[cqp Bert]

I have been a uChip user for 15+ years now. Basically one programmer fits all over there.

Now I am working on a CC3D based flight control and need to get a programmer for the Boot Loader. I have read I just need a TTL level USB ->RS232 board (such as any FTDI based board). Is this the best approach or do I want something like this http://www.st.com/web/catalog/tools/FM146/CL1984/SC724/SS1677/PF251168?sc=internet/evalboard/product/251168.jsp?

And if the best is to use USB->RS232, are there any recommendations for this? I feel a bit like my head is swimming googling this information. Next issue for me will be PC side software for the actual programming. Again I am lost here also.

I would like to try and do some things with the firmware to further this project, but feeling quite newbie seeing as I can't even get a valid tool chain in place.

[hwh]

The ST-Link is a nice toy but the serial bootloader works fine without anything but a usb-serial adapter.

Cliff's thread https://forum.librepilot.org/index.php?topic=208.0 discusses pretty much everything you need to know about programming bootloaders and has the only software you need to program a bootloader (dfu-util.exe) as an attachment to the first post.

[cqp Bert]

Thank You hwh!!

I will get the thread read and see what I come up with. So I will find a TTL level USB to RS-232

[f5soh]

Hi,

Do you build the CC3D from scratch by yourself ?

Usually you don't need a serial programmer to flash bootloader, you can use the rescue method and flash the bu_cc3d.opfw file with Gcs through the USB port.

https://librepilot.atlassian.net/wiki/display/LPDOC/Firmware+Tab#FirmwareTab-UpdateBootloaderandUpdatefirmware

Laurent

[cqp Bert]

Hi Lurent,
Yes we are building a version from scratch. It is a CC3D with extra stuff for convenience like built in PDB and 5V reg up to 2 amps.

So the rescue method won't work as the uC doesn't know how to talk to USB until it has some program flashed in - ie the boot loader

-Bert

[hwh]

...we are building a version from scratch. It is a CC3D...

If you're building it from scratch why not base it on the revo?   A lot more power and capabilities than the older cc3d design.

[cqp Bert]

Well actually we started a while ago. maybe last June. At the time OP was pretty wound up about clones and we did not want to contribute to that frenzy. In fact we wanted to get their blessing and contribute if we ever actually sold any. We even put OP logo on the board.

I suppose in hindsight the revo may have been better, but we are really happy with the CC3D. Being a PIC guy I would like to do a complete re-design using a 200MIPS PIC32. But first I need to get a working anything - hence the CC3D.
First we crawl