Open-TL866

Open-TL866 is open-source firmware for the TL866-series of chip programmers. This firmware replaces the proprietary firmware for programming EPROMs, MCUs, GALs, etc. Caution: This is alpha software. Currently using this software as-is will irreversibly remove the proprietary bootloader and the encrypted tables required to decrypt the proprietary firmware sent to the bootloader. Use at your own risk.

Prerequisites

1. The open-tl866 firmware requires the XC8 compiler from Microchip and the MPLAB X IDE to generate build system files.

• Download and install the MPLAB X IDE.
• Download and Install the XC8 Compiler. When activating, use the Free version.

2. We also need our copy of m-stack. Run git submodule update --init at the root of this repository so that our MPLAB X project can find the USB stack source code.

Building

1. Open the firmware project in MPLAB-X. This will generate the build system from the .xml files committed in the repository.
2. Click "Build Main Project" button (hammer icon) to compile the project. Your output will be available under dist/default/production/firmware.production.hex.

• Note that the proprietary firmware/bootloader expects a raw binary file that has been trimmed from both the head and tail (to prevent overwriting decryption tables and the bootloader). Microchip tools prefer emitting Intel HEX and so we use that format for convenience.

3. If changing any project options (right-click Project name and select "Properties") or adding new source files (right-click Source Files logical folder and click "New" or "Add Existing"), make sure to commit any changes to nbproject/*.xml files to the repository. The correct files are already under version control.

Programming

Unlike w/ the proprietary firmware, there is currently no bootloader for the open firmware. Therefore, we need to upload the firmware directly to the PIC18F87J50 on the TL866 directly using In-Circuit Serial Protocol (ICSP). Unfortunately, this means you need an existing ICSP programmer at this time, such as another TL866 to program this firmware. As mentioned previously, uploading the open firmware is irreversible. Follow these instructions at your own peril.

1. Open your TL866, and search for 6 vias in a row labeled J1. This is the ICSP header.
2. The via enclosed in a silkscreen square of J1 is Pin 1. Attach your ICSP programmer to J1, soldering a header if necessary, and run your programmer's provided software to upload the firmware.production.hex file generated previously.

Running

The TL866 with the open firmware will identify itself as a serial port (USB CDC). Open a serial console and type '?' for help.