[kingkong]

Folks can you help me. I have the scp01 with radio and all. Cars pair nicely through the controller. Then i wanted to update the firmware to resolve that lanechanger issue. However the dongle update keeps quitting around halfway into the firmware load. I have tried all versions with same result. The twinkling lights on the dongle have been shut off. Any suggestions?

Thanks
Jonas

 

[Slot.it]

Hi

I understand you are trying to update the dongle firmware. Is this correct?
If so, what do you see on screen exactly? Don't worry about the dongle lights going off during reflashing, it is normal.

What is the lane changer issue? If you are referring to the fact that with SSD the lane changers don't get back to straight position, there is no need to update the firmware. You just have to launch the bootloader, select car, and select 'SSD' mode.

 

[kingkong]

Correct.

I put in dongle.
Start bootloader.
Pick dongle.
It communicates with device.
Bootloader states that latest load was faulty.
Ok.
I press update firmware (i cannot pick read firmware)
Pick one of the firmware files (same result with all).
Bootloader states the prior version and the version which i have just picked.
I press yes.
Deviceprogramming appears - loads approx half the bar.
Another window appear (titled please wait) which loads a progress bar for 2 seconds then closes.
All bootloader windows then closes.

I have tried reinstalling and i would like to try from a different pc but do not have the option right now. In device manager th dongle looks fine. I even tried with different com ports and bauds knowing it is a long shot.

I started the upgrading of the dongle because I could make the controller or the cars enter into bootloader mode. So basically followed the instruction in bootloader manual.

Any help is greatly appreciated (even if it is something utterly simple that would make look like an idiot)

Thanks
Jonas

 

[Slot.it]

That's very strange as I've never come across a bootloading sw (I mean, PC bootloader) crash halfway through.
Let me try it here...

 

[Slot.it]

I was able to replicate your problem

I started with a dongle with version 2.00 and started an update procedure to 2.01
I waited until the first 'Please wait' screen comes up, and then, when the reflashing procedure starts the second phase, I brutally unplugged the dongle from the cable. I know this is not what you did

, but I did it to simulate a crash during reflashing.
I restarted the procedure, got the 'update firmware' screen, selected 2.01 again, and everything worked well until the phase one ('bootloading' 1, 'please wait' 1) finishes.
Then, the program dies.
I believe I have reached the same point that you are at.
It keeps dying the same way every time I try to 'update firmware' to the new version 2.01. If I select the previous version (2.00), then the procedure starts, and reaches the end properly, that is, I am returned to a working dongle 2.00. After which, I successfully reflashed it to 2.01.

Strangely, if I start a 'downgrade' from 2.01 to 2.00 and try doing the same, I have no problem (ever) while the reverse invariably ends up (if I unplug the dongle - that is if the reflashing crashes)

So:
if you started from 2.00, going to 2.01, and for some reason the bootloader failed, retry the procedure with the same version you started from. That is: reflash the dongle with 2.00 (if you started from 2.00). If, like it should, this reloads your dongle with the old software, you can then try a new procedure to go to 2.01.

If you can tell me what version you started with, and what version you were going to, I can do more testing next week

Regards
Maurizio

 

[kingkong]

Thanks. Have tried your suggestions but it still terminates at the exact same spot. With one notable variation - i now also get an "Labview error: memory is full. VI bootloaderstartup.vi was stopped at unknown " " at a call to splitintoflashpage.vi". The error occur before the bootloading starts.

I didnt notice the initial version of firmware on the dongle but as I received it just yesterday i guess it is the version you ship it with from the factory.

I'll see if i can get another pc still to rule out that cause.

Thanks
Jonas

 

[Slot.it]

Do you mean now the bootloader program does not even start? We're going to look into this, but this may have something to do with the setup of the PC.

What version of bootloader are you using?

 

[kingkong]

I use which is on the site currently (007 i think).

I can only see two cause. A faulty dongle or some setup on the pc. I'll reinstall a pc tonight (with fingers crossed as it has been quite some time since i did that) and see if that help ruling out possible causes.

 

[Slot.it]

OK. Does the BL start at all now?

 

[kingkong]

Hi again.

I changed to a fresh installed pc and it worked! I suspect the error is with my documents as the faulty pc had my documents redirection and the bootloader keeps some files there. So even though all lights were green I think it could not access some functionality under the bootload because of the redirection. Anyway it works now.

I was able to flash the dongle to version 922 and got one car updated (201 to 202). Apparently my chips were shipped with 201 so there is some guesswork to be done when you try to upgrade the first - especially as I didn't really know what hitrate to expect. I must have tried 50 times beffore it occured to me that the shipped version in the chip might have been greater than 1 and thus required a different dongle version. So far so good.

I tried the controller as well and caught it with dongle version 922. But the controller reported firmware version 65.66 (or something like that) and would not let me upgrade (or downgrade if you like) to 201. It simply stated abort. Any suggestions?

Thanks
Jonas

 

[Slot.it]

Hi Jonas.
Good to know - can you please exactly explain what is the 'document redirection'? Maybe it's a case we should consider in our software, so that others won't have to go through your process.
Now to the controller: I understand that with dongle sw 9.22, it enters bootloader mode. Hence, its software is version 2.01, which is what we ship them with. Can you link it with the car?
I'll check today the 65.66 thing.

regards
Maurizio

 

[kingkong]

Yes sure. As i was on a corporate pc the my documents folder was redirected to a server and I think this somehow caused the problem as i had full admin rights.

For the controller you are correct but when i press read version it gives me the 65 version. I didn't have time to play with pairing with the car as i stopped at the controller not being updated.

It would be great if you could advise on the controller version.

Thanks
Jonas

 

[Slot.it]

Hi.
65.66 means that the sw release was not read correctly. If possible, please let me know at what stage you get this error. If I understand correctly: you start the BL, select 'controller', the controller is in BL mode and responds, and when you read the sw version, you get 65.66?

I'd suggest, first thing, not to update the controller now but try linking it to a car.

regards
Maurizio

 

[kingkong]

I get the 65 version when I query the controller in bl mode. But as stated it will not update. I try the linking to the car when i get home.

Thanks
Jonas

 

[kingkong]

For some reason it found the controller today. It did not reply the 65.66 firmware version. Only thing i did was to pair controller and car. Confusing but now there is a link all the way through.

So With everything in place i thought that i could use the scp01 to change outer only or inner only on the ssd xlc's. But but th scp01 arrow buttons work in the same way as the standard round button on a ssd controller. Changing car mode to oxigen is the same. So is selective lane changing not possible with ssd?

I know it's a lot of questions but I am trying to get my head around it.

Thanks
Jonas

 

[MrFlippant]

Selective lane change is not possible with stock SSD changers. SLC is only possible with oXigen Lc electronics.

 

[kingkong]

Bummer.

 

[Slot.it]

We will sell in 2012 modified versions of the Scalextric SSD LCs that will enable Selective LC, thanks to an agreement with Hornby.
These modded LCs will also set themselves 'straight' upon reset and every 10" or so, which will make them perfectly suitable for mixed analog - digital environments.

 

[Slot.it]

Glad to know it worked.
Obviously the 65.66 is something we need to address - we'll look at that today, but my guess is that the bug is:
After upgrade from 1.0 to 2.0 (which involves a complete rewrite of the flash and eeprom), the controller will report a wrong software version until it is paired to a car.
Solution: link it with a car.

 

[RichG]

QUOTE (Slot.it @ 15 May 2012, 08:53) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>We will sell in 2012 modified versions of the Scalextric SSD LCs that will enable Selective LC, thanks to an agreement with Hornby.
These modded LCs will also set themselves 'straight' upon reset and every 10" or so, which will make them perfectly suitable for mixed analog - digital environments.
Ooooh very nice, have tried to persuade Hornby on several ocassions to put in a periodic straight reset for when in analog mode..

Does this mean that you have defined a new but compatible set of codes for the IR car LED to control these changers and yet still work with unmodified ones?

Don't suppose the agreement allows you to make the new firmware generally availble, so that we can do upgrades ourselves?

Rich