Er9x128

[jhsa]

Ok guys.. not very good news..
connected pin 1 and SCK pin of the m128 to ground. then grounded sck from programmer through a 100 ohm resistor.. powered the board. connected programmer. tried to reset the fuses using -B 100 in companion.. nothing
connection failed.. as always

Did I do it right??

Thanks for your help.. but I'm really starting to believe that I have a dead 128. or a dead board.. or both

[Flaps 30]

Seems like you hooked it up correctly.

So you have a lot of choices now.

Change the M128 out for the old M64 or fit the other M128 that you have at present.

Wait until the new M128(s) arrive from the German supplier.

It's a pity that you haven't got a quick setup there, where you could check/program the chip before fitting.

I did note that your M128's came on a lump of polystyrene. I got my two chips from the same supplier as you, and they came in sealed individual anti static bags. Maybe static got to the chip and that is what killed it. or you had some static around you, seeing we have a lot of cold low humidity weather that static loves.

So what's the next move apart from a few beers?

[jhsa]

i think i'll wait for the chips that come from holland. Probably this time i do it in my living room or somewhere warm i can wear only a T-shirt.

[gohsthb]

The second time through it goes much easier jhsa. You could ask me how I know, all I will say is I used to have 2 extra stock main boards
Mike I have a working board with a '128, now I look forward to testing Er9x with it. Can I compile it from the source? Have you uploaded that to the google code yet?
Thanks,
Gohst

[MikeB]

Just released a new revision of er9x, includes a er9x-128.hex.
On the first post of this thread, I've added a test version of eepe for windows, I can't build a Linux version. This attempts to handle M128 sized EEPROM as well as M64 sized EEPROM.
Please keep good backups of important model data, something will probably go wrong. I haven't yet added a check to stop you writing a M64 file to a M128 or M128 to M64.
On the preferences dialog there is an option to choose the default processor you are working with.

I'll keep putting any new updates to test eepe version on the first post.

Mike.

[gohsthb]

Ok so I had a few minutes with my 9x and '128 installed. It's funny really, I opened the '128 version of eepe. Loaded the eeprom out of the radio. I then loaded 11 models into and sent it back to the radio. In eepe it lists 2416 bytes free, imagine my surprise when the 9x starts and I'm getting a low eeprom error!!! I look on the model screen and it is showing 0 free. I unloaded a few models and figured out what is going on. Mike hasn't changed anything in the firmware except for getting it to load on a '128. So the free space is off by 2000. Everything else is looking fine, my models seem to have loaded correctly, nothing lost (yet). And eepe worked as expected.
-Gohst

[MikeB]

I'll do some checking tomorrow. The '128 code is supposed to detect an EEPROM file system of only 2048 bytes, and extend the free space into the extra 2048 bytes, and give the extra free space on the display. I may have missed something though.

Mike.

[MikeB]

I can't reproduce your problem.
I have the '128 version of er9x on a board.
I used eepe and forced it to load a '64 sized EEPROM image into the '128.
The '128 then boots up, and shows over 3000 bytes free, it hsa auto-extended the file system.
I then put eepe back into 128 mode (both preferences and burn configure).
Read the EEPROM into eepe, it is a 4k version file system OK.
Copied models into this, making less than 2k free, and wrote it back.
All is OK, except there is a difference between the amount of free space reported by er9x and eepe - I'll be checking this out.

Mike.

[MikeB]

Eepe had the free space wrong, it was simply subtracting the sum of the model sizes from the total EEPROM size (2048 or 4096).
I have a correction for this ready.

Mike.

[gohsthb]

I'll recheck mine when I get home later. I'm sure it showed 0 free when I had more models than normal.
-Gohst

[gohsthb]

So mine does show 0 bytes free.

And finally the eeprom that I have in my Tx.
-Gohst

[MikeB]

Try the updated eepe.exe on the first post.

Mike.

[gohsthb]

Tried the updated eepe. If I create an eeprom file in eepe, then write that to the radio. The radio complains with a bad eeprom message. If I write back the eeprom that I took out, that works fine. This is with both preferences and burn settings on M128. Both files in the avrdude window are writing 4096 bytes. I had one write 2048, but I can't get it to do that again.
After letting Er9x format the eeprom, it still only reports 1740 free. I am using Er9x-128.hex r782 from the Google code site.
-Gohst

[MikeB]

Another version of eepe on the first post!
I have yet to investigate the er9x format issue you describe.

Mike.

Just blanked the first byte of the EEPROM, and restarted er9x-128, formatted EEPROM OK, and gave me 3660 free!

[Clivew]

Ok guys.. not very good news..
connected pin 1 and SCK pin of the m128 to ground. then grounded sck from programmer through a 100 ohm resistor.. powered the board. connected programmer. tried to reset the fuses using -B 100 in companion.. nothing
connection failed.. as always

Did I do it right??

Thanks for your help.. but I'm really starting to believe that I have a dead 128. or a dead board.. or both

Ok, just been through all this with my first attempt at fitting the m128.
Was about to give up, I was using mySmartUSB light.
Then tried the cheapo ebay one (after shorting out it's 220 ohm resistors)
and bingo it worked!
I wonder if the programmer is your problem Jhsa?
Though it is stange that it works fine with the m64

Clive

[jhsa]

what error were you having with the MySmartUSB Light? Mine say that "failed to connect"..

[Flaps 30]

João - I take it that you haven't replaced the 'faulty' M128 yet?

Was about to give up, I was using MySartUSB light. Then tried the cheapo ebay one (after shorting out it's 220 ohm resistors)
and bingo it worked!

Now that you have it working. Can you now use your MySartUSB with the M128?

[jhsa]

No, been really ill since last year.. changing the atmega is something you don't do when ill.. at least I don't cos I can't concentrate.. Was going to do it tomorrow, but now after Clive's post I don't know what to do.. and I don't have any USBasp at the moment.. called some friends but they can't meet soon.. If I only could build one of those programmers on bread board. I have an atmega 8 and a 328..
Anyone has a schematic? not sure how I could connect to the USB though..
I also have an FTDI and an RS232 serial cable.. the one from frsky.

Thanks for helping.

João

[MikeB]

I have this:

USBasp_schematics.pdf

(14.31 KiB) Downloaded 135 times

Mike.

[jhsa]

Thanks Mike.. I don't have an USB plug, but I guess I could cut a usb extension and just solder the wires? also those 3V6 Diodes next to the USB plug are zenners, right? the problem is I don't think I have that value.. is there a workaround??
Thanks..

João

[gohsthb]

An update on my '128 radio. I compiled my own version from the 782 svn sources. Mine works like it should now. Instead of 0 free I now show 1920 free. Adding up the sizes in the list gives me 1632. So that plus 1920 is 3552 for total memory. Didn't get a chance to try the new eepe yet.
-Gohst

[jhsa]

Ok, found some 3V3 Zenner diodes.. would they work instead of the 3V6 ones?

Thanks,
João

[MikeB]

I think you should be OK with them.

Mike.

[jhsa]

Thanks, then I might have all I need to build the programmer, except for the USB plug..
need to cut a cable and find out which pins are what..

[Clivew]

João - I take it that you haven't replaced the 'faulty' M128 yet?

Was about to give up, I was using MySartUSB light. Then tried the cheapo ebay one (after shorting out it's 220 ohm resistors)
and bingo it worked!

Now that you have it working. Can you now use your MySartUSB with the M128?

Nope!

It fails with the same message

=================================================================================
Started AVRDUDE
C:/Program Files/companion9x/avrdude.exe -c stk500v2 -p m128 -P com3 -U flash:w:E:/Manuals/TGY 9X/er9x-128.hex:i
=================================================================================

avrdude.exe: stk500v2_command(): command failed
avrdude.exe: stk500_2_ReceiveMessage(): timeout
avrdude.exe: stk500v2_program_enable(): bad STK600 connection status: Unknown (0x64)
avrdude.exe: initialization failed, rc=-1
Double check connections and try again, or use -F to override
this check.


avrdude.exe done. Thank you.


=================================================================================
AVRDUDE done - exit code 1
=================================================================================


Same thing happens with external 5v supply to the board also!

Clive

[jhsa]

that's the same error I'm having.. so, maybe there is still hope after all.. was going to build the usbasp programmer but just called a friend and he built one a while ago.. just going out now to pick it up..
Thanks guys, I'll keep you updated..

João

[jhsa]

Nope!

It fails with the same message

=================================================================================
Started AVRDUDE
C:/Program Files/companion9x/avrdude.exe -c stk500v2 -p m128 -P com3 -U flash:w:E:/Manuals/TGY 9X/er9x-128.hex:i
=================================================================================

avrdude.exe: stk500v2_command(): command failed
avrdude.exe: stk500_2_ReceiveMessage(): timeout
avrdude.exe: stk500v2_program_enable(): bad STK600 connection status: Unknown (0x64)
avrdude.exe: initialization failed, rc=-1
Double check connections and try again, or use -F to override
this check.


avrdude.exe done. Thank you.


=================================================================================
AVRDUDE done - exit code 1
=================================================================================


Same thing happens with external 5v supply to the board also!

Clive

But it works with the m64 right? If so that's strange..

[jhsa]

Well, trying to program the atmega8 as a USBasp programmer, I think I've bricked it.
First programmed the fuses Low EF and High C9. but when programming the hex, it would fail. Decided that maybe should program the hex before the fuses and in burn-O-mat clicked on reset fuses to default.. that was it. bricked I think..
Can't even read signature anymore..
So, what can I do? it's very strange that I could program the fuses but not the hex. and yes, it was the right one for the m8.

João

EDIT: I think I found one of the problems.. The m8 that I have is the 8L, and I think it will work at 8Mhz maximum..
The usbasp programmer works at 12Mhz.. maybe that's why I couldn't program it and it would fail?

[Clivew]

Don't ask me why, but this one works with my m128, after it's 220 ohm resistors were shorted out

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/400332124311? ... 1439.l2649

And yes, it is strange how the mySmart is fine with the m64

That one cost me about £20

Clive

[jhsa]

I have this:

USBasp_schematics.pdf

Mike.

Mike, looking at the USBasp schematic you've posted above the pins PD0 and PD1 are connected to pins 4 and 6 of the ISP connector.. Any idea what they are used for? I'm trying to program the m8 using the normal MISO and MOSI connections. I also put a jumper on J2 to allow programing the programmer.

Thanks,

João