+user13371 Posted September 6, 2004 Share Posted September 6, 2004 I've heard there IS a data port on the Magellan Explorist models. Is buried/hidden behind the battery compartment, for factory use. The hacker in me thinks it would be interesting to play with; but realistically I wonder why they didn't just make an accisible connector. Quote Link to comment
peter Posted September 6, 2004 Share Posted September 6, 2004 It would make sense to have a factory 'back door' for firmware fixes in case there's a significant bug. Better to be able to recall and reprogram units than to have to junk them or replace ROM chips. But the lack of a regular PC port seems like a major deficiency. Even if a hacker approach is found, the availabilty of software support will be very limited. Quote Link to comment
+user13371 Posted September 6, 2004 Author Share Posted September 6, 2004 .... Even if a hacker approach is found, the availabilty of software support will be very limited. I'd wager Magellan's existing software (Magup for loading firmware and basemaps, MapSend for creating detail maps) would work. The real hack would be making the external connector. Quote Link to comment
4x4van Posted September 8, 2004 Share Posted September 8, 2004 (edited) Finding the "hidden" port, and even fabricating a cable for it would be the easy part. "Magup" is not a unit's firmware, it is only an .exe program that uploads the firmware into the unit. The actual firmware typically has a .hex extension. So the hard part would be getting your hands on an actual firmware file (????.hex) that "Magup" could send to the unit. Since the unit doesn't have a user-accessible pc port, I find it hard to believe that Magellan would ever make updated firmware available to the masses. It's possible that Mapsend programs may be compatible for uploading maps/waypoints, although even that would depend on the firmware's acceptance of and ability to access those maps. So I think you would be out of luck when it comes to any type of firmware updates/improvements, and probably detail maps as well, even if you did make a cable. Edited September 8, 2004 by 4x4van Quote Link to comment
+user13371 Posted September 9, 2004 Author Share Posted September 9, 2004 (edited) ...the hard part would be getting your hands on an actual firmware file (????.hex) that "Magup" could send to the uni ... I think you would be out of luck when it comes to any type of firmware updates/improvements, and probably detail maps as well, even if you did make a cable... I wouldn't be as interested in uploading firmware updates as I would be about just exchanging waypoints, routes, and trails. Other Magellan units transfer this kind of data with very simple command sequences. These are well documented and consistent in all models from at least the old M330s up to the latest Meridians. The first thing I'd like to know is if there really is a live & usable port in there. After that it would be a pretty simople thing to find out if the units accept the data exchange commands. Edited September 9, 2004 by lee_rimar Quote Link to comment
+rusty_tlc Posted September 9, 2004 Share Posted September 9, 2004 ...the hard part would be getting your hands on an actual firmware file (????.hex) that "Magup" could send to the uni ... I think you would be out of luck when it comes to any type of firmware updates/improvements, and probably detail maps as well, even if you did make a cable... I wouldn't be as interested in uploading firmware updates as I would be about just exchanging waypoints, routes, and trails. Other Magellan units transfer this kind of data with very simple command sequences. These are well documented and consistent in all models from at least the old M330s up to the latest Meridians. The first thing I'd like to know is if there really is a live & usable port in there. After that it would be a pretty simople thing to find out if the units accept the data exchange commands. Typicaly there would be a fine pitch header on almost any digital/analog device. These ports are used in the calibration process to upload calibration information and firmware. The firmware may not support other functions. Quote Link to comment
robertlipe Posted September 9, 2004 Share Posted September 9, 2004 If I were the EE in charge, even if I would have populated a UART in these things (which I may not have had as a separate bill-of-materials item since most embedded cores include serial capabilities) , I wouldn't have paid for line drivers and receivers for a service port; I'd have just brought it out as unbuffered TTL which would have the wrong voltage (both in amplitude and relative to reference ground) and polarity to hook to your computer interface. If enough people don't already have trouble understanding GPSBabel, wait until the instruction include fabricating your own cable and strapping a EIA line driver/receiver com onto the line... Vote with your checkbooks on this one. If a host PC interface matters to you, buy one with a host PC interface. Quote Link to comment
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