one for me mega8_16hz as I was using ATMega8 at 16MHz. I loaded this file both from avrdude & CVAVR tools. I did do reset with bootloader jumpered, every time I do reset with jumper I get "Unknown Device" error. If I do reset without jumper winXP is not at all detecting..which I thik is OK because without jumper bootloader doesn't come into picture....


Let me know ur comments.....