No boot loader installed in the Mega2560 ?

   I got a brand new APM1 recently. I soldered it quickly. But when I tried to upload the firmware the mission planner could not detect the APM version. I have not debugged it completely bit seems that it does not have the boot loader. It also appears that the atmega328  does not have the PPM firmware installed.
 
When I power the board without connecting the Oilpan, I can see that.
 
  • The power led is on
  • The mux and the PPM led is off.
  • Arduino is unable to communicate with the board.
  • The mission planner is unable to detect the APM version.
 
I have more that one APM1 and on the other APM1 I see that when I power the rails. The mux/PPM activity led's are on and Arduino is able to load arduino sketch on it. So my wild guess is that there is no boot loader on the mega2560. I will try to connect my Atmel Dragon and see if I can communicate with the chip later today when I get back home.
 
Has anyone else seen a case where the mega2560 is missing the boot loader? Or something else is wrong with my board.?
 
Thanks

Tags: APM1, bbotloader

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Permalink Reply by Tony vh on September 29, 2012 at 2:39pm

Same problem here. I just got the 2560 apm1 and after soldering all the pins replaced the old 1280 apm1. I have had no problem uploading firmware to the 1280 using Planner or  Arduino 101. Neither works with the new 2560. I suspected a bad boatloader or a hardware problem. I sent a message to 3D Robotics requesting an RMA but have not heard back.

When attaching the USB, the com port is recognized. When uploading the rx and tx flash a couple of times, the blue light is on solid on the shield and the red solid on the APM1 2560. Once upload is initiated the rx light flashes occasionally and nothing gets uploaded. The planner gives me an error-"unable to detect APM version"

What is you Atmel Dragon? Is there an easy way of uploading the bootloader?


AdminPermalink Reply by Thomas J Coyle III on September 29, 2012 at 2:48pm

Hi All,

When you first received your APM1 did you observe a blinking LED sequence that 3DR uses to verify the operation of the APM1 when you first powered the APM1 up? If you didn't, it looks like a batch of APM1s may have gotten out of 3DR before they completed testing them. I just received a new APM1 two weeks ago, but have not had a chance to solder any of the headers on the board. Once I do, I will power it up with my trusty FTDI cable to see if the blinking LED sequence is present. If not I guess that I am in the same boat as the two of you. Fortunately I do have an Atmel programmer so I can burn the boot loader and the mux/PPM 328.

Regards,

TCIII

Permalink Reply by Raphael Diaz on September 29, 2012 at 3:31pm

Im in the same boat, does anyone know where i can buy a  AVR ISP MKII programmer? radio shack? 


AdminPermalink Reply by Thomas J Coyle III on September 29, 2012 at 3:34pm

Raphael,

I believe that both Digikey and Mouser sell the AVR ISP programmer. I bought mine from Mouser when I was living in TX. Received it in just a couple of days because Mouser is located in Dallas and I was in McKinney. Good Luck.

Regards,

TCIII


AdminPermalink Reply by Thomas J Coyle III on September 29, 2012 at 3:36pm

Raphael,

I have sent Chris Anderson a pm concerning this problem. You might want to wait until he comments on this issue before you try and burn a bootloader if you have not done so before. Here are instructions for burning a bootloader: http://diydrones.com/profiles/blogs/reloading-the-arduino

Regards,

TCIII

Permalink Reply by Raphael Diaz on September 29, 2012 at 4:24pm

i just read an instruct-able on sparkfun on how to turn your arduino UNO into an ISP programmer, luckily i have an arduino UNO,  http://www.sparkfun.com/tutorials/247


AdminPermalink Reply by Thomas J Coyle III on September 29, 2012 at 5:36pm

Raphael,

The method I linked to above does not require an external processor. Just the target Arduino.

Regards,

TCIII

Permalink Reply by Raphael Diaz on September 29, 2012 at 5:56pm

correct however you still need an AVR programmer which is what the arduino uno is acting like.

Permalink Reply by Raphael Diaz on September 29, 2012 at 7:02pm

well i was able to load the arduplane  firmware using my arduino uno as the ISP programmer. i cannot connect through the mission planner still


AdminPermalink Reply by Thomas J Coyle III on September 29, 2012 at 7:09pm

Raphael,

Can you connect using an FTDI cable to just the APM1?

Regards,

TCIII

Permalink Reply by Raphael Diaz on September 29, 2012 at 7:12pm

i mean AVR programmer not ISP

Permalink Reply by Raphael Diaz on September 29, 2012 at 9:03pm

problem solved. i had to burn the bootloader for the atmega2560. i can now connect to the mission planner!!!

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