Dead switch - flash new firmware?

[Neter66]

I have a switch that died - it was a used one that I got off a forum member. It flashes red / white / blue over and over again.

My dealer contacted C4, and they said it was a firmware issue, and it was most likely power related. They suggested holding the bottom button for a while until the red/white/blue stopped, and the lights went solid, then attempted to do something with the firmware.

It didn't work. The switch is still dead. I've taken it out of the wall, and it's here on my desk. I look at it, and I want to fix it.

Now, I know I am going to have to buy a new one, and I have no problem with that - but the tinker-er in me, well, that's another story.

Anyone know if it's possible to put the switch on a bench and force new firmware down onto it? If it's just a chip that holds the firmware, can I swap from a broken dimmer that I have?

Thanks

D.

[thecodeman]

Red White Blue = RMA if under warranty. It's not worth the time to take apart and try to cobble. $130 plus labor gets you a new one with two year warranty.

[RyanE]

To be able to flash the Ember chip in the device (assuming there's no other fault), you'd need an Ember dev kit, plus the .ebl file for the dimmer.

The Ember dev kit is somewhat pricey for flashing a single dimmer, although you might just be able to get by on one of the Ember USB uploaders/flashers instead.

In any case, it's not guaranteed to fix the dimmer, and there's of course no support from Control4 in re-flashing the hardware at that level...

RyanE

[Neter66]

To be able to flash the Ember chip in the device (assuming there's no other fault), you'd need an Ember dev kit, plus the .ebl file for the dimmer.

The Ember dev kit is somewhat pricey for flashing a single dimmer, although you might just be able to get by on one of the Ember USB uploaders/flashers instead.

In any case, it's not guaranteed to fix the dimmer, and there's of course no support from Control4 in re-flashing the hardware at that level...

Thanks Ryan. I've found a USB ember flashing tool for $75 on Digikey. http://search.digikey.com/scripts/DkSearch/dksus.dll?Cat=2621667&k=insight%20ember and figure it's worth a shot - just for the sheer curiosity of seeing if it can be done. It claims it can write an .ebl file using the USB to 10pin header.

Completely understand the no support/guarantee - it's dead anyways, so now it's just one of those "fun" things to do on the weekend to procrastinate instead of mowing the lawn.

Only question that remains is how to get the .ebl file. Is it available in ComposerPRO, as these .ebl files see to be what are installed over the air when upgrading a switch? Are the .ebl files on my main controller? Will Control4 release this to my dealer if he asks nicely? Or do I have to dump it from an existing dimmer using the Ember toolset?

Thanks

D.

[RyanE]

Sorry, don't mean to be a Debbie Downer...

I don't believe that the .ebl format is the same one that is used for flashing over-the-air, and I don't even know if *just* the .ebl file is enough to flash the dimmer.

Sadly, I'm not an Ember / ZigBee / Firmware expert.

You *may* be able to read it off another dimmer, but again, I don't know what fuses are set, it's possible that you can't read it off the dimmer and write it to another.

RyanE

[xc420]

If you figure out how to flash it, please let us know. I have a 3-button keypad that I want to flash but there's no pin header, so I'll have to make one to use a flash tool.

Here's what I came up with so far. Please correct anything you see wrong.

InSight Port Pinout

VBRD 1 2 SIF_MISO

SDBG 3 4 SIF_MOSI

GND 5 6 SIF_CLK

nSIF_LOAD 7 8 nRESET

PTI_EN 9 10 PTI_DATA

From EM250 pin assignment this is what I came up with:

Insight Pin Header - EM250

2 - pin 35

4 - pin 36

6 - pin 34

8 - pin 13

10 - pin 27

1 - pin 17

3 - N/A Debug signal to be used on future Pin- compatible products

5 - GND

7 - pin 37

9 - pin 26

Have you figured out the test points and how they correspond to pins on the em250? ( just an example, I haven't traced any of them yet. TP 1 = SIF_MISO, TP 11 = nReset, etc.) I haven't soldered any wires to them yet. I see TP 4, 5 on one side of the board and TP 1,3,8,11,12,13,15 on the other side. This is on my 3-button keypad kpz-381-x. I wonder if any of the switches/dimmers have pin headers because mine does not.

[Neter66]

If you figure out how to flash it, please let us know. I have a 3-button keypad that I want to flash but there's no pin header, so I'll have to make one to use a flash tool.

I pulled apart a 6 button that I haven't installed yet, and it does not have the header. I couldn't see any TPs either.

Have you figured out the test points and how they correspond to pins on the em250? ( just an example, I haven't traced any of them yet. TP 1 = SIF_MISO, TP 11 = nReset, etc.) I haven't soldered any wires to them yet. I see TP 4, 5 on one side of the board and TP 1,3,8,11,12,13,15 on the other side. This is on my 3-button keypad kpz-381-x. I wonder if any of the switches/dimmers have pin headers because mine does not.

My switch and my dimmer both have a 10 pin header. I can see the traces running from the Ember chip directly to the header. So, that's the easy part. No soldering (hopefully)

Flashing might be a little harder than expected tho... looking at the chip, it's actually an Ember 2420 chip - the previous generation. The EM250/EM260 are a generation ahead of what is in my switch / dimmer.

The USB flashing tool does not list support for the EM2420 - but I don't know if it's because the chip has been discontinued, or if it truly does not support it.

The flashing tool I ordered arrives on Monday, so I'll see if I can at least enumerate the chip when plugged into the header.

I'll let you know what I come up with...

Thanks

D.