2.
Getting Started
2.1
Xplained Mini Quick Start
Steps to start exploring the Xplained Mini platform:
1.
.
2.
Launch Atmel Studio.
3.
Connect a USB cable (Standard-A to Micro-B or Micro-AB) between the PC and the USB port on
the kit.
When the Xplained Mini kit is connected to your computer for the first time, the operating system will
perform a driver software installation. The driver file supports both 32- and 64-bit versions of Microsoft
®
Windows
®
XP, Windows Vista
®
, Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 10. The drivers for the kit are
included with the
.
Once the Xplained Mini board is powered the green status LED will blink and Atmel Studio will autodetect
which Xplained Mini board is connected. Atmel Studio will present relevant information like data sheets
and kit documentation. The ATmega168PB device is programmed and debugged by the on-board Mini
Embedded Debugger and therefore no external programmer or debugger tool is required.
2.2
Design Documentation and Related Links
The most relevant documents and software for the evaluation kit are available here:
ATmega168PB Xplained Mini website
- Kit information, latest user guide, and design documentation.
ATmega168PB Xplained Mini on Microchip Direct
.
•
- Free IDE for the development of C/C++ and assembler code for microcontrollers.
•
- Xplained evaluation kits are a series of easy-to-use evaluation kits for
Microchip microcontrollers and other Microchip products.
–
Xplained Nano: used for low pin-count devices and provides a minimalistic solution with
access to all I/O pins of the target microcontroller.
–
Xplained Mini: used for medium pin-count devices and adds Arduino Uno compatible header
footprint and a prototyping area.
–
Xplained Pro: used for medium to high pin-count devices that features advanced debugging
and standardized extensions for peripheral functions.
Note:
All the above kits have on-board programmers/debuggers, which creates a set of low-cost
boards for evaluation and demonstration of features and capabilities of different Microchip products.
•
- Open Source projects for Xplained Mini.
•
- Atmel START is an online tool to help you select and configure software
components and tailor your embedded application in a usable and optimized manner.
2.3
Programming and Debugging
2.3.1
Programming the Target Using mEDBG
Using the Embedded Debugger on the ATmega168PB Xplained Mini board to program the
ATmega168PB.
ATmega168PB Xplained Mini
©
2017 Microchip Technology Inc.
User Guide
DS50002636A-page 6
