ATtiny3217 UART Tutorial: Send a Simple UART Hello World

This ATtiny3217 UART tutorial shows how to send a basic message from the ATtiny3217 using the USART peripheral operating as a UART. You’ll learn register-level setup, PB2 pin wiring on the ATtiny3217 Curiosity Nano, ATtiny3217 baud rate settings, and a short AVR USART example that prints a simple UART hello world string. ATtiny3217 UART Tutorial … Read more

Easily Create Your First MPLAB Project: Step-by-Step Guide

An MPLAB project is the organized set of source files, configuration settings, libraries, and build rules you use inside the MPLAB X Integrated Development Environment to build firmware. This guide shows beginners how to create an MPLAB project, compile example code, and run a simple MPLAB LED blink code exercise using both XC8 and AVR-GCC … Read more

How to Install MPLAB X IDE for AVR Development

If you’re looking for a modern, cross-platform alternative to Atmel Studio and Microchip Studio, this guide explains how to install MPLAB and configure it for 8-bit AVR microcontrollers. Tested on Linux Mint MATE, the step-by-step instructions show how to download MPLAB X IDE, install the XC8 and AVR-GCC toolchains, and point MPLAB X IDE to … Read more

AVR Evaluation Board: How to Choose the Right One

An evaluation board, also known as a development board or evaluation kit, is a pre-assembled circuit board designed to help developers, engineers, and hobbyists experiment with a specific microcontroller or system-on-chip. These boards provide everything needed to start prototyping, learning, or debugging, without needing to build a circuit from scratch. For those working with AVR … Read more

LED Blink: Flash LEDs on Old and New AVRs

LED blink tutorial for 8-bit AVR microcontrollers: Blinking an LED, also known as a blinky LED or flashing LED light, is often the first program you’ll write when learning how to use microcontrollers. In addition it may be referred to as the ‘hello world’ program of embedded systems. It’s simple, satisfying, and demonstrates that your … Read more

Get Started with MPLAB X IDE: Easy AVR Setup

MPLAB X IDE is one of the most powerful tools available for writing, debugging, and programming your firmware for Microchip microcontrollers, whether you are using AVR or PIC. Built on the NetBeans platform, it supports a wide range of devices, tools, and programming workflows suitable for beginners, hobbyists, and professional embedded engineers alike. In this … Read more

Beginner’s Guide to the ATtiny85: Tiny, Cheap, Powerful

The ATtiny85 is a compact yet powerful 8-bit AVR microcontroller that has become a favorite among hobbyists, makers, and even professionals working on space-constrained embedded projects. Its small footprint, low power consumption, and affordable price make it ideal for DIY electronics, wearables, and custom Arduino-compatible builds. Whether you’re just getting started with AVR microcontrollers or … Read more

Learn AVR Programming: The Simple Way to Begin

AVR programming refers to the process of writing software and transferring it to Atmel (now Microchip) AVR microcontrollers. These microcontrollers are popular in DIY electronics, hobbyist projects, and even professional embedded systems. Whether you’re flashing firmware onto an ATmega328P or tinkering with a tiny ATtiny412, understanding how AVR programming works is key to getting your … Read more

AVR Assembly Made Simple with Low-Level Code Examples

If you’re exploring low-level programming in embedded systems, AVR assembly is a great starting point. It offers direct access to hardware on 8-bit AVR microcontrollers like the ATmega and ATtiny series. This article introduces assembly language in general, with examples from various architectures, including practical snippets of AVR assembly to help you understand how these … Read more