I you're trying to use an FTDI connection, you are basically trying to program the AVR thought the serial interface. I'm not 100% sure of this, but I think in this case, you need a bootloader on your AVR already. this is the arduino solution.
If you're using a raw AVR chip without the bootloader, then I think the easiest route is to use an ISP adaptor. I use an AVR programmer from pololu. If you're going the ISP route, then you will also need to set the AVR fuses to appropriate values. The avrdude command can also be used to set fuses, and you can google the Arduino values
If you're using a raw AVR chip without the bootloader, then I think the easiest route is to use an ISP adaptor. I use an AVR programmer from pololu. If you're going the ISP route, then you will also need to set the AVR fuses to appropriate values. The avrdude command can also be used to set fuses, and you can google the Arduino values