www.megadrum.info

After getting it to work perfect and trigger fine and all, I noticed that my left button was bad. It could easily stick in the in or out position as if the spring inside was no longer working, so it would keep kicking the MD into the firmware page. I went to radio shack and got a replacement button and replaced that button.

Now the unit powers up, but the LCD shows nothing, just the backlight. I've tried turning it on holding the right button to reset, but it doesn't do so. The up/down have no effect on the contrast. I've read that it could have something to do with the PIC18F2550?? I've tried to reload the firmware from MTC, but It does nothing. I've held the left button and turned it on, then I'll hit Down and then send the firmware, but the MD doesn't restart like it says it should, nor does it bring it back to life if I restart it.

If I've lost the firmware in the atmega 32 icu is there some otherway to reload it, or reprogram it?
If I've lost the information in the PIC18F2550, can I get that back? I'm hoping I don't soon regret having taken this route to building my own module.
I know it has to be something very simple, but my only skills are soldering, and I don't really understand the electronics end of things.

HELP

You cannot accidentally erase firmware in PIC18F2550.

Most definitely you have a loose connection somewhere. Most likely on power traces. Test voltages on pins 20 and 14 of PIC18F2550 and on pins 10 and 30 of Atmega.

And out of curiosity, have you read "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy"? There is a very good moto in there.

I don't have a meter handy, but why would it suddenly stop working when it worked perfectly after I realized the atmega32 was in backwards. I checked those pins that you asked me to test voltage on and they are soldered perfectly. I'll see if I can get a meter and try to check the voltage. That is, after I learn how to use a voltage meter.

jeffbeckib wrote:I don't have a meter handy, but why would it suddenly stop working when it worked perfectly after I realized the atmega32 was in backwards.

It may happen exactly because you may have a loose connection somewhere. It works one day and stops working another. You don't really think that somebody spelt a curse on it, do you?

I checked those pins that you asked me to test voltage on and they are soldered perfectly. I'll see if I can get a meter and try to check the voltage. That is, after I learn how to use a voltage meter.

http://www.doctronics.co.uk/meter.htm
http://it.youtube.com/watch?v=wwuQqqnLvZk

stupid question, when I look at the atmega32 and the PIC18F2550 I know how to identify pin1, but I'm not sure how the numbers start on the other side. In other words, PIC18F2550, on one side is pin 1 through 14, but which pin is directly across from pin 1, does it start 15 through 28? or is pin 15 across from pin 14?

Numbering goes in a circle. See examples here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dual_in-line_package

since I have the tool to remove the solder, I re soldered both icu's and still having the same problem. I'll have to pick up a meter tomorrow and test it with that. I just don't get how it worked fine until I replaced that left button.

jeffbeckib wrote:since I have the tool to remove the solder, I re soldered both icu's and still having the same problem.

Did somebody advise you to re-solder both ICs?

I'll have to pick up a meter tomorrow and test it with that. I just don't get how it worked fine until I replaced that left button.

They say in Russia: "electronics is a science about contacts".

As I understand it megadrum only uses normally-off momentary switches, did you by any chance pick up a non-momentary or a normally-on momentary?