This is the source page of the Hoodloader. The Hoodloader is a fully compatible replacement of the normal 16u2 usbserial Bootloader. It can still work the same but has more functions.
Functions:
- Program the Arduino Uno/Mega like you are used to
- Use your Arduino as HID device
- Use the 16u2 as ISP
See http://nicohood.wordpress.com/ for more tutorials and projects
For the whole Project IDE 1.5.7 is recommended!
This tutorial is for Windows and R3 versions only. This method is called “Device Firmware Upgrade” and also works on Linux/Mac and older versions but its not explained in this article. Maybe this page can help you. For older versions see this general (outdated) tutorial.
What you need: Arduino Uno/Mega, USB Cable, a normal wire, Flip with Java
To install the new bootloader connect your Arduino to your PC and put it into DFU mode. You can always switch back to the original firmware, nothing to break.
Install Flip with Java** first. This will also install the needed DFU drivers to flash the new firmware. Start Flip.
Briefly short these two pins of the 16u2 with a Wire (the jumper is only to show the connection).
If you have an older Version than the R3 please google how to get in DFU mode.
Today everybody should have an R3 so no resistor and complicated stuff is needed.
The device should now show up as Atmega16u2 in the device manager. If not or if you get Error: “AtLibUsbDfu.dll not found” install the drivers manually from the device manager. Right click the unknown device and select the Flip installation path to search the drivers.
Click the IC Button an select Atmega16u2. (same for Uno/Mega).
Click File->Load Hex File and select the Firmware in Firmwares/Hoodloader1_x.hex.
Click the USB Cable and click open.
Click run to upload the firmware. Uncheck Reset and click Start Application to restart your Arduino. Or just replug the cable.
You need to install new drivers for the new device on Windows (Linux, Mac not needed). Actually they are not new, its just an .inf file that tells Windows to use its built in CDC Serial driver. Ironically Microsoft never signed its own driver. The drivers are located in Firmwares/Hoodloader.inf. Also see this tutorial on how to install the drivers (rightclick the .inf file and hit install). How to install drivers for Windows 8/8.1. If you want it to be recognized as Uno/Mega edit the makefile and recompile. I dont recommend this to know what Bootloader currently is on your Board.
You are done! Have fun with your new Arduino Firmware.
See the HID project for changelog, bugs, installing instructions and more information of the main feature.
Its possible to deactivate HID if you messed up something in the code and cannot return easily.
Do NOT use this shorting if you use the 16u2 as ISP! This will damage your 16u2. You need to replug/reprogram/open the Serial to use the bridge again. 16u2 as ISP sets the pin to OUTPUT which will kill the pin if shorted to ground!
Just short these two pins permanently until you have uploaded your new, working sketch:
The Hoodloader includes a port of the Arduino as ISP sketch. Some minor code style changes were made but overall it works the same. No need to flash the main processor.
This is still under development!
Copy the folder (16u2asISP) inside hardware/ into sketchbook/hardware/ like this:
Arduino/sketchbook/hardware/16u2asISP/avr/boards.txt
Arduino/sketchbook/hardware/16u2asISP/avr/programmers.txt
SS pin is currently on the 4 pin header that normally isnt soldered. It is the pin on the bottom left (closest to the TX led).
Pins we could use for SS are: RESET, 0, 1, all 4 pins of the extra header. I would not recommend to use pin 0 or 1 to not burn or interfere with the main chip.
Reset would also reset the main chip, the 4 pinheader needs to be soldered. I could also create two versions with two different bauds.
At the moment I use baud 1 to upload sketches. This is to not interfere with any other baud. This gives us most compatibility. Under Windows this works, tell me about other systems. Otherwise I have to use 300 or something similar.
Use IDE 1.5.7 for 16u2 as ISP. It fixes a verification bug for burning the Mega bootloader.
Uploading Mega2560 sketches is broken due to fuse settings. Contact me for any help. See this thread: http://forum.arduino.cc/index.php?topic=126160.0
TX Led is for status, RX Led for errors. Please report me if the RX Led starts blinking and wont stop! Please also report me other errors related to ISP.
Do NOT use the HID deactivation if you use the 16u2 as ISP! This will damage your 16u2. You need to replug/reprogram/open the Serial to use the bridge again. 16u2 as ISP sets the pin to OUTPUT which will kill the pin if shorted to ground! I might remove this feature(or move to the 4 pin header), HID seems stable so far.
Wiring: Connect all lines together like this:
16u2 - Chip being programmed
5V - 5V
GND - GND
MOSI - MOSI
MISO - MISO
SCK - SCK
SS Pin - RESET
If you are programming the same board only MOSI, MISO, SCK, SS is needed to connect.
To sum it up: Serial information is grabbed by the "man in the middle, 16u2" and you dont have to worry to get any wrong Serial stuff via USB.
For the Uno/Mega you need a special Bootloader. Why? Because the Uno/Mega has 2 chips on board. The 328/2560 and 16u2 on each. And the only communication between the 16u2 and the main chip is via Serial. But the Serial is also used to program the chip. So what I do here is to filter out all Serial Data that comes in via the NicoHoodProtocol (NHP). There is an indicator address 1 which contains the beginning and the Report ID. If the following Serial information is Address 2 with a valid checksum the report will be created and sent if its finished successful. If any error occurred within the first 2 Protocol Addresses the information will be sent via Serial. The Program should forward this information because it could be a normal information. Everything above 2 Addresses that goes wrong wont be sent and discarded due to a normal wrong HID report. Normally you dont have to worry about getting weird HID presses. You need to send exactly 6 bytes with the special Numbers and another 6 bytes for the first information with checksum and complete the full report. You might get weird Serial output if you hit the exact 12 bytes without timeout of a few milliseconds. And if the reading timed out the Data will also be forwarded. And if you only send Ascii Code the Information is forwarded instantly because the NHP filters that out instantly (see documentation of the NHP). So filtering should be fine and dont block :)
The 16u2 as ISP works like the Arduino sketch. It just uses its won SPI header to program the device and uses a special baud to not get into conflict with other commonly used bauds. In ISP mode no data is transferred between Arduino main chip and Pc. This also wouldnt be possible because of shared ram.
- Lufa 140302 from Dean Camera
- [Darran's HID Projects] (https://github.com/harlequin-tech/arduino-usb)
- Connor's Joystick for the Leonardo
- Stefan Jones Multimedia Keys Example
- Athanasios Douitsis Multimedia Keys Example
- The Original Arduino Sources
- USBlyzer
- A lot of searching through the web
- The awesome official Arduino IRC chat!
- The NicoHood Protocol ^.^
- For donations please contact me on my blog :)
See the HID project for HID related bugs.
Programming Arduino Mega with ISP doesnt work because of fuses. See this for more information: http://forum.arduino.cc/index.php?topic=126160.0
Burning Bootloader error is fixed with IDE 1.5.7 or higher (avrdude bug)!
Using the Hoodloader on a 8u2 you need to use v1.6(no ISP) and DFU wont work.
Feel free to open an Issue on Github if you find a bug. Or message me via my blog!
1.7 Beta Release (09.08.2014)
* Works as ISP now.
* Exceeded 8kb limit. For flashing a 8u2 use v1.6 please!
1.6 Beta Release (09.08.2014)
* Changed HID management (not blocking that much, faster)
* added RawHID in/out (HID to Serial)
1.5 Beta Release (21.07.2014)
* Moved Hoodloader source from [HID project](https://github.com/NicoHood/HID) here
* Overall a lot of ram improvements, now with a big global union of ram
* Removed USBtoUSART buffer (not needed, saved 128/500 bytes)
* Removed Lite version because of better ram usage not needed
* Separated different modes better to not cause any errors in default mode
* Improved the deactivate option
* Integrated NHP directly
* Replaced LightweightRingbuffer with native Lufa Ringbuffer
* Improved writing to CDC Host
* Fixed a bug in checkNHPProtocol: & needs to be a ==
* General structure changes
* Improved stability
* Fixed Arduino as ISP bug (same as in v1.4.2)
1.4.2 Beta Release (10.07.2014)
* Fix for Arduino as ISP
1.4 Beta Release (10.07.2014)
* Added Lite Version with less ram usage
* Changed PIDs, edited driver file
* added Tutorials
1.3 Beta Release (01.07.2014)
* Improved ram usage (you can get even better but that messes up code and increases flash)
1.2 Beta Release (22.06.2014)
* Sometimes HID Devices weren't updating when using more than 1 Device (set forcewrite to true)
* Fast updates crashed the bootloader (too much ram usage, set CDC buffer from 128b to 100b each)
* Minor file structure changes
1.1 Beta Release (05.06.2014)
* Minor fixes
1.0 Beta Release (03.06.2014)
For Developers
==============
If you deactivate some reports it can occur that windows will cause problems and recognize it as different device.
While developing I had that much trouble that I had to change the PID. No way to repair the broken windows driver settings.
So be careful if you change the source on your own with important PIDs. (Therefore I made a 2nd Lite Version with a different PID and more ram)
Therefore reinstall the divers for any device or just dont touch the HID reports in the Bootloader.
The Leonardo/Micro version worked fine till now.
See this how to uninstall the drivers (not tested):
https://support.microsoft.com/kb/315539
The Hootloader was coded with Windows7/8.1 + Visual Studio Express and compiled with a Raspberry Pi.
Lufa version 140302 is included!
Another PID is included in the driver. Its called "Hoodloader Lite" and you can find it in the makefile. Use if if your PID is messed up.
How to compile (on a Raspberry Pi)
==================================
This instruction is for a Raspberry Pi with Debian. I cannot tell you how to compile Lufa with any other device, but Google can.
I recommend creating a Windows share by right clicking your Arduino folder and hit "share".
Then you can edit the files on Windows with your default code editor and connect to your pi via ssh.
``` bash
$ cd Desktop
$ mkdir Arduino
#Test mounting:
sudo mount -t cifs -o username=yourusername,password=yourpass,nounix,noserverino //YOUR-PC-NAME/Arduino Arduino
#run it automated at startup. If not connected this will cause a long timeout.
sudo nano /etc/fstab
//YOUR-PC-NAME/Arduino /home/pi/Desktop/Arduino cifs username=yourusername,password=yourpass,nounix,noserverino 0 0
You need to install the gcc-avr toolchain, avr-libc and compile with:
$ sudo apt-get install gcc-avr avr-libc
$ cd Desktop/Arduino/Hoodloader
$ sudo make clean
$ sudo makeIf you use this library for any cool project let me know!
Copyright (c) 2014 NicoHood
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