MotherBoard Rev H MightyBoard Replicator 2 bricked on me after firmware update
Help!
I may have the baddest karma in the word right now because Jesus want me to feel his pain right now!
OH, hi there!,
I bought an overpriced Replicator 2 because I had some important 3d projects to finalyse for my Phd. Over 2000$, found out it was reduced below 1000$ on their website promotion. GRrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
Anyways, I used it almost perfectly for 1 day. ALMOST! Until!
An issue started when I kept noticing that I had a HEAT PLATE error msg popped up on my LCD evertime I sended my 3d prints ... really annoying btw to confirm this error every time on the REP2 wiggly keypad (very bad quality choice).
I decided that it would be wise to update the firmware from the MakerBot desktop soft utility to get rid of this annoyance.
WRONG,WRONG,WRONG,WRONG OF ME! NEVER NEVER ..EVER EVER ....FIRMWARE UPDATE ANYTHING WHEN IT WORKS ALMOST WELL!!!! NEVER!
I previously installed the soft app on windows 7 x32, somehow it pointed to the wrong model ->Replicator 2X , instead of the Replicator 2 (with no X). I then proceeded to the FW update and cycled the power when it finished.
OH BOY!!! to my suprise, the Mother BOARD bricked on me ... LCD is Blank dead, LEDS are blank dead ....I open her up and checked the power fuse, is ok, unplugged all the cables (exept the power of course) and tried again ... same darn result!.
My mother BOARD Rev H and is completly bricked! F#@$ that man!, I don't even hear the mini speaker chime sounds when power is on.
All the mounted Driver chips have a green light 4 of them ,DS8 (5v) and DS9 (24v) are also green lit . Hpb, fan_cool, Fan_b/a , heat_b/a leds are OFF. DS4 to DS7 ? are OFF (No idear what they are)
The Vcc/Gnd for the atmega1280 is fine but the external Xtal of 16mhz is flat.
I tried using the winBotTool ... the USB can be detect by windows in the connection com port as Replicator 2 but no response from the processor when trying to program it.
NOTE (to save you 20 hours of frustrations): You need to STOP the background service from the MakerBot App and remap your windows COM port to another unused COM # from the Device manager for it to find the COM port correctly and now you can use the winBotTool! I now see the RX green led flickering on the REP2. TX never lights up and still no success...D$%^IT
It can't beleive makebot scrapped my bootloader firmware on the AtMega1280 chip!!!! I wont let me upload anything from the USB port!
The only way to make it work is to use a ICSP AVR programmer and connect it to connector J19 3x2 6 pin header or/and using the 1280 JTAG connector located at J20 5x2 10 pins header.
If I bring it back to RMA warranty, I wont see it for another month or MORE!!! I cant wait that long....unacceptable solution for me!
I ordered a ISP programmer and also orded an different model Motherboard from China (so that if it happends again I wont be dead in the water full of sharks) ...I freaking need this to work NOW!
I also tried to use my Arduino NANO v3 to be converted as a ISP programmer... did not work so far....I cannot even makeout the correct pinout of J19. Beleive its /reset , SCK , MISO (top) , gnd, MOSI, vcc. I traced the VCC and GND but the rest have no connection to the Microcontroller....
When programming the ISP, you need to disconnect the LCD (as it take some power), remove the USB cable and power cable. You need to provide the VCC and GND from the Arduino Programmer, in my case NANO V3.
I expected quality at this price range!! Well I guess someone will have to open up a competition rival store very soon because they can't seem to assume a quality assurance team and make you pay for Hot hair. Grrr. MAKE THE CONTROLLER ON A SOCKET DAMMNIT!
I don't know but im getting the impression that Makerbot want control like Apple does over its product ... except that Apple usually have better quality products as they can be repaired by the local store!
I manage to find the bootloader for the Atmega1280 but how to set the fuse is another story!!!!
