2 == Updating Device Firmware
4 TeleMega, TeleMetrum v2, EasyMega, EasyMini and TeleDongle v3
5 are all programmed directly over their USB connectors (self
6 programming). TeleMetrum v1, TeleMini and TeleDongle v0.2 are
7 all programmed by using another device as a programmer (pair
8 programming). It's important to recognize which kind of devices
9 you have before trying to reprogram them.
11 You may wish to begin by ensuring you have current firmware
12 images. These are distributed as part of the AltOS software
13 bundle that also includes the AltosUI ground station program.
14 Newer ground station versions typically work fine with older
15 firmware versions, so you don't need to update your devices
16 just to try out new software features. You can always
17 download the most recent version from
18 http://www.altusmetrum.org/AltOS/
20 === Updating TeleMega, TeleMetrum v2, EasyMega, EasyMini or TeleDongle v3 Firmware
22 Self-programmable devices (TeleMega, TeleMetrum v2,
23 EasyMega and EasyMini) are reprogrammed by connecting
24 them to your computer over USB
26 . Attach a battery if necessary and power switch to
27 the target device. Power up the device.
29 . Using a Micro USB cable, connect the target device to your
30 computer's USB socket.
32 . Run AltosUI, and select 'Flash Image' from the File menu.
34 . Select the target device in the Device Selection dialog.
36 . Select the image you want to flash to the device,
37 which should have a name in the form
38 <product>-v<product-version>-<software-version>.ihx,
39 such as TeleMega-v1.0-1.3.0.ihx.
41 . Make sure the configuration parameters are
42 reasonable looking. If the serial number and/or RF
43 configuration values aren't right, you'll need to
46 . Hit the 'OK' button and the software should proceed
47 to flash the device with new firmware, showing a
50 . Verify that the device is working by using the
51 'Configure Altimeter' or 'Configure Groundstation'
52 item to check over the configuration.
54 ==== Recovering From Self-Flashing Failure
56 If the firmware loading fails, it can leave the device
57 unable to boot. Not to worry, you can force the device to
58 start the boot loader instead, which will let you try to
59 flash the device again.
61 On each device, connecting two pins from one of the exposed
62 connectors will force the boot loader to start, even if the
63 regular operating system has been corrupted in some way.
67 Connect pin 6 and pin 1 of the companion
68 connector. Pin 1 can be identified by the square pad
69 around it, and then the pins could sequentially across
70 the board. Be very careful to *not* short pin 8 to
71 anything as that is connected directly to the
72 battery. Pin 7 carries 3.3V and the board will crash
73 if that is connected to pin 1, but shouldn't damage
78 Connect pin 6 and pin 1 of the companion
79 connector. Pin 1 can be identified by the square pad
80 around it, and then the pins could sequentially across
81 the board. Be very careful to *not* short pin 8 to
82 anything as that is connected directly to the
83 battery. Pin 7 carries 3.3V and the board will crash
84 if that is connected to pin 1, but shouldn't damage
89 Connect pin 6 and pin 1 of the companion
90 connector. Pin 1 can be identified by the square pad
91 around it, and then the pins could sequentially across
92 the board. Be very careful to *not* short pin 8 to
93 anything as that is connected directly to the
94 battery. Pin 7 carries 3.3V and the board will crash
95 if that is connected to pin 1, but shouldn't damage
100 Connect pin 6 and pin 1 of the debug connector, which
101 is the six holes next to the beeper. Pin 1 can be
102 identified by the square pad around it, and then the
103 pins could sequentially across the board, making Pin 6
104 the one on the other end of the row.
108 Connect pin 32 on the CPU to ground. Pin 32 is closest
109 to the USB wires on the row of pins towards the center
110 of the board. Ground is available on the capacitor
111 next to it, on the end towards the USB wires.
113 Once you've located the right pins:
115 . Turn the altimeter power off.
119 . Connect the indicated terminals together with a
120 short piece of wire. Take care not to accidentally
121 connect anything else.
125 . Turn the board power on.
127 The board should now be visible over USB as
128 'AltosFlash' and be ready to receive firmware. Once
129 the board has been powered up, you can remove the
134 The big concept to understand is that you have to use
135 a TeleMetrum v1.0, TeleBT v1.0 or TeleDongle v0.2 as a
136 programmer to update a pair programmed device. Due to
137 limited memory resources in the cc1111, we don't
138 support programming directly over USB for these
141 If you need to update the firmware on a TeleDongle
142 v0.2, we recommend updating the altimeter first,
143 before updating TeleDongle. However, note that
144 TeleDongle rarely need to be updated. Any firmware
145 version 1.0.1 or later will work, version 1.2.1 may
146 have improved receiver performance slightly.
148 ==== Updating TeleMetrum v1.x Firmware
150 . Find the 'programming cable' that you got as
151 part of the starter kit, that has a red
152 8-pin MicroMaTch connector on one end and a
153 red 4-pin MicroMaTch connector on the other
156 . Take the 2 screws out of the TeleDongle v0.2
157 or TeleBT v1.0 case to get access to the
160 . Plug the 8-pin end of the programming cable
161 to the matching connector on the TeleDongle
162 v0.2 or TeleBT v1.0, and the 4-pin end to
163 the matching connector on the TeleMetrum.
164 Note that each MicroMaTch connector has an
165 alignment pin that goes through a hole in
166 the PC board when you have the cable
169 . Attach a battery to the TeleMetrum board.
171 . Plug the TeleDongle v0.2 or TeleBT v1.0 into
172 your computer's USB port, and power up the
175 . Run AltosUI, and select 'Flash Image' from
178 . Pick the TeleDongle v0.2 or TeleBT v1.0
179 device from the list, identifying it as the
182 . Select the image you want put on the
183 TeleMetrum, which should have a name in the
184 form telemetrum-v1.2-1.0.0.ihx. It should
185 be visible in the default directory, if not
186 you may have to poke around your system to
189 . Make sure the configuration parameters are
190 reasonable looking. If the serial number
191 and/or RF configuration values aren't right,
192 you'll need to change them.
194 . Hit the 'OK' button and the software should
195 proceed to flash the TeleMetrum with new
196 firmware, showing a progress bar.
198 . Confirm that the TeleMetrum board seems to
199 have updated OK, which you can do by
200 plugging in to it over USB and using a
201 terminal program to connect to the board and
202 issue the 'v' command to check the version,
205 If something goes wrong, give it another try.
207 ==== Updating TeleMini Firmware
209 You'll need a special 'programming cable' to
210 reprogram the TeleMini. You can make your own
211 using an 8-pin MicroMaTch connector on one end
212 and a set of four pins on the other.
214 . Take the 2 screws out of the TeleDongle v0.2
215 or TeleBT v1.0 case to get access to the
218 . Plug the 8-pin end of the programming cable
219 to the matching connector on the TeleDongle
220 v0.2 or TeleBT v1.0, and the 4-pins into the
221 holes in the TeleMini circuit board. Note
222 that the MicroMaTch connector has an
223 alignment pin that goes through a hole in
224 the PC board when you have the cable
225 oriented correctly, and that pin 1 on the
226 TeleMini board is marked with a square pad
227 while the other pins have round pads.
229 . Attach a battery to the TeleMini board.
231 . Plug the TeleDongle v0.2 or TeleBT v1.0 into
232 your computer's USB port, and power up the
235 . Run AltosUI, and select 'Flash Image' from
238 . Pick the TeleDongle v0.2 or TeleBT v1.0
239 device from the list, identifying it as the
242 . Select the image you want put on the
243 TeleMini, which should have a name in the
244 form telemini-v1.0-1.0.0.ihx. It should be
245 visible in the default directory, if not you
246 may have to poke around your system to find
249 . Make sure the configuration parameters are
250 reasonable looking. If the serial number
251 and/or RF configuration values aren't right,
252 you'll need to change them.
254 . Hit the 'OK' button and the software should
255 proceed to flash the TeleMini with new
256 firmware, showing a progress bar.
258 . Confirm that the TeleMini board seems to
259 have updated OK, which you can do by
260 configuring it over the radio link through
261 the TeleDongle, or letting it come up in
262 “flight” mode and listening for telemetry.
264 If something goes wrong, give it another try.
266 ==== Updating TeleDongle v0.2 Firmware
268 Updating TeleDongle v0.2 firmware is just like
269 updating TeleMetrum v1.x or TeleMini firmware, but you
270 use either a TeleMetrum v1.x, TeleDongle v0.2 or
271 TeleBT v1.0 as the programmer.
273 . Find the 'programming cable' that you got as part of
274 the starter kit, that has a red 8-pin MicroMaTch
275 connector on one end and a red 4-pin MicroMaTch
276 connector on the other end.
278 . Find the USB cable that you got as part of the
279 starter kit, and plug the “mini” end in to the
280 mating connector on TeleMetrum v1.x, TeleDongle v0.2
283 . Take the 2 screws out of the TeleDongle v0.2 or
284 TeleBT v1.0 case to get access to the circuit board.
286 . Plug the 8-pin end of the programming cable to the
287 matching connector on the programmer, and the 4-pin
288 end to the matching connector on the TeleDongle
289 v0.2. Note that each MicroMaTch connector has an
290 alignment pin that goes through a hole in the PC
291 board when you have the cable oriented correctly.
293 . Attach a battery to the TeleMetrum v1.x board if
296 . Plug both the programmer and the TeleDongle into
297 your computer's USB ports, and power up the
300 . Run AltosUI, and select 'Flash Image' from the File
303 . Pick the programmer device from the list,
304 identifying it as the programming device.
307 . Select the image you want put on the TeleDongle
308 v0.2, which should have a name in the form
309 teledongle-v0.2-1.0.0.ihx. It should be visible in
310 the default directory, if not you may have to poke
311 around your system to find it.
313 . Make sure the configuration parameters are
314 reasonable looking. If the serial number and/or RF
315 configuration values aren't right, you'll need to
316 change them. The TeleDongle v0.2 serial number is
317 on the “bottom” of the circuit board, and can
318 usually be read through the translucent blue plastic
319 case without needing to remove the board from the
322 . Hit the 'OK' button and the software should proceed
323 to flash the TeleDongle v0.2 with new firmware,
324 showing a progress bar.
326 . Confirm that the TeleDongle v0.2 board seems to have
327 updated OK, which you can do by plugging in to it
328 over USB and using a terminal program to connect to
329 the board and issue the 'v' command to check the
330 version, etc. Once you're happy, remove the
331 programming cable and put the cover back on the
334 If something goes wrong, give it another try.
336 Be careful removing the programming cable from the
337 locking 8-pin connector on TeleMetrum. You'll need a
338 fingernail or perhaps a thin screwdriver or knife
339 blade to gently pry the locking ears out slightly to
340 extract the connector. We used a locking connector on
341 TeleMetrum to help ensure that the cabling to
342 companion boards used in a rocket don't ever come
343 loose accidentally in flight.
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