Well exams are over so my impromptu hiatus has finished. I have actually been doing things since the last post but have not posted due to my exams. So I have given up trying to get programming done on Mac OS X and instead I'm using Windows for the time being while I try to install Arch Linux on my laptop. What is happening under OSX is that the MKII is now connecting and getting the correct driver (well its being supplied correctly and the green light is on for it being the correct driver) but avrdude is not downloading. I tried changing the driver but couldn't get any others to work and I tried changing what I was telling avrdude, as in STK500v2 rather than avrispmkII for example but that didn't fix the problem either. So now I'm using AVR Studio 6 with the hope I'll switch to Arch Linux on my laptop soon (it refuses to boot at the moment so hence why its "I'm trying").
The next thing I have been working on is getting I2C working for my LCD display. This I thought would be easy but is turning out not to be. I have a post on AVR Freaks which I'm using to enquire about how to fix the problem. Once that is sorted I'll write a proper post here about how its done. As I'm actually following that post at the moment, here is a link to the referenced library. I'll have a look after I written this.
In other news, I've got my breakout boards, motor driver chips, breadboard and wiring kit. I'm yet to get solder paste and a hot plate so to do the SMD soldering but I should get the hot plate within the next week and the paste I will probably order from JayCar online as they didn't have any in stock at my local store.
So now my exams are over, I should be able to start designing the structure and once I have the LCD display working I will start to play with the two chips for motor control. But for now, I'm going to the pub to celebrate end of exams!
