Connector for Tritium Driver Controls programming

[coulomb]

I happen to have this connector part open in a browser. I thought I'd have to buy one (or several), but Weber heroically saved one that was mangled out of a dead unit. I may as well paste the address here so others (myself included) can find it again if needed.

One of these connectors are required if you need to program or reprogram the flash image in a Driver Controls. I suspect that not all Blades have a Driver Controls, but if yours do, and you need to replace the processor or firmware for some reason, then you'll need this connector installed. A Driver Controls unit from a Blade that Weber and I programmed recently did not have the connector populated. Blade must have used some other method to program the firmware into the Driver Controls; maybe it's possible over the CAN bus or a serial port.

To be clear: to use JTAG to program the flash image in the Driver Controls, you need this connector, and also a .hex file containing the image (attached; the white one is known to be for a Mark VI), an Olimex programmer device, and a suitable computer with drivers and the programming program (it comes with the Olimex programmer). JTAG can also be incredibly useful for debugging firmwares, but you have to know what you are doing.

https://au.element14.com/amphenol-fci/h ... a%2Fsearch [ Edit: if this link doesn't work, it's Element14 part number 183-5837 . ]

[Richo]

Yeah the link went off somewhere random.
https://au.element14.com/amphenol-fci/h ... p/1835837?

So for the average punter is there a chance of bricking the unit or will it always be recoverable?

[coulomb]

I suppose there are a few ways to screw it up. Something that has bitten Weber and I is that the software can sometimes be a bit over enthusiastic about erasing the calibration area. Then the CPU speed and analogue readings can be off, and it can be a pain recovering them. At worst, you might have to send the unit to someone like myself, and hope that the firmware is available.

The one I programmed recently was because the owner had accidentally fried the processor and a few other chips. He managed to replace the processor himself, but of course a blank flash image doesn't process CAN packets or anything else.