[hpsdr] Angelia_v2.0 firmware and new output_file.pof file

[mstangelo at comcast.net]

Joe,

I am trying method 2 usingHPSDRProgrammer -- for W5WC and K5SO -2012-12-8-Rev 3

I select Hermes device - Hermes Boot Loader, Browse for the .rtf file and select Program

I then get an Error: cannot open interface (are you running as root). Operating system is Windows XP. I'm logged in with my account which is set as administrator.

I found a 2 pin plug that fits onto J17. I intend to run the cable from this plug out a rear vent hole so that I can easily short J17 in the future.

Mike N2MS

----- Original Message -----
From: Joe Martin K5SO <k5so at valornet.com>
To: hpsdr list <hpsdr at lists.openhpsdr.org>
Sent: Mon, 16 Sep 2013 03:43:57 -0000 (UTC)
Subject: Re: [hpsdr] Angelia_v2.0 firmware and new output_file.pof file

***** High Performance Software Defined Radio Discussion List *****

All, 

There are three distinct (quite different!) processes that one can used to update firmware on Hermes and Angelia.  In addition to being able to update firmware, two of them can also be used to recover if the first method fails for some unknown reason.  The fact is that you may use ANY of the three methods to routinely update your firmware; your choice, use whichever method appeals to you and whichever method actually works consistently for you!  Here they are: 

Method 1:  Use HPSDRProgrammer (any version you happen to have or care to download from the SVN) with the Hermes/Angelia.rbf firmware file, as explained in several user manuals.  The update is done via the ethernet connection to the board.  Be advised that there is no single version of HPSDRProgrammer that works for everyone.  Some versions work for some systems but not, apparently, for others.  I personally have never found ANY version of the HPSDRProgrammer program that works for me all the time.  Indeed, HPSDRProgrammer usually fails for me on my particular system so I opt to use Method 2 below as my routine firmware updating method.

Method 2:  Use HPSDRBootloader with the Hermes/Angelia.rbf firmware file, as explained in several user manuals.  This method also uses the ethernet connection to the board.  In this method you must put a jumper on J12 if you are updating Hermes or a jumper on J17 if you are updating Angelia.  After the upload to the Hermes/Angelia board you must remove the jumper and power cycle the board.  This method was intended to be used only if Method 1 above failed for some reason or other and this Method 2 can generally be used to recover from a failed Method 1 process.  However, I personally find that using this Method 2 to be much more reliable than using Method 1 above on my system, therefore I hardly ever try to use Method 1 above on my system anymore as it simply fails too frequently on my system to be of much use.  This Method 2 hardly ever fails on my system.  

Method 3: Use the Altera (or a clone) USB blaster cable to recover, as explained in several user manuals.  This method does NOT use the ethernet connection for the upload; instead it uses a direct blaster cable connection to the P2 header on the board.  In this method you would normally use the “output_file.pof” file to load into the EEPROM directly using the blaster cable.  You DO NOT need to put any jumper on the Hermes (J12) or Angelia (J17) board in this method.  In fact, if you DO put the jumper on the board, the board will not automatically restart as it is intended to do until you remove the jumper and power cycle the board.  This method is intended as a last resort recovery method if neither Method 1 nor Method 2 is successful.  To use this method you must plug the blaster cable onto P2 of the Hermes/Angelia board and run Altera’s programmer utility as explained in several user manuals.   Note that depending upon which variant of “output_file.pof” you load you may find that the board recovers okay but that the firmware version is out dated.  In this case, after recovery, you must use either Method 1 above or Method 2 above to load the desired firmware version you seek.  In the most recent update of the Angelia “output_file.pof” Angelia v2.0 will be loaded as a part of the “output_file.pof” file.  

I hope this message clears up some of the confusion that seems to exist regarding firmware update methods.  

73,  Joe K5SO


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