I like Atmel tinyAVRs because they are tiny computers that I can (almost) wrap my head around. The Atmel ATtiny4/5/9/10 are the cheapest in the tinyAVR line, and they come in two packages – SOT23 pictured above, and an even more stupendously small 2mm x 2mm USON package. This article will talk about programming these little chips. Though they may be tiny, they are still quite capable, and the right choice for many projects.
I’ve written about tinyAVRs before, and you can take a look at some of the articles before to get a feel for them.
I wanted to explore a cheaper option than Atmel ICE for programming the ATtiny10. I found some evidence(How is your Polish?) on the web that the cheap USB ASP programmer can be made to support TPI. But so far, I haven’t been able to make it work. I’ll update this section if I manage to do it.
In my view, it’s better to buy an Atmel ICE if you are working with their chips. They offer just the PCB for USD 35 if you are on a budget, and are brave enough to make your own cables.
