These tiny controller boards are build to provide a quick start for projects with 8 and 20 pin AVR microcontrollers, e.g. ATtiny13, ATtiny45, ATtiny85 and ATtiny2313. They don’t include any fancy stuff, they are just as simple as possible.
Where is the problem?
Whenever I was prototyping on a breadboard I was annoyed by all the wires to setup before the actual project could begin. Arduino projects were much easier. The 6 pin ISP (In System Programming) header alone was troublesome. Make an adaptor to plug a 3×2 pin header on a breadboard. Then cut short wires and connect the controller to the header. Which pins are what? MOSI, MISO and SCK? So I decided to do it only once more.
The solution
These little breadboard headers are very handy. They occupy only one more row on each side as a controller would need. They include already:
- 6 pin ISP (In System Programming) header
- 8 MHz resonator
- Reset pull-up resistor and reset switch
- blocking capacitors
- Serial connection header (FTDI-cable compatible), only on the ATtiny2313-Header
If these boards look somehow familliar to you, they are inspired by the Arduino compatible RBBB and the Boarduino. If you put them side by side, the tiny boards look like younger brothers and sisters.
For more detail: ATtiny breadboard headers using ATtiny2313