Target doesn't answer....did I brick it? Edit: Fixed !!!!

[FlyingVan]

Hello guys,

I need a little bit of help, hopefully someone can point me in the right direction.

I bought a 9x a while ago with ER9x on it and it worked great. Well, I wanted to flash it with OpenTX and I bought a stupid USBASP on Ebay.

So, I backed up the firmware on the computer and it worked fine. Then I flashed OpenTX but when it verified the flashing, it gave me an error. The problem is that now I cannot do anything. No matter what I do I always get the the error "target doesn't answer".

Reading around I found out about the problem with some ebay usbasp programers that have the stupid 220 ohm resistor pack, and unfortunately mine is one of those. I managed to remove the resistor pack and micro-soldered some wires in its place, but still the target doesn't answer. I double and triple checked all connections, all the way from the usbasp chip pins to the pins of the m64, and all is good.

My questions: Is it possible that the fuses got changed during the botched flashing? If yes, is there a way to reset the fuses? If you have any ideas, please let me know.

Thanks a lot.

[rperkins]

Hi
Welcome to the forum. Sorry about your luck. Yes , more than likely it can be brought back to life.


the fuses can be set in eepe, I imagine in c9x also, but the programmer has to be able to communicate with the board

Depending upon how the fuses got mangled, sometimes they can be reset by slowing down the programmer with the -B option to avrdude. However I'm sure the programmer you have generates the error ' Can not set SCK period' warning which means it ignores the -B option. If you have an arduino or another programmer you can reflash one with firmware that accepts the -B option. Or you could buy a usbasp that has firmware that accepts the -B option.

However if the fuses were mangled to require an external clock source, you have to go this route. Then your existing programmer should be able to reset the fuses

http://openrcforums.com/forum/viewtopic ... ses#p43744

[FlyingVan]

Hi
Welcome to the forum. Sorry about your luck. Yes , more than likely it can be brought back to life.


the fuses can be set in eepe, I imagine in c9x also, but the programmer has to be able to communicate with the board

Depending upon how the fuses got mangled, sometimes they can be reset by slowing down the programmer with the -B option to avrdude. However I'm sure the programmer you have generates the error ' Can not set SCK period' warning which means it ignores the -B option. If you have an arduino or another programmer you can reflash one with firmware that accepts the -B option. Or you could buy a usbasp that has firmware that accepts the -B option.

However if the fuses were mangled to require an external clock source, you have to go this route. Then your existing programmer should be able to reset the fuses

http://openrcforums.com/forum/viewtopic ... ses#p43744

Thank you.

I have to go through that thread. I am sure I will come up with more questions.

[FlyingVan]

Randy, I tried to pm you but it wouldn't let me, so I am asking here.

What frequency external oscillator do I need? I have read about using 8 Mhz oscillator. I can get 1 MHz, 2 MHz or 10 MHz. Will any of these work?

Thanks.

[jhsa]

1 Mhz..

João

[rperkins]

I agree 1mhz is a good number.

The PM restriction might be because you are a new member. AKA spam control

[ShowMaster]

Will a ne555 go to 1mhz?


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[rperkins]

dont think so
http://www.ti.com/lit/ds/symlink/ne555.pdf

I just glanced at it but this is a RC timing chip right ? the datasheet was from 1973 but to be fair updated in 2010

thinking.... 1mhz is 10 to the 6th... right. then do we double the period ?? my head hurts

table.png (25.82 KiB) Viewed 16306 times

plus if your gonna go to all that trouble couldnt you just buy an avr 8 bit mcu and run it off the internal clock, and program it with the arduino to send the unscaled clock out one of the pins.

‎

[ShowMaster]

I bought several 1 MHz Osc from Digikey but I'm thinking about the newbe that bricks a 9x. It's got to be an easy circuit to make.
I'm not sure they're going to program a Arduino anything to work.
I'm thinking of making one of mine a mail loaner. Think the honor system will work out? A series Schottky diode and a pre wired 5v regulator may keep the damage minimal.



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[rperkins]

Think the honor system will work out?

Yea. I've been impressed with my dealings with people this year.

And your right about the avr. The circuit is easy but you'd have to program it, and that could be an issue.

[FlyingVan]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I have a 1 MHz oscillator coming and I will update you all with my results.

[gohsthb]

Actually given an Attinyxx You only need to change the fuse bits to get a 1MHz oscillator. There is a fuse bit (on the tiny25/45 anyway) that will output the system clock on a pin. No need to write any kind of program. And cheap too!
-Gohst

[jhsa]

so, you just have to power it?

joão

[Flaps 30]

Isn't it worth trying to reset the fuses to factory default using the -B100 route before going the whole hog with an external oscillator?

[rperkins]

yes but since he got one off ebay with 220 ohm current limiting resistors it almost certainly has chinese firmware on it that doesnt support the -B option to avrdude

[Flaps 30]

Hmm.. Yes.. That is true..

It would make a lot of sense to spend $7 to buy one of your programmers to try the -B option before messing with oscillators and the like.

[rperkins]

Thanks.
I laid out some options in my first reply and he went with the osc. Cant blame him. I might hafta put some 220's back in a programmer and try to mangle the fuses, and see if they are consistently mangled, and how. Probably not though.

[jhsa]

Playing with fire?

[Flaps 30]

Will a ne555 go to 1mhz?

Looks like it might.. I do agree that it is pushing it.. Not sure if the upper frequency limits are the same for the bipolar and the CMOS flavours.

-----> http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/attachme ... id=3541030

More 555 info ---> http://home.cogeco.ca/~rpaisley4/LM555.html

[ShowMaster]

I was just thinking about a way many could build something easy from parts at radio shack.
That or maybe something pre made that Randy could stock on his eBay site?



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[rperkins]

That or maybe something pre made that Randy could stock on his eBay site?

My idea is to incorporate a usable osc into the usbasp.
Same product. Same price . New feature. Differentiate from competing products.
There are usbasp *like* products doing this. But not any usbasp compatible (open source or otherwise) products are offering it AFAIK.
http://openrcforums.com/forum/viewtopic ... 109&t=3661

[Flaps 30]

Having an output on the usbasp that could be used to clock the m64 or whatever sounds the way to go. Don't forget the essential instruction details on how to use it, written in perfect Chinglish to help the clueless get into a pickle.

[ShowMaster]

Keep trying Randy. I'm sure the 9x and 9xr will be around for many years and programming them, or reconnecting them from being bricked will continue to go on.
It's good that we have persons actively involved with their products helping us out. Steve of SP has been doing that all along and has help so many get their radios programmed.
Much better that close your eyes and chick on an unknown eBay programmer that bricks your 9x or 9xr first time you use it.



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[rperkins]

Yea long term the usb portion of the programming will be internal to the mcu on RC radios . No need for a dongle. Think the taranis is that way. It's been a good learning tool for me on several levels.

[FlyingVan]

Hmm.. Yes.. That is true..

It would make a lot of sense to spend $7 to buy one of your programmers to try the -B option before messing with oscillators and the like.

I decided to go with the oscillator instead of the -B option because from what I read that option might not work, and then I have to do the oscillator thing anyway. Then again, who knows. At this point I just want to experiment and hopefully bring it back to life.

[Kilrah]

It's the opposite - The -B option can work alone, if not you need the oscillator AND the -B option. Oscillator alone usually won't cut it.

[FlyingVan]

It's the opposite - The -B option can work alone, if not you need the oscillator AND the -B option. Oscillator alone usually won't cut it.

Thanks.

Learn something new every time I come on here.

[jhsa]

I've been here learning everyday since this forum was created

[rperkins]

It's the opposite - The -B option can work alone, if not you need the oscillator AND the -B option. Oscillator alone usually won't cut it.

Uh, oh.. I hope I didnt steer ya down the wrong road

my assumption, probably wrong, was that an MCU ,properly clocked, either internally, externally or by a crystal, would be detected by a usbasp with the 'closed source', 'auto adjusting', firmware that the chinese put on their devices. This is the firmware he has.

With the open source firmware, that his usbasp does not have, the -B option would be needed depending on the speed the MCU was clocked at. The default speed of the open source firmware is 375khz. IIR , the guideline for programming speed is 1/10 your mcu clock speed.(I have had success at greater speeds). So in round numbers if you are clocking the mcu @ 4mhz or higher, the -B switch probably isnt needed. On the other hand if you are clocking the mcu internally or externally @ 1mhz, then yes you would need the -B option.

More info
http://openrcforums.com/forum/viewtopic ... 679#p41406

[Kilrah]

my assumption, probably wrong, was that an MCU ,properly clocked, either internally, externally or by a crystal, would be detected by a usbasp with the 'closed source', 'auto adjusting', firmware that the chinese put on their devices.

The auto adjust is not reliable and may or may not detect the speed it should use correctly. If I remember well, that was the original reason for recommending to replace it with the open source firmware.

I have actually witnessed the problem 2 days ago, trying to reflash the arduino bootloader on a camera stabilisation card. All I had at hand at that time was an old USBASP that was mounted internally in a 9x, and hadn't been reflashed. No way to burn the bootloader, and no way to slow down - didn't get anywhere with it. I came home with the card, took out my usbasp that is reflashed with the 2009 open firmware, added a -B 10 and it worked on the first try.