Skip to main content

Picked up one of these IC test clips on eBay for a few quid. It makes a spectacularly convenient programming clip.

IMG_1154
 
IMG_1155
 
The idea is that you clip it to a chip on a circuit board so you have easy access to the connections for use with test probes.
 
IMG_1158
 
IMG_1161
 
I’ve got a different use for it though. If you develop a circuit using an Atmega chip (like, say, a circuit you developed with an Arduino but have now moved to a custom board), reprogramming the chip is fiddly. The best way to make your circuit easily re-programmable is to build an ISP header onto your board – it’s just a 6-pin connector that lets you blast new programming onto the chip without removing it from the circuit.
 
IMG_1168
 
Most of my little circuits don’t have room for the 6 pin connector though, and it’s a hassle to hook up the 6-pin programming connections when you’ll hopefully never have to reprogram the things anyway.
 
IMG_1185
 
To program the chips on these boards you have to lever the chip out, stick it in a programmer and then stuff it back into the circuit board again. Not the most difficult thing to do, but it can get a bit fiddly, and it’s always a bit dangerous trying to lever the chip out without damaging the chip or the board. The test clip fits over all the pins you need access to for programming though – this clip doesn’t reach the bottom four pins on the chip:
 
IMG_1166
 
…but it turns out you don’t need to use those pins for programming. So: I dug out a bit of ribbon cable with a 6-way pin header on the end:
 
IMG_1171
 
Stripped the wires (carefully – they’re bloody thin conductors in ribbon cable):
 
IMG_1174
 
… and soldered the wires to the right places on the test clip:
 
IMG_1176
 
A bit of heatshrink tubing makes it all look slightly more perfeshional:
 
IMG_1178
 
And lo – it’s now a programming clip, letting you reprogram the chip without having to pull the chip.
 
IMG_1184
 
IMG_1188
 
Handy.

2 Comments

  • HackInBlack says:

    this thing is an advanced products ‘glomper clip’ and no, i have no idea what geek thought of the name…far out maaan!
    for programming newer QFP AVR chips an neat one is available from HobbyKing.com for about £12. just hold it down onto the IC and click program in your favourite IDE.
    Its a white sugar lump sized thing with a AVRISP 10-pin ribbon cable molded in,ready to plug AVRISP/USBASP programmmers into.
    the adaptor was intended to be used re-flashing RC model motor controller boards (which use mega 8/168/328) to upgraded firmware.
    the ‘ international warehouse ‘ postage option was cheapest; but took over 2 weeks to arrive here in the french wastelands.8/

Leave a Reply