This project may be useful for TV testers. TV pattern is generated by Atmega8 which runs at 16MHz and it may produce 14 different color patterns that you can see on regular TV.

Circuit has RGB to PAL converter built in but of course RGB signals also can be used as most TV’s now accept RGB signal (scart connector). Project files are available for download.

Seems like everyone is shifting their own ISP programmers from COM and LPT ports to USB. And there is a reason for this – computers arre getting mobile, LPT and COM ports becoming obsolete. But almost everywhere you can find USB port, so it is logical to have USB programmer rather then old style.

ladyada have developed very tiny USB ISP programmer which also can serve as USB-SPI interface. Thisis really low cost and low component count programmer built under Attiny2313 AVR microcontroller. It is compatible with AVRDUDE and AVRStudio and works under Windows, Linux and MacOS.

This is not the fastest programmer but it can guarantee write speed of1 Kb/s and read speed of 2Kb/s. Other good feature is that it comes with both – 6 and 10 ISP connector types. You can build this adapter easily as all necessary files are available for download, or you can simply order a kit.

Jörg Wolfram has been developing interesting project so called AVR-ChipBASIC on Atmega32. Simply speaking this is a basic language programmable chip computer which his capable to run basic programs and with ability to display results in RGB TV screen.

This is almost fully functional computer system that have many functions including:

• RGB-TV 23 rows with 30 colums, NTSC/PAL per jumper selectable;

• prepared for FBAS encoder;

• 256 characters with pseudo-graphics, 8 colors;

• PS2 keyboard;

• simple sound (1 channel, 1 voice, noise);

• serial port (1200Bps only) with charge pump;

• parallel printer port, also usable for IO and ADC;

• I2C-port for data EEPROM and temperature sensors;

• ISP port is also able to handle Atmel dataflash;

• mostly Tiny-BASIC compatible with many improvements;

• 4 programs to 51 lines are stored in flash;

• built-in full screen editor;

• serial load/store via text transfer, listing print;

• screenshot function;

• integrated monitor with single step, breakpoints.

Programs can be edited and run directly on TV screen and run from AVR chipbasic menu system. Also program can be saved, transferred via terminal or even printed. Firmware is updated constantly so newest version of project can be downloaded here.

Hunz have started interesting project automatic JTAG locator of pins. Probably every embedded device has JTAG interface, but sometimes it may be real pain to find out right pinout in order to debug, program or read device memory.

What JTAG scanner does. It simply tests if all signals are connected properly. It allows to read and write every pin so it can be used for reading and writing to almost all MCU’s and memories like FLASH or SDRAM. Read more about what is JTAG and how JTAG scanner works here. Of course project isn’t finished yet. You can join Hunz in developing process. Once you have this device in your hands you are one step towards hacking hardware devices.

Do you want to have color display oscilloscope? Then make one from Siemens S65 color display.

Circuit is really simple – two channel analog inputs are directly connected to Atmega32 ADC inputs. But anyway oscilloscope is capable to display up to 40kHz wave form at 10 bit ADC resolution. Whole program is written in Bascom language.