2 == Updating Device Firmware
5 TeleMega, TeleMetrum v2, EasyMega, EasyMini and TeleDongle v3
11 programmed directly over their USB connectors (self
14 TeleMetrum v1, TeleMini and TeleDongle v0.2 are
15 all programmed by using another device as a programmer (pair
16 programming). It's important to recognize which kind of devices
17 you have before trying to reprogram them.
20 You may wish to begin by ensuring you have current firmware
21 images. These are distributed as part of the AltOS software
22 bundle that also includes the AltosUI ground station program.
23 Newer ground station versions typically work fine with older
24 firmware versions, so you don't need to update your devices
25 just to try out new software features. You can always
26 download the most recent version from
27 http://www.altusmetrum.org/AltOS/
30 === Updating TeleMega, TeleMetrum v2, EasyMega, EasyMini or TeleDongle v3 Firmware
33 === Updating EasyMini Firmware
36 Self-programmable devices are reprogrammed by
37 connecting them to your computer over USB.
39 . Attach a battery if necessary and power switch to
40 the target device. Power up the device.
42 . Using a Micro USB cable, connect the target device to your
43 computer's USB socket.
45 . Run AltosUI, and select 'Flash Image' from the File menu.
47 . Select the target device in the Device Selection dialog.
49 . Select the image you want to flash to the device,
50 which should have a name in the form
51 <product>-v<product-version>-<software-version>.ihx,
52 such as EasyMini-v1.0-1.6.0.ihx.
54 . Make sure the configuration parameters are
55 reasonable looking. If the serial number and/or RF
56 configuration values aren't right, you'll need to
59 . Hit the 'OK' button and the software should proceed
60 to flash the device with new firmware, showing a
63 . Verify that the device is working by using the
64 'Configure Altimeter' or 'Configure Groundstation'
65 item to check over the configuration.
67 ==== Recovering From Self-Flashing Failure
69 If the firmware loading fails, it can leave the device
70 unable to boot. Not to worry, you can force the device to
71 start the boot loader instead, which will let you try to
72 flash the device again.
74 On each device, connecting two pins from one of the exposed
75 connectors will force the boot loader to start, even if the
76 regular operating system has been corrupted in some way.
81 Connect pin 6 and pin 1 of the companion
82 connector. Pin 1 can be identified by the square pad
83 around it, and then the pins could sequentially across
84 the board. Be very careful to *not* short pin 8 to
85 anything as that is connected directly to the
86 battery. Pin 7 carries 3.3V and the board will crash
87 if that is connected to pin 1, but shouldn't damage
94 Connect pin 6 and pin 1 of the companion
95 connector. Pin 1 can be identified by the square pad
96 around it, and then the pins could sequentially across
97 the board. Be very careful to *not* short pin 8 to
98 anything as that is connected directly to the
99 battery. Pin 7 carries 3.3V and the board will crash
100 if that is connected to pin 1, but shouldn't damage
107 Connect pin 6 and pin 1 of the companion
108 connector. Pin 1 can be identified by the square pad
109 around it, and then the pins could sequentially across
110 the board. Be very careful to *not* short pin 8 to
111 anything as that is connected directly to the
112 battery. Pin 7 carries 3.3V and the board will crash
113 if that is connected to pin 1, but shouldn't damage
120 Connect pin 6 and pin 1 of the debug connector, which
121 is the six holes next to the beeper. Pin 1 can be
122 identified by the square pad around it, and then the
123 pins could sequentially across the board, making Pin 6
124 the one on the other end of the row.
130 Connect pin 32 on the CPU to ground. Pin 32 is closest
131 to the USB wires on the row of pins towards the center
132 of the board. Ground is available on the capacitor
133 next to it, on the end towards the USB wires.
136 Once you've located the right pins:
138 . Turn the altimeter power off.
142 . Connect the indicated terminals together with a
143 short piece of wire. Take care not to accidentally
144 connect anything else.
148 . Turn the board power on.
150 The board should now be visible over USB as
151 'AltosFlash' and be ready to receive firmware. Once
152 the board has been powered up, you can remove the
155 ifdef::telemetrum,telemini[]
158 The big concept to understand is that you have to use
159 a TeleMetrum v1.0, TeleBT v1.0 or TeleDongle v0.2 as a
160 programmer to update a pair programmed device. Due to
161 limited memory resources in the cc1111, we don't
162 support programming directly over USB for these
165 If you need to update the firmware on a TeleDongle
166 v0.2, we recommend updating the altimeter first,
167 before updating TeleDongle. However, note that
168 TeleDongle rarely need to be updated. Any firmware
169 version 1.0.1 or later will work, version 1.2.1 may
170 have improved receiver performance slightly.
172 ==== Updating TeleMetrum v1.x Firmware
174 . Find the 'programming cable' that you got as
175 part of the starter kit, that has a red
176 8-pin MicroMaTch connector on one end and a
177 red 4-pin MicroMaTch connector on the other
180 . Take the 2 screws out of the TeleDongle v0.2
181 or TeleBT v1.0 case to get access to the
184 . Plug the 8-pin end of the programming cable
185 to the matching connector on the TeleDongle
186 v0.2 or TeleBT v1.0, and the 4-pin end to
187 the matching connector on the TeleMetrum.
188 Note that each MicroMaTch connector has an
189 alignment pin that goes through a hole in
190 the PC board when you have the cable
193 . Attach a battery to the TeleMetrum board.
195 . Plug the TeleDongle v0.2 or TeleBT v1.0 into
196 your computer's USB port, and power up the
199 . Run AltosUI, and select 'Flash Image' from
202 . Pick the TeleDongle v0.2 or TeleBT v1.0
203 device from the list, identifying it as the
206 . Select the image you want put on the
207 TeleMetrum, which should have a name in the
208 form telemetrum-v1.2-1.0.0.ihx. It should
209 be visible in the default directory, if not
210 you may have to poke around your system to
213 . Make sure the configuration parameters are
214 reasonable looking. If the serial number
215 and/or RF configuration values aren't right,
216 you'll need to change them.
218 . Hit the 'OK' button and the software should
219 proceed to flash the TeleMetrum with new
220 firmware, showing a progress bar.
222 . Confirm that the TeleMetrum board seems to
223 have updated OK, which you can do by
224 plugging in to it over USB and using a
225 terminal program to connect to the board and
226 issue the 'v' command to check the version,
229 If something goes wrong, give it another try.
231 ==== Updating TeleMini Firmware
233 You'll need a special 'programming cable' to
234 reprogram the TeleMini. You can make your own
235 using an 8-pin MicroMaTch connector on one end
236 and a set of four pins on the other.
238 . Take the 2 screws out of the TeleDongle v0.2
239 or TeleBT v1.0 case to get access to the
242 . Plug the 8-pin end of the programming cable
243 to the matching connector on the TeleDongle
244 v0.2 or TeleBT v1.0, and the 4-pins into the
245 holes in the TeleMini circuit board. Note
246 that the MicroMaTch connector has an
247 alignment pin that goes through a hole in
248 the PC board when you have the cable
249 oriented correctly, and that pin 1 on the
250 TeleMini board is marked with a square pad
251 while the other pins have round pads.
253 . Attach a battery to the TeleMini board.
255 . Plug the TeleDongle v0.2 or TeleBT v1.0 into
256 your computer's USB port, and power up the
259 . Run AltosUI, and select 'Flash Image' from
262 . Pick the TeleDongle v0.2 or TeleBT v1.0
263 device from the list, identifying it as the
266 . Select the image you want put on the
267 TeleMini, which should have a name in the
268 form telemini-v1.0-1.0.0.ihx. It should be
269 visible in the default directory, if not you
270 may have to poke around your system to find
273 . Make sure the configuration parameters are
274 reasonable looking. If the serial number
275 and/or RF configuration values aren't right,
276 you'll need to change them.
278 . Hit the 'OK' button and the software should
279 proceed to flash the TeleMini with new
280 firmware, showing a progress bar.
282 . Confirm that the TeleMini board seems to
283 have updated OK, which you can do by
284 configuring it over the radio link through
285 the TeleDongle, or letting it come up in
286 “flight” mode and listening for telemetry.
288 If something goes wrong, give it another try.
290 ==== Updating TeleDongle v0.2 Firmware
292 Updating TeleDongle v0.2 firmware is just like
293 updating TeleMetrum v1.x or TeleMini firmware, but you
294 use either a TeleMetrum v1.x, TeleDongle v0.2 or
295 TeleBT v1.0 as the programmer.
297 . Find the 'programming cable' that you got as part of
298 the starter kit, that has a red 8-pin MicroMaTch
299 connector on one end and a red 4-pin MicroMaTch
300 connector on the other end.
302 . Find the USB cable that you got as part of the
303 starter kit, and plug the “mini” end in to the
304 mating connector on TeleMetrum v1.x, TeleDongle v0.2
307 . Take the 2 screws out of the TeleDongle v0.2 or
308 TeleBT v1.0 case to get access to the circuit board.
310 . Plug the 8-pin end of the programming cable to the
311 matching connector on the programmer, and the 4-pin
312 end to the matching connector on the TeleDongle
313 v0.2. Note that each MicroMaTch connector has an
314 alignment pin that goes through a hole in the PC
315 board when you have the cable oriented correctly.
317 . Attach a battery to the TeleMetrum v1.x board if
320 . Plug both the programmer and the TeleDongle into
321 your computer's USB ports, and power up the
324 . Run AltosUI, and select 'Flash Image' from the File
327 . Pick the programmer device from the list,
328 identifying it as the programming device.
331 . Select the image you want put on the TeleDongle
332 v0.2, which should have a name in the form
333 teledongle-v0.2-1.0.0.ihx. It should be visible in
334 the default directory, if not you may have to poke
335 around your system to find it.
337 . Make sure the configuration parameters are
338 reasonable looking. If the serial number and/or RF
339 configuration values aren't right, you'll need to
340 change them. The TeleDongle v0.2 serial number is
341 on the “bottom” of the circuit board, and can
342 usually be read through the translucent blue plastic
343 case without needing to remove the board from the
346 . Hit the 'OK' button and the software should proceed
347 to flash the TeleDongle v0.2 with new firmware,
348 showing a progress bar.
350 . Confirm that the TeleDongle v0.2 board seems to have
351 updated OK, which you can do by plugging in to it
352 over USB and using a terminal program to connect to
353 the board and issue the 'v' command to check the
354 version, etc. Once you're happy, remove the
355 programming cable and put the cover back on the
358 If something goes wrong, give it another try.
360 Be careful removing the programming cable from the
361 locking 8-pin connector on TeleMetrum. You'll need a
362 fingernail or perhaps a thin screwdriver or knife
363 blade to gently pry the locking ears out slightly to
364 extract the connector. We used a locking connector on
365 TeleMetrum to help ensure that the cabling to
366 companion boards used in a rocket don't ever come
367 loose accidentally in flight.
368 endif::telemetrum,telemini[]