Problem with sending IR with at ATMega328P-PU

Question

I have a sketch that sends an IR code every second. It works fine (the correct code is received by my receiving Arduino next to it) on the Arduino but when I try to move the sketch to an ATMega328P-PU, the IR no longer sends (the serial monitor output still works).

I have used a camera to look at the IR LED and it just doesn't flash on the ATMega328 but does on the Arduino (and I have tested my LED, it does work). It uses pin 3 on the Arduino, so I use pin 5 on the ATMega328.

Are there extra components that are needed to make PWM work without the Arduino board? I am honestly stumped so any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Sketch:

#include <IRremote.h>

IRsend irsend; //Setup the IR transmitter

int codeToSend;
int team = 1;
int damage = 0;

void setup() 
{
  Serial.begin(9600);
}

void loop()
{   
    team++;
    if (team > 8) team = 1;
    damage++;
    if (damage > 99) damage = 0;

    if (damage > 9) codeToSend = (String(team) + String(damage)).toInt();
    else codeToSend = (String(team) + "0" + String(damage)).toInt();

    Serial.println("sent");
    irsend.sendNEC(codeToSend, 32);
    delay(500);
}

Answer 1

NOTE: The following comment was left on this answer (below) and indicates the principal problem the original poster was having above and beyond not having a resistor, etc.

SOLVED - my breadboard was broken on that rail. :/

Current limiting

What you have pictured looks alright for the most part with the exception of there appearing to be no current limiting resistor for the IRED. It is possible that you've damaged the IRED by setting the pin HIGH for an extended period of time. It is also technically possible to have damaged the AVR (or just the one pin) by doing that, though this wouldn't be my first guess.

Typical forward voltages for an IRED around around a volt. An AVR pin's maximum rating current is 40mA. To get proper logical levels out of it, it should be less than 20mA. You could perhaps operate near 30mA, since you're not doing much else with the AVR's ports and you're not trying to get logic level voltages out of the pin. For that you'd need a resistor in series with the IRED that is something like (5V - 1V) / 0.030A, approximately 133 ohms.

Transistors

When people use IRED to make remotes, it is normal to use a transistor to offload the current requirement from the MCU. And also to operate the IRED above its continuous operation current, closer to it's rated peak/pulse current. Operating in the low tens of mA often only gets you a meter or so.

That arrangement might look something like the following for higher current pulses around 80mA:

Asides

• I'm not able to read your reset resistor well. If you're not, do measure it to make sure it's 10K. If in doubt, remove it. There is a weaker internal pullup on the AVR reset and it's usually enough. If you wanted you could wire the reset signal over to the UNO reset pin to take advantage of the external pullup, reset switch, and DTR reset mechanism of the UNO itself.

• You may want to add .1uF capacitors from your VCC and AVCC pins to ground. You can often go without while experimenting, but when you're switching higher currents they'll become more important.

• I have a bunch of those jumpers with the rounded (cylindrical) ends. They often don't make good connections on breadboard. You can save some trouble sometimes with "Dupont" type jumpers or just making your own out of solid 22awg hookup wire.