[R&D] A7 R&D thread

Quick note: This pseduo-firmwarupdate will dump nvd to sdcard. nvd seems to store configuration data like stamp text.

This pseudo update will not change anything on the dashcam itself:
http://dc.p-mc.eu/dl/fw/dump-nvd.bin (rename to firmware.bin)
 
Have they changed partitions with one of the newer A7 SDKs as I have a G90C here on firmware 604 which won't extract (just creates a 0 byte file when trying rom - using rfs creates a corrupt 8MB file) - I've just gotten an output of firmfl and it has all these options listed now:

Code:
Usage: gen [number of partition] [bst] [bld] [hal] [pba] [pri] [sec] [bak] [rmd] [rom] [dsp] [lnx] [swp] [add] [adc] [filename]
Ex: gen 3 bld pri dsp d:\amboot_kernel_dsp.bin
For A2 was only 7 sections.
Two sections were used.
For A7 16 sections.

???
 
Someone removed the log through the port 232?
It would be interesting to look at the log file ...
In the header firmware still a lot of interesting information.
 
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Enjoying a datasheet on the processor.
Find Rx, Tx.
This is the com port.
Connected via an adapter FTDI232.
Start the HyperTerminal.
Turn on the camera and see the log file.
:)
Links will make later.

http://chdk.setepontos.com/index.php?topic=5890.0
I think thats what you are talking about?
DSC_0935.JPG

Basically that is what got me into messing with Ambarella SoC :D

Edit: 1000th post c:
 
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I can not tell by the image 100% sure ...
If programmatically log off, during the boot program you will see some information.
The section titles will be visible.

Supply voltage of 3.5 volt chip.
Do not kill.:)

You can instead use ftdi232 max232.
The adapter will have to make their own hands.
This is the case when the computer has a com port.
 
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Management console is very similar to a command from Linux.
"help", etc.
 
Yeah, also have a look at the "t" command
 
I have no experimental device ...
I once practiced on the router TP-LINK
:D
I user defined section 'hal'.
So, determine what kind of section 'unknown'
 
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Supply voltage of 3.5 volt chip.
Do not kill.:)

Guess what happened haha...

After over 1 year of UART sniffingon those devices without any troubles I forgot to set 3.3V and kind of killed it with 5V. It wont turn on any more. I can get it into Ambarella LOAD mode but not into Ambarella BOOT mode. Means I can connect to it via DirectUSB and can get some memory related information from it but I can't flash it.....

I guess I can say that I finally have a hardbricked one...
Code:
BST: FAILED! (2304,8) Set PTB failed!
BLD: FAILED! (137856,6) Too many bad blocks!
HAL: FAILED! (60124,6) Too many bad blocks!
PRI: FAILED! (6058244,6) Too many bad blocks!
ROM: FAILED! (6686976,6) Too many bad blocks!
DSP: FAILED! (4094392,6) Too many bad blocks!
 
Yeah I still have one - unfortunately this one has another disability:
I had to damage the circuit board by removing some conductors and resistors to "repair" it. Well - this included the UART pads as well :/
It's working as my daily dashcam but it doesnt have any r&d capabilities.
grrrrrr.jpg
 
for R&D purposes does it matter much which model you're working with or is it just easier to work with what you're familiar with?
 
As all the A7 dashcams have pretty much the same features it shouldn't matter which model I'm using. But theres a problem: Not all manufacturers keep the debug circuit layout. The G90 I got from @reverend for example doesn't have uart pads (http://dc.p-mc.eu/g90/pcb )
 
if this is going to slow your progress I have a spare 0803 I can send you, I have no use for it anyway
 
It's not exactly "slowing down" what I'm doing but helps a lot with debugging since I can see what's happening on the camera in realtime.
If you really have no other use for it i'd gladly take it ;)
 
You overheated fee.
Restore the connection and the device will work.
 
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