Firmware for an MCubed T-Balancer BigNG fan controller?

kreyszig · 26 Aug 2023 at 23:05

Hi,

So I have a BigNG fan controller that I really like and sadly its FTDI and AtMega16 chipsets got fried due to an incompatible modular PSU cable with inverted 5V and 12V pinout. I think I can manage to replace both chipsets, but I don't have the firmware for the AtMega16. Does anyone know where I could find this or could provide it for me (it should be extractable through the service pins)? Thank you!

kreyszig · 31 Aug 2023 at 15:24

So I did find the CD my t-balancer came with, and there are firmware files on there. These firmware can be updated through USB with the original software. However I had already ordered an Atmega644PA MCU to replace the Atmega16 and I think they are only compatible at the pinout level, so I would need to buy something like an Atmega16A-AUR if I want to use the original firmware and not reinvent the wheel. It is unfortunate this firmware was not open source as far as I know.

kreyszig · 31 Aug 2023 at 17:17

Does anyone know what bootloader is used by the BigNG MCU? It looks like their firmware is meant to be uploaded through USB. I assume it is not using an Arduino bootloader as it did not exist back then? Thanks!

kreyszig · 3 Sep 2023 at 13:36

I have replaced both the FT232BL and the ATmega16 chips on my controller. I have tested the new ATmega16A by programming it through ISP and I tested the serial communication with the FTDI chipset. I looked at the format of their firmware file and it is not simply the ATmega16 firmware, there is additional data in there. Also only the two serial lines are connected between both chipsets, so the ATmega16 is not running a bootloader similar to Arduino's that requires one additional line. Does anyone know about an open source tool to update the firmware and that I could use to understand the format of their firmware file so I can upload it through ISP? Thanks!