BlueSaab v5.x

[Seth]

Ok, so first off, this version isn’t an “official” version that we designed...but apparently other people have used it successfully.

Having said that, this version uses a different voltage regulator (U6) than the one we used so make sure it’s correct for this board. Check for a clean 3.3v when powering up the module.

It looks like there is some possible shorts on the left of U5.

If everything but canbus is working, you can narrow down your search to the canbus circuitry (u2, u3, d5, y1), and then making sure the firmware is loaded and working.

The can1 and can2 leds won’t flash all that much when it’s talking to the car, and not at all if you power it on the bench.

On Thu, Mar 7, 2019 at 16:01 Weby [via BlueSaab Forum] <[hidden email]> wrote:

Not sure it's gonna help.

---

If you reply to this email, your message will be added to the discussion below:

http://bluesaab-forum.2349123.n4.nabble.com/BlueSaab-v5-x-tp1379p1392.html

To start a new topic under Firmware releases, email [hidden email]
To unsubscribe from Firmware, click here.
NAML

[Karlis]

Weby wrote

I'm completely lost I think.

What's the difference between a bootloader and the firmware ?

Also, your "how-to"s dating from 2016 use the uncompiled version of the firmware for use with Arduino firmware. Any way to have a more recent how-to ?

It's weird that the bluetooth module is working but the can isn't.

Bootloader is a super small and simple program who's only job is to "listen" to the outside world and "accept" a program being written to the uC. Consider it as a waiter at a restaurant who tells the guests where to sit. Without a bootlaoder, the uC is completely empty. Not to say that it cannot be written to, but BlueSaab firmware was designed with bootloader being present in mind.

[Weby]

So, with Windows, how do you recommend we flash it ?
Which bootloader are you using ?

[Karlis]

Weby wrote

So, with Windows, how do you recommend we flash it ?
Which bootloader are you using ?

The bootloader that comes with Arduino IDE will work perfectly (Tools -> Burn Bootloader)

As for uploading the .hex file, this tool will be good on Windows:

https://github.com/christophediericx/ArduinoSketchUploader

[homerisback]

Hello,
I designed the v5.5 board and built enough of them to tell that this layout works flawlessly.
I chose a DPAK voltage regulator to provide better heat dissipation, otherwise it has exactly the same specs than the SOT one.

I always used windows 7 and arduino IDE only to burn bootloader then upload firmware. Forget about RPi with v5.x versions.
To burn booloader, you MUST use ISP pins. An Arduino Uno board with ArduinoISP sketch uploaded into it would do the job easily. Then connect the board with ISP pins on BlueSAAB. Make sure to use the 5V output of Arduino Uno (3v3 isn't enough to go through voltage regulator).
This page gives you a simple how-to connect them.
This other page would show you how-to burn the bootloader properly, from Load the Sketch.

When all this is done, you could either upload BlueSAAB_CDC firmware via ISP or via USB. If it's via USB (the way I always did), simply remove ISP cables, and connect the board with USB cable. Windows should detect it and install drivers, RX & TX blinking (it will appear as a new COM port in device properties).
Under Arduino IDE select tool 'Arduino Uno' and the new COM port (BlueSAAB is considered like this by software), load BlueSAAB v4.1 in Arduino IDE and then you should be able to upload it to BlueSAAB.
Loads of how-tos are available on the web to use Arduino IDE, if anytime lost...

Hope this helps

[Weby]

Hi and thank you very much for this.

the com port appears already, so I'm guessing the FTDI chip is working.

I'll buy an arduino uno now and report back. Also will dual boot windows.

From: homerisback [via BlueSaab Forum]

Sent: Friday, 8 March 2019 10:38

To: Weby

Subject: Re: BlueSaab v5.x

Hello,
I designed the v5.5 board and built enough of them to tell that this layout works flawlessly.
I chose a DPAK voltage regulator to provide better heat dissipation, otherwise it has exactly the same specs than the SOT one.

I always used windows 7 and arduino IDE only to burn bootloader then upload firmware. Forget about RPi with v5.x versions.
To burn booloader, you MUST use ISP pins. I had an Arduino Uno board with ArduinoISP sketch uploaded into it. Then connect the board with ISP pins on BlueSAAB. Make sure to use the 5V output of Arduino Uno (3v3 isn't enough to go through voltage regulator).
This page gives you a simple how-to connect them.
This other page would show you how-to burn the bootloader properly, from Load the Sketch.

When all this is done, you could either upload BlueSAAB_CDC firmware via ISP or via USB. If it's via USB (the way I always did), simply remove ISP cables, and connect the board with USB cable. Windows should detect it and install drivers, RX & TX blinking (it will appear as a new COM port in device properties).
Under Arduino IDE select tool 'Arduino Uno' and the new COM port (BlueSAAB is considered like this by software), load BlueSAAB v4.1 in Arduino IDE and then you should be able to upload it to BlueSAAB.
Loads of how-tos are available on the web to use Arduino IDE, if anytime lost...

Hope this helps

---

If you reply to this email, your message will be added to the discussion below:

http://bluesaab-forum.2349123.n4.nabble.com/BlueSaab-v5-x-tp1379p1397.html

To unsubscribe from BlueSaab v5.x, click here.
NAML

[Weby]

Alright guys, reporting back.

Using an arduino uno (SMD version, revision 3) worked. Burning bootloader was easy enough indeed, after burning the ArduinoISP sketch, just plugging it in like mentioned by homerisback worked straight away.

Trying to flash the firmware, however...

Using the .hex file just isn't possible with Arduino IDE. You need the source code. I found it on Seth's github  (https://github.com/sambthompson/SAAB-CDC/releases/), loaded it, verified it and everything seemed okay.
Maybe replace the v4.1 firmware links with the github release ones ? Or have both displayed, so we don't have to dig through 10 forks to know which one is the right one :)

Using the USB cable with the internal FTDI chip was a bit of a pain at first. I received loads of "stk500_recv()" errors, that just kept appearing. I had to reset the board a few times (unplug/replug the USB) for it to work. I saw it working directly when the TX and RX started flashing very quickly.

Using the serial monitor showed "BlueSaab", "Firmware 4.1, hardware 5.1", I was really happy.

Unplugged the CD changer and plugged the BlueSaab in. I was completely baffled. My first reaction was "How the heck is my CD changer still playing the last CD I was playing ??? It's unplugged !". By complete accident, my last played CD track was the same track I was playing on my phone last week...

So... It works !

I'm a bit surprised with the chime whenever I pause/unpause and switch back to BlueSaab. I might disable that, but other than that I'm amazed by the speed of the BlueSaab. Seriously, the music starts playing even faster than the FM radio, which is incredible. Also the Bluetooth connectivity didn't seem to be bothered at all by all the junk I had in my boot.

No hardware issue whatsoever, even with my crappy soldering, it was all a firmware issue... As in... No firmware was actually burned on it.

Thanks very much for the help.

(Maybe we could move this to a separate help thread ?)

[homerisback]

Good news eventually ! I'm happy you managed it almost flawlessly with my instructions.
Your "first track playing with BlueSaab" story is really funny
Enjoy !

[Weby]

Thank you !

Since you did the 5.5 board, I think you inverted the red and blue LEDs for the BlueTooth. It makes sense that the Blue one is on when a bluetooth device is connected, but right now it's the red one.

No biggie, just need to switch the red and blue one, and it's really just cosmetic, but still :)

Anyone interested in a 3D printable enclosure for the bluesaab ? The mouser one is still on backorder and I don't wanna spend shipping just for that.

[Seth]

https://octopart.com/cu-3242-mb-bud+industries-70679

[Weby]

Thanks, but 3d printing it anyway :)

[sbt]

Weby wrote

... I found it on Seth's github  (https://github.com/sambthompson/SAAB-CDC/releases/), loaded it, verified it and everything seemed okay.

Just noting here that this repo is mine, not Seth's (his github account is https://github.com/Edison517), and mine is not the official one. The "official" repo is at https://github.com/kveilands/SAAB-CDC/releases/. My fork is a bit out of date vs. head, although it does work (mostly). Current issues I haven't got around to sorting include a problem where excessive inbound CAN messages cause watchdog timeouts and hang the unit (since it can't restart without watchdog timeout being much longer). Enabling Open SID on your ECU creates the conditions to trigger the problem. Unfortunately some watchdog fixes I applied early on were lost when another dev took over.

Also, power management is non-existent, so if you don't drive you car regularly, the drain will kill your battery. There are options for sleeping the RN52 and Atmega328p, but I haven't got around to implementing yet. Additionally, there is no proper bluetooth security, which I'd want to have before putting any track data from bluetooth onto the car's CAN bus. Obviously these comments only apply to versions before v6, when the STM32 switch happened.