This document provides instructions for modifying a USB/UART breakout board to interface with BLHeliSuite software to flash Atmel and SiLabs electronic speed controllers (ESCs) over the servo cable using the bootloader. The best option is an FTDI USB/UART board which converts USB to serial and needs the FTDI driver. A cable must be built with a diode, resistor, and using specific resistor values between 27K-47K to interface with the Atmel or SiLabs bootloader depending on the ESC chip and BLHeliSuite version used.
Original Description:
BLHeli bootloader interface bulding guide
Original Title
How to Build a BLHeli Bootloader Interface With USB-UART Board
This document provides instructions for modifying a USB/UART breakout board to interface with BLHeliSuite software to flash Atmel and SiLabs electronic speed controllers (ESCs) over the servo cable using the bootloader. The best option is an FTDI USB/UART board which converts USB to serial and needs the FTDI driver. A cable must be built with a diode, resistor, and using specific resistor values between 27K-47K to interface with the Atmel or SiLabs bootloader depending on the ESC chip and BLHeliSuite version used.
This document provides instructions for modifying a USB/UART breakout board to interface with BLHeliSuite software to flash Atmel and SiLabs electronic speed controllers (ESCs) over the servo cable using the bootloader. The best option is an FTDI USB/UART board which converts USB to serial and needs the FTDI driver. A cable must be built with a diode, resistor, and using specific resistor values between 27K-47K to interface with the Atmel or SiLabs bootloader depending on the ESC chip and BLHeliSuite version used.
Modification for USB/UART breakout board to use for BLHeliSuite with Atmel/SiLabs ESC over the servo
cable (BLHeli bootloader).
The best start is a FTDI USB/UART (TTL) board, often used for connecting Arduinos w/o an USB onboard. FTDI is an USB/serial Interface which is registered by a driver as a VCP (Virtual Comport). You need to see the FTDI board in the device manager as a "USB serial Port (COMX)", otherwise you need to install the FTDI driver. Get it from their homepage... If you unknowingly might have bought a board with cloned FTDI chip, be sure inform about the risks using the latest drivers. Remarks on SiLabs CP2102: Iit needs a different driver, it will most likely NOT work with BLHeli bootloader on SiLabs chips. You need to build a cable with at least two additional parts. D1 can be a normal silicone type, but best is to use a Schottky type for SiLabs CP2102 a must have. R1 is also very important and it is hard to determine the best value for all possible scenarios, because it depends on various ESC signal input constructions. A value of 27K to 47K is tested to work with Atmel and SiLabs BLHeli bootloader. NOTE: connection to Atmel BLHeli bootloader which was initially flashed with BLHeliSuite prior rev . 13.2.0.0 R1 need to stay 4K7 or below. The SiLabs BLHeli bootloader connects only at a fixed baud rate of 19200. From BLHeliSuite 13.2 on, the flashed Atmel BLHeli bootloader will also work with a fixed baud rate of 19200.
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