www.megadrum.info

Hello eveyone.I have built Megadrum i made my own pcb and i am about to program the atmega32 with a 16MHz crystal.I have some experience programing successfully atmega16 ics using ponyprog and a serial isp.I have read the documentation and there are instructions only how to program the ic with using a bootloader.

So do you think i would i have problems trying proramm the firmware using my hardware and if not how should i set the fuse bits then?

P.S.:The programming method using a bootloader works only if we use the PIC18F2550 or it works independently?
i hope my english are good enough for you to understand what i ask

pit21 wrote:Hello eveyone.I have built Megadrum i made my own pcb and i am about to program the atmega32 with a 16MHz crystal.I have some experience programing successfully atmega16 ics using ponyprog and a serial isp.I have read the documentation and there are instructions only how to program the ic with using a bootloader.

So do you think i would i have problems trying proramm the firmware using my hardware and if not how should i set the fuse bits then?

Leave fuses as they are in the documentation. You can program just MegaDrum firmware without programming the bootloader. Actually the documentation mentions this: 'You still can write the MegaDrum firmware without the bootloader but you will have to connect the ISP cable whenever you want to update to the latest firmware release.'

P.S.:The programming method using a bootloader works only if we use the PIC18F2550 or it works independently?
i hope my english are good enough for you to understand what i ask

The bootloader is independent of USB, and PIC18F2550 as a result. With the bootloader you can update MgaDrum firmware over a standard MIDI connection.

P.S. I'm moving this topic to 'MegaDrum Hardware' where it belongs.

Thanks for the really quick reply!

Should i also leave checked the bootlock11 bit?i aske again because i don't want to lock the IC and then i can't write again on it

The bootloader is independent of USB, and PIC18F2550 as a result. With the bootloader you can update MgaDrum firmware over a standard MIDI connection.

wait a second becuse i got confused...
in the MCT mentions this:
How to update firmware:
First of all, make sure you have Megadrum connected via USB cable and that it has a programmed bootloader.

so if I decide to update the firmware that way i should programm the bootloader.till this point it's ok.but will the MCT send the firmware data via usb or through the isp cable and the usb is needed only for the power suply?

pit21 wrote:Thanks for the really quick reply!

Should i also leave checked the bootlock11 bit?i aske again because i don't want to lock the IC and then i can't write again on it

Just leave all fuses as they are. The bootlock11 fuse prevents writing into a bootloader section from inside of a firmware. External programmers can still write into this section.

The bootloader is independent of USB, and PIC18F2550 as a result. With the bootloader you can update MgaDrum firmware over a standard MIDI connection.

wait a second becuse i got confused...
in the MCT mentions this:
How to update firmware:
First of all, make sure you have Megadrum connected via USB cable and that it has a programmed bootloader.

so if I decide to update the firmware that way i should programm the bootloader.till this point it's ok.but will the MCT send the firmware data via usb or through the isp cable and the usb is needed only for the power suply?

You can select any MIDI port from withing MCT, including a standard MIDI port. You won't need the ISP cable once you have programmed the bootloader, even if you use USB only to power up your MegaDrum . MCT will send firmware data over a standard MIDI port/cable.

I am still confused

Lets try asking same thing another way and more specificly.Can the MCT update the firmware only using usb and if yes will i need the PIC to be on the board?

pit21 wrote:I am still confused

Lets try asking same thing another way and more specificly.Can the MCT update the firmware only using usb and if yes will i need the PIC to be on the board?

Don't know how to tell it another way. No, you don't need PIC to be able update firmware nor to use MegaDrum for that matter. No, MCT doesn't require USB. It can use a standard MIDI port.

It can use a standard MIDI port.

when you say this you mean that the firmware data will be sent over the MIDI cable(like the 5 pin DIN cable here)?

and if yes how can i connect this cable on my pc?

pit21 wrote:

It can use a standard MIDI port.

when you say this you mean that the firmware data will be sent over the MIDI cable(like the 5 pin DIN cable here)?

Yes

and if yes how can i connect this cable on my pc?

To a MIDI port of your pc.

unfortunately my pc does not have a port like this.so i guess the only solution left is to programm the ic using isp?I hoped that i could update the firmware through the usb but anyway!

thanks for you patience(if i were you i would probably be angry with me) and for this really good project!

Are you going to use MegaDrum connected to a drum machine or another drum module only and never to a pc?
Then you have to use the ISP cable to program/update MegaDrum firmware.