M2 Boot Loader Users Guide
To download the HEX files into your RC2800 you will need the "Bootloader" program. This is a small Windows based program that will load the .HEX files into your control box. Please read the Bootloader Instructions for information on how to load your unit.
General Description
The new M2 rotator micro controller includes a new feature that allows it to re-program itself while in-circuit. In the past, updates to the software for the micro controller required a new EPROM device to be programmed at the factory and replaced on the main board. This new feature allows you to load new software into the controller via the RS232 serial port. This enables the user to easily utilize the most current software by providing the end user the ability to upgrade the systems in the field.Operation
Before you begin, you must have a copy of the code that you will be downloading into the controller. This is a file you have downloaded or received via an email. It will be a file with the .HEX filename extension. You must also have the bootloader software.
IMPORTANT NOTE
After loading new firmware into you unit, ALL settings will return to their factory defaults.
Prior to downloading new firmware, you may want to check you setup and write down any settings you wish to save.
Activating the boot loader
The controller boot loader can be activated at power up . To activate, you must press and hold the SPEED DOWN button on the control unit and then power on the unit. The display will remain blank. Thus, there is no display indication of the boot loader being active. At this point, the controller is waiting for a connected PC to begin communications via the Bootloader software.
Running the PC boot loader software
The PC program is BOOTLOAD.EXE. When run, it will display a simple operation screen. First, select the COM port you have connected to the rotor control box.Next you must use the OPEN… button to select the .HEX file you wish to download into the controller unit. Once you select a HEX file, it will appear in the ‘File to Download’ label and will indicate the number of blocks in the file on the status line near the bottom. Depending on the HEX file you received, you may have additional information in the larger status message area. This information would include the HEX file version.
To begin the download, make sure you have activated the boot loader on the controller unit (SPEED DOWN + POWER ON) then press the Download button
Downloading
Once you select download, the program will begin to scan for the boot loader program in the controller. If after a few seconds the program cannot find the controller, it will stop and popup and error message indicating the software failed a “handshake”. The primary cause of this is an improper cable or COM port.Once found, the status display will indicate it is downloading by counting down the number of blocks remaining to be downloaded as well as a progress bar that shows how the process is progressing.
Once the download is complete, the PC download program will indicate this and the controller unit will reset and execute the downloaded program. That's it, once the program says it complete your controller has been upgraded.
Errors and Troubleshooting
| Message | Description |
|---|---|
| Cannot Open COM# | The bootloader program could not open the selected COM port. Causes: You have selected a non-existing COM port or the port you have selected is being used by another Windows application. |
Failed Handshake  | Bootloader not found. When you begin a download, the program will try to establish communications with the controller's boot loader. This phase is called the ‘Handshake’. If after several failed attempts by the PC program to establish this connection, this message will appear. Some Causes * Bad / Improperly wired cable. * Micro down loader not active. (Speed Dn + Pwr on) * Micro does not contain any boot loader software. |
| Timeout | If after the download has begun there is a communication failure, this message will indicate that the connection was lost and the download canceled. Check cable and re-try. |
| Communication Error | Each block sent from the PC will contain a “checksum” that is used to validate the proper reception of the block. If the checksum received and the one calculated by the controller for the block are not equal, this error will appear. This is most likely Re-try the download. |