Re: [avr-chat] STK500 w/ EEPROM chips

[Stuart Longland]

On 10/08/15 07:22, Kyle Evans wrote:
> So, using the main RS-232 port is out of the question because the socket
> is behind a proprietary interface and the firmware would not recognize
> the device ID of my chip. However, the "spare" port bypasses this
> interface and exposes the chip directly to the PC serial port.

Yes, it interfaces the TTL-level UART port on the AVR to the RS-232
level signals expected by your computer's serial port.

What runs over that UART interface depends on what code is running on
the AVR in the socket.

For example, you could figure out how to flash one of your EEPROMs using
GPIO pins on an AVR, and use that socket to allow you to connect the AVR
to your desktop computer, thus permitting some software to instruct the
AVR on how to flash the EEPROM.

It will *NOT* magically make a random chip "speak RS-232".

Computer mice and modems both use RS-232, yet you cannot plug a mouse
into your computer, type "ATDT01234567" and have your mouse start
dialling out to the Internet.  In fact all you'll do is confuse the
firmware in the mouse which won't have the foggiest clue what the Hayes
command set means.

RS-232 merely means they use a common control signal standard, namely
the use of a negative voltage signal to indicate a '1' and a positive
voltage for a '0'.  Nothing more.
-- 
Stuart Longland (aka Redhatter, VK4MSL)

I haven't lost my mind...
  ...it's backed up on a tape somewhere.