Parallel programming backup?

Are there any parallel programmers (not the parallel AVR-PG2B to the ICSP, but actual parallel programmers) just incase someone unprograms both the JTAGEN and SPIEN fuses?

No, I didn’t do this, but I’m looking into getting possibly the AVR-P40 or the AVR-H128 for a senior design project but want to know that I can cover my rear end just incase something goes wrong – I’m assuming that parallel programming can’t be disabled, from what I’ve been reading. I know I can simply just get another ATmega32 for 9 bucks (wow that’s nice 'n cheap), but why waste a micro? Obviously it would be good to have it seperate from the board since the H128 has the mega128 soldered in. If there aren’t, no biggie, I’m just trying to quench my curiousity.

I’m trying to take a minimalist approach (notice how I’m willing to buy simply the header?), so I don’t want a bootloader, large trainer board, etc… just the micro, 1 or 2 simple peripherials and the essentials taken care of just to save me time… and an ICSP port.

Well… new subject… with that being said, do a lot of people really use the JTAG debugger for actual debugging/breakpoints/memory dumps? Is it really a worthwile investment when Atmel has a free simulator? I’ll probably eventually buy it since we do get some funding from the university (not much, but some), but I have a semester or 2 until I’ll actually need it and would like to save some cash.

transcendentnb2:
Are there any parallel programmers (not the parallel AVR-PG2B to the ICSP, but actual parallel programmers) just incase someone unprograms both the JTAGEN and SPIEN fuses?

Try

http://elm-chan.org/works/avrx/report_e.html

The few times I have used it, results were good.

Check that the chip you are using is supported, else you may need to do some rewriting of program or config files (I think it is explained somewhere on the site).