Uploading New Firmware

New firmware (which must take the form of a .bin file) is uploaded onto the Make Controller Kit via USB. These can be downloaded from the MakingThings site, or you may create them yourself.

The first step is to get the board into upload mode, so it's ready to accept a new app - this process depends on whether you're running an OSC-enabled application (like Heavy) or something else.

OSC Erase

If you're running at least Heavy 1.6.0 and your Controller Board is version 1.1 or later, you can erase the board simply by right clicking on the board in the Boards list and selecting 'erase board'.  Once you've done this, the your board should drop off the Boards list and come back momentarily as an Unprogrammed Board.  At this point, double-click on the board, or select Uploader from the Board menu to bring up the Uploader dialog. 

Manual Erase

If your board is not running an OSC-enabled app or it's earlier than version 1.1, you need to erase it manually.  This is also the way to erase a board that is not responding to the above method.  

There are just a few steps:

• You'll need to make contact between the two pins labeled ERASE on the Application or Interface Board - these are located near the top left corner of the Controller Board, and the labels might be pretty small!.  Connect these pins with any piece of metal (screwdriver, paper clip, etc) to erase it.  If you're doing this often, it might be convenient to connect a pushbutton between these two pads so you can use it to erase your board.
• Unplug and replug the board to reset it.  When you plug it back in, the board should pop up in the list on the left as an Unprogrammed Board.  Double click on it, or select Uploader from the Board menu to bring up the Uploader dialog.

Upload Dialog

The mchelper Uploader dialog

Platform Specific Notes

Windows

On Windows, you need to install USB drivers twice:

• the first time the board is plugged in while it's running heavy.
• the first time the board plugged in when it's in upload mode.

For each of these cases, the device manager will pop up alerting you that new hardware has been detected.  Tell it to install automatically and it should be able to find the appropriate drivers. It will also warn you that the driver is not certified - this just means that nobody has paid Microsoft the fee they require to prevent that dialog from coming up!  Press "continue anyway" and all is well.

As of 06/2009 we don't have support for uploading new firmware on Vista 64-bit.  Other Windows platforms are supported, but Atmel (the chip manufacturer) has not yet released support for this yet.  We're currently working with them to try and get this together!

OS X

As of 10.5 (Leopard), changes were made to the USB system that require an extra setup step.  In the mchelper download, install the OS X Uploader package which will allow you to upload new firmware successfully to your board.  It's best to do this before plugging your board in.

Next Steps

Once you've uploaded new firmware, the Uploader dialog will close.  If the board does not appear momentarily in the Boards list, try disconnecting and then reconnecting your board.

Once it shows up in the list of boards, you may want to give the board a quick test to confirm it's working.  A good way to do this is to send an OSC message from the "Dialog" view.  When the board pops up in the list on the left, try typing

/appled/0/state 1

and then hitting return, or pressing the Send button.

You should see one of the LEDs on the Application Board light up. Then, if you send

/appled/0/state 0

you should see it turn off.  If you're using an Interface Board you don't have any appleds, so you can send a message like

/led/state 1

instead.  You should see the green LED on the Controller Board light up for a moment before resuming its normal blink pattern.