Best no nonsense ICSP programmer?

[abdullahseba]

Hi
What would be the best hassle free ICSP programmer for AVR? I need to burn the Arduino bootloader to the ATmega 328p.
I tried directly with the arduino as ICSP  but all I got was chip id errors. So I got a USBasp from ebay and had trouble using it  I got the same error when I finally got it working .
I tried this with 4 chips just to make sure! .
Also none of these programmers don't seem to support Atmel Studio, not without messing about in AVR dude anyway  .
Should I jump straight to the official AVRISP || programmer?

Thanks in advance. 

[stj]

no, learn to use AVRdude.

maybe use a gui with it.
http://blog.zakkemble.co.uk/avrdudess-a-gui-for-avrdude/

[Nusa]

All the solutions I'm aware of use avrdude, whether the interface does it for you or not.

[VEGETA]

use USBASP with AVRDUDE. = 2$ solution that just works perfectly.

[markus-k]

I use an AVR ISP mkII with avrdude and never had a problem with this combo, works perfectly. But I remember AtmelStudio sometimes not wanting to collaborate when I used it with this programmer a couple of years ago. I think it was a driver or Windows issue, but it's been too long to remember any details.

[abdullahseba]

I managed to get it working  lools like they where dodgy ebay chips.
Sometimes you have to know its not your fault.
I usually amuse the problem is me.
That gui is so much nicer.
 

[Housedad]

I've been wondering what programmer to buy too.   Is the tinyavr any good, or should I go for the Atmel clones or something else?  Just like abdullahseba getting squirrely chips, I am concerned about who to buy from.  For now, I'm wanting to program ATmega328 and ATmega2560.

[stj]

as long as you dont want to program Xmega series, just get a 2$ USBasp clone.

[abdullahseba]

The tinyavr is a series of microcontrollers not a programmer.
The ebay USBASP was fine with the gui avrdude  but I just got USBtinyISP for the arduino bootloader burning (less messing about with cables).
Just buy the chips from a reliable source like Digikey.

[madires]

I'm using the Diamex ALL-AVR (supports ISP, PDI and TWI) with avrdude.

[Housedad]

Does the Diamex ALL-AVR support  the ATMega 2560?  I looked at their site and it is not listed there.

[abdullahseba]

Its a question of does 2560 support ICSP which it does.
USBasp is cheaper.