OmniProII Firmware Update

[john999]

Anybody tried reprogramming the physical chip on the omniproII for those of us that cant update via flash?
 
Seems there should be a better way to update firmware rather than paying ~$40+ everytime HAI releases an update...particularly given its free for the flash boards.

 

[ano]

Yeah, the problem is actually finding an STMicro M27C4001, it was discontinued years ago. (But you can buy them on eBay.) The interesting thing is I checked a few and the ones I checked seem to be the UV erasable variety, not the one-time programmable variety. So in theory, this can be erased and reprogrammed, assuming you have a programmer.  So seems possible if you have enough time to figure it out. 

 

[pete_c]

I actually do have a programmer and have to look for it.  Its from the 1990's / early 2000's.  I'll take a picture.  Thinking it was configured for many type of chips and it used a printer port.

 

[ano]

Assuming your programmer can program these guys, first you need to use some UV light to erase the old code. That is pretty easy.  The hard part will be figuring out how to take what PC Access downloads, and convert it into a file that a programmer uses. I'm sure if you contact HAI, they will send you the programmer file but you would have to do that for every version.
 
I myself got tired for the $45 upgrades so I just upgraded my board to the new version, but as luck would have it the replacement board was defective, so i get to replace it a second time. Fun Fun Fun.