9XR Wont flash after some mod done

[Galessin]

Hi,
Im having a " SCK error + Do not respond target error, rc1 thing" when trying to burn or read the 9xr since I made some mod , I try many thing to find what wrong but im completly out of resource now and I need help.

Lets me explain what I did so far

I got a 9xr with a 64A mcu , a HK programmer ( no resistor on the line), I also have a arduino Mega and nano v3 I can AVRISP with in case

When I receive my 9xr 2 month ago I flash it right away to open 9x with the hk programmer and Its work without error first time. Last week I did some mod to the tx, I add a internal hf030 flysky module and a switch between internal and ext bay, I switch the PPM and the VCC.

I also have a djt so I went ahead and prepare the radio for the telemetry mod, I isolate both NC pin ( on both side) in the module bay pin and solder 2 wire from behind the programmer connector, Mosi and Miso to those 2 NC module pin ( I did not want to solder near the mcu if I can, so I pick them there).

Then I remove the first 2 resistor hook to the mosi and miso line, Solder a fine wire with a 220 resistor to relocate the 2 switch to pin 41and 42.

Thats all I did as mod, and I was careful when I solder and I protect the board when I was force to solder above it for splash. But something fail somewhere cause I cant flash it anymore, The radio still boot and I test my internal module with a servo and its working ( I never test the DJT because I did not complete that part of the mod yet) but im stuck on a NOT frsky mod version.

When the TX is hook to the usbasp OR the arduino I read 3,3v on the screen ( weird Im sure I calibrate the battery voltage early) SO I double check with a voltmeter and I receive 4.6V from the programmer.

When I try to write or read the TX Beep and reset.

Off course I always put my switch to ext bay and keep the bay empty before trying to flash

NOW trying to find the problem I did this:

I try to add the argument -B 100 to compagnon 9x, Fail

I went ahead and check maybe 5 time since the connection between the mcu pin ( not the pad, the very top of the pin to make sure pad make contact) all the way to the usbasp pin and those are connected

I try to use an arduino mega as ispavr to flash , ran into some synch problem so I add -b 19200 and try to neutralize the auto reset with a 120 omh ( 5V to reset) and I also try the a 10uf cap method later with same result( ground to reset) I also mod the code to remove the * 2 like I read somewhere.

The result was Reading 100% in 0.06S
AVRDUDE.exe : Device signature = 0xffffff
AVRDUDE.exe: Yikes! Invalid device signature.

So its also fail.

I check the HK programmer by loading a skecth into a arduino nano with it by using the ISP pin on the board and Its work So the HK programmer should work... so I keep trying with hk programmer for now on

I try to a different computer and use a win98 laptop, its fail same error.

I try to remove the usbasp power jumper and use tx battery to flash... Fail same do not respond error

I remove my 2 wire going to my NC pin in the back ( in case they were not isolate well ( I test them early and aprear fine)) then try to flash again ... Fail

I remove the relocation wire to pin 41 and 42 , make sure they not short together, try to flash but fail again

I resolder the 220 resistor to the stock location, switch throttle cut and aile now work but flash fail.

I disconnect the RF board plug so my other mod do not interfere and try to flash... Fail

I inspect the board for a burn out component or bad trace.. find nothing all look clean and well

So as I said early Im now out of resource, I dont know what to do anymore I dont have my old TX anymore ( module donor) my last flight was last october the temperature outside is wonderful but im now grounded cause of this problem

I need help

[ShowMaster]

Pictures of your board and added mods would help.
My guesses,

MISO and MOSI may be loaded down with your rewiring? Try and remove all added wiring to them except the programming wires and then try and read your EPROM.
The HK programmer should send about 4.5 volts to the 9xr 5 volt buss and should read that on your LCD. It does on a 9X.
3v it too low so another issue may be something loading the 5v buss?
Without any resistors in the HK programmer is passes the USB voltage to on the programming line so measure the USB and programmer out just to see where the voltage is list unless the USB is being loaded too much.
The most common failure is miswiring so that's why good pictures help.
I had a wiring issue myself last week that I couldn't solve and posted some pictures. I got the answer here in about an hour that I had forgot one wire I thought wasn't needed at the time.
Pictures work!
SM



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[ReSt]

Try flashing with the radio power switched on.
No trouble on my radio (Turnigy9X) when powered from USB and battery at the same time.

DO NOT use the -F parameter ! Under no circumstance ! That might brick your radio !

Reinhard

[Galessin]

Its too late for picture , I already remove the mod on the main board like I said, its now hook like a stock , except 1/4 resistor replacing the smd. So all wire were remove to return it to stock with only the programing wire solder by turnigy themself, I did not touch at all those connection and they were working before.

I already check the voltage because of the 3.3V reading I get and its getting feed with 4.6 ish volts on the vcc pin that go to the mcu. the 3.3v reading probably a wrong calibration of the voltage in the option maybe. and I try with tx power that read 3S voltage too and the result is the same.

The only pin near the mcu I solder was the 41 42 pin and I double check all the pin around them for short with a multimeter, I bridge them 1 time when trying to solder the wire there but remove the solder with the wick

I will post a picture of the board if you insist but its look like a stock 9xr board since I remove the mod and the other mod are more RF board related

[Galessin]

Try flashing with the radio power switched on.
No trouble on my radio (Turnigy9X) when powered from USB and battery at the same time.

DO NOT use the -F parameter ! Under no circumstance ! That might brick your radio !

Reinhard

I already tried TX power like I said and its fail.

I also try after couple try the -F but I was READING and nothing hapend anyway got the same msg

If my chip is Brick as you said by my mistake or something went wrong sometime will the radio still boot and function normally?

[jhsa]

A picture worth more than a thousand words A good resolution one please so we can spot blobs of solder on your board
This is just an example of course..

João

[ReSt]

If my chip is Brick as you said by my mistake or something went wrong sometime will the radio still boot and function normally?

A bricked radio in our consens normally means, that the fuses have been reprogrammed (maybe reset) to a value that instructs the processor of the chip to use an external clock signal (not to mix up with an external crystal). As long as that kind of signal is not present, the processor will not work.
(Therefore to unbrick / reprogram the fuses of the the processor, you will have to provide an appropriate signal to the required input pin, Osc1IIRC).
And in that case I would expect, that the radio will no more function in the regular way.


Reinhard

[jhsa]

speaking about it.. If you don't have access to an oscillator and own an Arduino, you can use it to unbrick your radio.. Here is a little file that you can upload to your arduino for it to generate a 1Mhz clock..

João

P.S. - I didn't test it. Found in the arduino.cc forum. They say it works though.. And I believe them.

Actually I have a bricked atmega8L that I might try to bring back to life

[Galessin]

I read a little about fuse thing.. but I really dont know... the radio is in working condition and I never had a error msg about a flash early when I first receive it from HK and flash it, maybe its not brick at all.

Last resort of course is a atmega128 but digikey want 20 $ for one shipped a little on the pricey side if you consider the radio price and need a big solder job, if I can avoid that last resort... I will be happy

Im wondering about the hk programmer... If I manage to upload a sketch into an arduino with it its should work to read and write the hex on the 9xr right? I try to search around in my old box of electronic for an atmega 64 .. all I find was a atmega 8 from a crash esc and my arduino mega with a 2560, If uploading a sketch is not enough to make sure its work correctly I can probably try on this atmega8

Here the picture:

Remember I remove the mod and return to normal see first post

[jhsa]

I'm not familiar with the 9XR but it seems that ground and VCC from the programmer are not connected in the right place.. please check with a multimeter where ground is. the pad we normally use for ground on the 9x has no wire soldered to it..

Joao

[jhsa]

Forget my post above as the 9XR comes with the programming connector already hardwired..

[Galessin]

I just test again my usbasp programmer with my arduino mega using compagnon READ flash I can read the 2560 fine.

If connection to the atmega 64 are fine,the usbasp programmer is working and the TX can boot What can be the problem...

Another weird thing is the voltage reading I get when Hook to the usbasp so I plug in a battery and redid the voltage calibration for the battery and its was way off near a 1 volts.

I remove the battery and plug back the usb asp Its was 3.3 before now its 3.6 ish...

I think its the next thing to look into , I mesure the voltage give by the usbasp at the contact poing on the board where the programmer wire connect and I get 4.6 ish but still read 3.6 on the display, This can be the cause of my problem maybe? How to check this?

[ShowMaster]

The posted pictures are very small. Can you take and post larger ones?
4.6v on the 5 volt buss is OK for programming. I'm not sure why your lot reads low?
My feeling is that it's still some wiring error. It did program before the mods.
Did you ever disconnect any programming wires?
SM


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[Galessin]

I never touch those wire, and even decide to take my mosi and miso for fr sky mod behind the pin of the programmer port to avoid solder near the mcu, The only place I solder on the main board is the 41-42 pin and near the 2 resistor that need to be remove for frsky mod. I also use a fine tip and was careful and did no mistake at all apart from the pin 41-42 bridge , that was remove with wick and not a pump to make sure no solder splash.

My RF board mod was:

I isolate the ppm pin in the back ( cutting trace) and solder a wire from ppm OUT ( took it at the connector that feed the ppm into the rf board) to the switch , then one side to the flysky module and other side back to ppm module pin.

I did the same for the VIN pin, the vin came from a diode that connect to the back module pin and then to the mainboard connector. So I isolate that pin and make a bypass to the main board connector. then solder another wire from the diode to the switch , one side to a 5V regulator that feed the fly sky and the other side back to the module pin.

I Isolate both unused pin ( one is factory isolate) and connect them to the back of the prog port (mosi,miso)

Picture are the biggest I can make them even use macro.. maybe you forget to click on the picture to pop it and then click on the magnify to see the original size ....

[jhsa]

how did you connect the frsky module to the main board? Did you use a level converter, or did you mod the module so the level converter is not needed? Did you place a resistor in the MOSI wire ?

[Galessin]

how did you connect the frsky module to the main board? Did you use a level converter, or did you mod the module so the level converter is not needed? Did you place a resistor in the MOSI wire ?

I did nothing so far cause I wanted to flash the tx before finishing the mod, I wanted to close the TX and be done with it , then proceed to the module mod. I will use the TLL line no inverter converter or whatever needed in other mod.

I never plug the module in my TX yet , I dont even know if the module is working and I got it in fev.

[jhsa]

I don't remember if you mention this and take the risk of asking again but can you try another programmer?

[Galessin]

Yes , I tried with an arduino but receive msg yikes something... I think I cant figure the auto reset thing yet, now I cant upload sketch into it... Another storie..

I use the uspasp before , and use it like 5 hour ago to read the hex of the mega 2560 mcu with avrdude.

[jhsa]

I had problems when I replaced the m64 with a m128 on my radio.. my expensive(ish) programmer didn't want to jump start the chip.. A friend's HK programmer did the job. now I can use the other with no problems.. On my second TX it was exactly the opposite.. go figure.. It seems that these chips have a mind of their own sometimes
That's why I think you should try yet another programmer.. maybe a friend has a different one..

Joao

[Galessin]

Like I said I have 2 arduino a mega and a nano and both can do avrisp so Im gonna try that again see if I have better result than the last time.

[jhsa]

Checking your pictures again it looks like you could have a short.. At the bottom, the lilac wire that goes to the resistor. the one on the left could be touching the pad next to it.. worth checking.. also check for other shorts in that area.. Also it might have been said already, but have you ever successfully flashed the radio?? Sorry if I'm repeating questions here. I read nearly every post on this forum and might forget some of it

João

[Galessin]

The wire are not short together , I check early and both switch work...thr , elev

And before resolder the wires to make switch work I also tried to flash with nothing on the miso,mosi line no resistor and clean pad.

Yes I flash the Tx before in fev to open 9x, and its still booting fine.

Update: I use the hk prog to re burn bootloader to my mega ( was not uploading) I cut the auto reset trace and with it reburn the nano 3.

When trying to hook the nano as avrisp the tx stay on 9x splash screen without backlite.. Probably not enough power... So im gonna try with the mega as isp and i will report back.

[jhsa]

why don't you just deactivate the power from the programmer and try flashing with the radio on powered by it's own battery?

João

[Galessin]

why don't you just deactivate the power from the programmer and try flashing with the radio on powered by it's own battery?

João

I already try but with the hk programer , I just finish the mega wiring to the 9xr , I will try both power if usb power fail

[Galessin]

The mega avrisp with usb power boot the TX but got the device signature = 0x000000 , Yikes! Invalid device signature

Then I remove the power wire from the mega and put a battery in , No screen at all , no boot at all screen is blank but Ready led Light up

I remove all connection to the mega and the TX is working and booting...

I plug them all back except the 5v from the mega and remove them one by one to see what causing this.

When I remove the the miso is still blank no power... Then I remove the SCK still blank... then I remove the reset .. back to normal booting,back lite etc functional TX

So I keep the reset unplug and replug the SCK and its still booting ... then I replug the miso and there no booting.. no backlite and a stuck splash screen.


I then check real quick again with the hk programmer and the jumper to power off but the programmer unplug from USB and All I got is a stuck splash screen without backlite... With jumper on power back ( still not plug in usb) all is back to normal. I dont know if this is a normal behaviour but I dont think so.

any idea?

[jhsa]

well, I program both my TXs with the power from the radio, and all is fine..
Check if there aren't any shorts on the MISO line/pad/wires..

Joao

[Galessin]

I disconnect the board form everything and remove my lilac wire and try again to flash it using hk programmer and nothing same target do not respond msg...

here some picture with a light under the board

[Galessin]

Im out of resource now, I really dont know what is the problem! as you see in the last picture I remove the lilac wire and you can clealy see there no short.. I also test it with multimeter there no short. The board is completly unplug except the LCD. I discover why my voltage reading on the lcd was low, its because of the backlite, when I turn the backlite off or unplug it im back to 4.1 volts, but I power the board anyway with the hk programmer and check the atmega both vcc pin and I can see a nice 4.94v no peak , very stable.

Is the miso/mosi line supose to give voltage when plug? I read 4.94 on them

I read around on the web and find a least 2-3 other ppl with similar problem, I wonder is the atmega they use in the first 2 batch have an issue and this is why they now shiping 128 ...

I dont know what to do anymore.. I try 2 different programmer both with usb power and both with bat power

Both programmer give me error, the HK with the : target doesn't answer. 1 whatever its usb or ext power

and the mega with its own 5v give me that:


The mega with ext power give me that:


I cant test with the nano as programer because I think I burn the FTDI chip..no more serial by usb...

[Galessin]

I just flash my hk programmer with the firmware that remove the SCK error, took here on this forum... I did it with my arduino mega as AVRISP

Proof that my arduino is working :


My hk programmer also work, I read the atmega 2560 of my arduino mega with it.


I try the new flash programmer with the tx.. still do not see the target..

Any susgestion for what to do now?

I check connection Icsp they from factory and are 100% connected and not short with near pin or Ground or vcc or any other connection from other wire in the icsp cable.

I try bat power, usb power, check the voltage with a multimeter (4,94v) its all good there also.

[rperkins]

I plug them all back except the 5v from the mega and remove them one by one to see what causing this.

When I remove the the miso is still blank no power... Then I remove the SCK still blank... then I remove the reset .. back to normal booting,back lite etc functional TX

So I keep the reset unplug and replug the SCK and its still booting ... then I replug the miso and there no booting.. no backlite and a stuck splash screen.

So to summarize you have a WORKING TX. It boots fine and you can fly models and such. It is only when you try to program it that it is not working ???