i'm using windows vista sp2 home premium 32bit PC. i followed everything as instructed in MediaTek_Programming?.pdf but failed to flash. the error message is pasted below:

Download?

Fail!!(Download) BROM_CMD_START_FAIL

Take(5) secs to test.

i tried using the minigps program included in the zip to verify the connections and the module works.

anyway, i ran the powerflash.exe as administrator but of no success. any idea on how to make the flashing work? thanks.

When attempting to download using the flash download tool on windows 7 I received an error saying the port could not be opened.

The port was valid, I checked it using a terminal program. The port automaically assigned to my ftdi was COM256.

Using windows device manager (port x>advanced) I altered the port to COM1 and the flash transfer tool was then happy when I clicked download

I have now tested re-flashing 3 of these gps units recently delivered by Jordi. 2 worked subject to my previous comment but I have the same problem as rorey10 describes above with the 3rd

please disregard my question above. i got the flashing to work. just changed the folder permissions of the extracted folder... in my case, it was read only after unzipping.

is the gps_mtk_test in the repository working? mine only works with gps_nmea_test before and after flashing... anyway, i used the pads at the back of the adapter board and attached it to the spare gps conn of the apm. am i missing something? thanks.

I'm getting a similiar issue to rorey,

(Fail!!(Download) BROM_CMD_START_FAIL Finish? Take(5) secs to test. )

but the minigps utility is not connecting either. the blue LED comes on for about a second when it first get's power, but then goes out. The gps diagnostics in APM also get no data from this thing.

Did i get a dead unit, or am i missing something ?

@Major, Rory,

If you get no communication with the unit, and perhaps the LED came on then went off, or the LED is blinking but much more slowly than it should while seeking satellites, check the voltage on the GPS module itself. Spec is 3.2 V minimum and the regulator is supposed to put out 3.3 (not a large margin).

But, either there is a problem with the regulator, or it simply does not have sufficient capacity. Both of my units were below 3.1 V and were intermittent, some days they worked, some days they wouldn't. I have added my own 3.5 V power supply and the modules work reliably -- so far...

4.69 V on the 5 V rail... seems sufficient. I've let it sit for hours hoping it will find some satellites, but i don't even get 0's from the gps debug. I went ahead and ordered a ublox... I'm of the mind at present that this thing was just DOA.

Hi, my MediaTek GPS works well with miniGPS and provides good positioning. However, I failed to do Test 4 of ArduPilot but Test 5 shows GPS raw data correctly. What is wrong? Thanks.

Rory, I have the same problem, VCC goes from 3.6 to 2.9 V. How do you added your own 3.5 V power supply? Do you replaced the original regulator? Do you cut some traces and put an external power supply? Regards

I can confirm that the problem is the 3.3 V regulator. I put a wire from a 3.3 V external power supply directly to MT3329 pin 1 and now is working, have a lock and accepting commands. How long the backup battery must last? In my unit the battery is dried to 1.9 V in 10 hs.

Major,

re. 4.69 V on the 5 V rail... seems sufficient.

No. Not on the 5v. The adapter has a 5v to 3.3v regulator. It is either messed up, insufficient capacity, or something. They often put out only 3.05v under the load of the GPS. The spec on the GPS module is 3.2v minimum. Check THAT.

any ideas to make the adapter work in USB mode?

Hi, I'm using Ardupilot mega. Which part of Arduino IDE do I need to paste the sketch file? Is it anywhere on the main pde file?

joshua: create a new sketchfile. Do not paste it in the APM sketchfile.

i get a similar error to rorey the gps unit (mediatek) is burning solid. At first it blinked (2 seconds off then two second on) now it just burns solid. I tried disconnecting the unit and dumping the eeprom then reconnecting but it still just burns. i don't get a fix with the minigps utility. I also tried using the test utility in ardupilot mega but it just give me a series of dots. I tried using different baud rates and also changing the com port (mine is 5) Ideas would be highly appreciated,

Michiel

I have a MT3329 on a DIYdrones Adapter Basic (no battery) which works fine using the Sparkfun shield on a duemilanove with the Arduino example sketch they provide (URL http://www.sparkfun.com/products/9898 and http://www.sparkfun.com/tutorials/173). I think this setup is sending data via NEMA "sentences", and it is slow (about 1 dataset per sec). I wanted faster, so I followed the instructions on this page to "upload the new firmware" via an FTDI cable, and this all went fine (green donut seen). I then unplugged the MT3329 from FTDI cable, and re-mounted it on the Sparkfun shield and tried to get it to spew out the GPS datasets at the faster rate using Jordi's sketch "Example of GPS MTK library" and with the GPS_MTK.h in the libraries. After the blue LED blinking ceased and went solid blue, I assumed the GPS was locked, but the monitor only showed "GPS MTK library test+" and never spewed data. Finally, I reloaded the example code from sparkfun (settign the baud for the MT3329, and found the GPS was functioning (but again with slow 1 per sec datasets readable by this Sparkfun example (which I think means the data is coming in NEMA sentences (and NOT in the compressed DIY form which enables faster datarates). SO... is my problem that the firmware that I uploaded evaporated when I disconnected the GPS from the FTDI power (recall the DIY Adapter has NO battery). Or is there something else I don't yet understand. (Can anybody advise??)) Thanks in advance for educating me.

I too had the firmware burning error...the dreaded X. You cannot use the passthru sketch, you MUST use an FTDI cable setup. The instructions above have been changed to reflect this. Thanks to those that handled it.

Hello everybody, I need MTK3329 5HZ 38400 firmware, Which can provide a little bit? Thank you very much. I also need a MT3318 5HZ 38400, thank you

Hello everybody.

I am trying to connect the Media Tek GPS to ardupilot Mega and I think it is configured as standard NMEA protocol cause only when I program the ardupilot as GPS_NMEA_TEST, I receive correct gps data in the serial monitor.

I tried to update the gps firmware following the .pdf but failed to flash.

The error message is:

Download?

Fail!!(Download) DL_HANDLE error code Finish? Take(1) secs to test.

I am using the IMU shield as FTDI, but I think is working well as I can connect and receive with mini GPS aplication.

Thanks in advance for help me.

Best regards.

Olmo Lucena

@Olmo,

Read above: You must connect with an FTDI cable to update the firmware. No shields, no Ardus in the loop. The upload SW is fussy about timing and values.

@qyuicksemi @lei...

This firmware will talk binary at 5Hz (or more) but you have to tell it to. Power up default is NMEA @ 1Hz. Look in the APM libraries for the commands to set the device to binary mode and set the update rate.

@silvandre,

The 3329 is not a single device, it is a family and is available in different versions. This is a low cost 3329 without all the possible bells and whistles.

It does not have the USB. Although is does update its firmware flash, it doesn't seem to have any parameter flash memory to hold data after a complete power down. To hold parameters you must keep 3v on the Vbat pin.

Dear CentralF...

At first, thank you very much for your help, but I think I haven't explained weel.

The OilPan? shiel mount an FTDI to program the Ardupilot mega board. My first attempt was to "bridge" the ports Tx0-Rx1 and Rx0-Tx1 by software ("in the loop"). Was not a good idea. I dont know why, it doeesn't work(yet ;-) ).

Second attempt. The FTDI mounted on OilPan? is exactly the same on FTDI cable and go out directly to ardupilot ports. Ok, connecting these ports (GND, Tx, Rx and 5V) to the GPS device (of course I have removed the ardupilot shield before to do this), this should work... and work. I have tested on MiniGPS aplication and work well, but only at 38400 bps.

Ok try to update the firmware at 38400 bps and... done. Now my device is working well.

Scuse me for my poor english. I have tried to explain as good as possible.

Best regards.

Olmoo Lucena

Need Help.

I have connect up my Mediatek GPS from DIYdrones (bought recently). I connected to PC using the FTDI to USB cable. After connected, i followed the instruction to reload the firmware and ROM file. But i encountered download fail (BROM_CMD_START_FAIL). I tried to change the baud rate from 115200 to 9600 but all result in fail. I tried to swop the tx and rx cable pin but the result in fail too. I can see the blue led blinking.

Any advise? Or how can i test the default firmware of the GPS?

>I can see the blue led blinking.

Is it blinking at "about" 1Hz (1/2 sec on then 1/2 sec off) or "about" 1/2 Hz (1 sec on then 1 sec off);

If 1/2 Hz, you may not have enough voltage at the GPS module. Many of the units had voltage regulators that do not meet spec. The Vcc pin must be 3.2 or a little more. If yours is ~3.05-3.1 that may be the problem.

I'm considering purchasing the The MediaTek MT3329 GPS 10Hz + Adapter Basic. It appears to not come with a battery backup, yet the photo above shows the backup battery. What battery holder are you using in the photo, and where can I get one?

Anyone here does know if ther is a way to change default settings of GPS to 38400 and 10HZ with orginal firmware at cold start. I mean, updating the GPS by an MTK command is not an option. I need it permanent. Binary protocol is not usable on my solution too, so i can't be using the Arduino hack. What i need are the same defaults as usual, but updated BPS and updated refresh rate. I have been looking around some mediatek gps solution resselers but can't find any that is offering it. Even for the sellers of my own GPS modules i bought. If someone could help, this would be very kind.

Hi everybody

I have a MediaTek GPS connected to ArduIMU, I downloaded the GPS firmware, ArduIMU program, but the GPS just keep blinking and the blue led in ArduIMU does't convert to solid state, can any body help me what is the proplem ??????

hi

my mediatek GPS connected to APM does not have any problems in getting a lock. However when it does the IMU goes haywire. the stablization tumbles. when no satellites are in sight (indoors) the IMU works perfectly. Anybody knows whats happenning?

Hi

My MediaTek GPS is not working properly. I'm running the test program GPS_MTK_test and trying to print GPS readings. After powering on, the blue is LED is blinking for a while, and then is remaining lit. It means my GPS has searched and locked the satellites, but I'm not getting anything data to read. If I'm trying to print the GPS readings without read check, all are coming zero. Is there any way to fix this problem?

If I have to load the firmware again, I don't have an FTDI cable. Can somebody tell me how to load it using Xbee adapter? I'm newbie to this kind of stuff, and I'm confused with the pin connections.

Thanks, Mohan

MiniGps? utility 1.7 relised support 10 Hz update rate setting press Ctrl + Alt + S for show setup tab download: http://hobby.msdatabase.ru/project-updates/theresultsofoursurvey/ardupilot-gps