USBASP AVR Programmer - USB ISP Programmer for Atmel AVR and 8051

The USBASP is a compact and reliable in-circuit programmer designed for Atmel AVR and 8051 (S51) microcontrollers. Built around an onboard ATmega8, it uses a firmware-only USB driver, eliminating the need for a dedicated USB controller chip and reducing overall complexity. The programmer supports reading and writing Flash memory, EEPROM, firmware, bootloaders, fuse bits, and lock bits through a standard 10-pin SPI/IDC interface. Its USB port supplies power to the unit and can also power the target board at either 5V or 3.3V, selectable via a jumper. Onboard LEDs indicate power and programming status, while resettable over-current and short-circuit protection help safeguard both the programmer and the connected target. With a programming speed of up to 5 KB/s and support for a broad range of AVR microcontrollers—including ATtiny, ATmega, AT90S, AT90CAN, and AT90PWM families—as well as 8051 devices such as AT89S51/52/53/8252, this USBASP AVR programmer is a practical tool for firmware development, bootloader installation, and microcontroller prototyping.

USB ISP programmer Application

1. Burning Arduino bootloaders and programming Arduino-compatible boards.
2. Updating firmware in ATmega, ATtiny, and other AVR microcontrollers.
3. Programming 8051-family chips including the AT89S51, AT89S52, AT89S53, and AT89S8252.
4. Restoring fuse bits, lock bits, and EEPROM data on bricked or misconfigured AVR devices.
5. In-circuit programming via the standard 10-pin ISP header without removing the MCU from the target board.

USB ISP programmer Specifications

1. Controller chip: Onboard ATmega8
2. Interface: USB 2.0 (compatible with USB 1.1)
3. Programming interface: 10-pin IDC / SPI
4. Supported microcontrollers: AVR families (ATtiny, ATmega, AT90S, AT90CAN, AT90PWM) and 8051 series (AT89S51, AT89S52, AT89S53, AT89S8252)
5. Functions: Read/write Flash, EEPROM, firmware, bootloader, fuse bits, lock bits
6. Programming speed: Up to 5 KB/s
7. Target board power: 5V or 3.3V (jumper-selectable)
8. Protection: Resettable over-current and short-circuit protection
9. Status indicators: Power LED and programming status LED
10. Cable length: 20 cm
11. Supported operating systems: Windows XP, 7, 8, 8.1 (32-bit and 64-bit); Linux and macOS via avrdude (third-party software)
12. Driver requirement: No proprietary driver on supported Windows versions; libusb/WinUSB may be required on some systems