All,

Here is the email I sent to Butterfly, and their response. Assuming the FLARM guys aren't too late with their next update, that sure sounds like the way to go [sound of partially made cable hitting trashcan]

Frank (TA)

-------------------------- CUT HERE -----------------------------------
Dear Frank,

+12VDC supply damage the display?
yep, definitely. The display can work with 3V to 3.6VDC, all above will damage the unit.
Core/Brick Updating: We are literally just working on this this week. It will be included in the next PowerFLARM release which will come soon in the new year (this depends on FLARM in Switzerland, the display-updating-routine is only a small part of the release)

Best wishes
Marc


Aktualisiert von: Frank Paynter, 18. Dez 16:08 (CET):
Marc,

A couple of questions:

Can I connect the 3.3vdc line to the DB9 +V line (typically +5 to +12VDC)
or do I need to supply 3.3VDC somehow? In other words, would a +5 or
+12VDC supply damage the display?

There is a note in your current manual about the upcoming ability to update
a Butterfly display via an attached FLARM 'brick' (Core) device. Is this
ability available now? If not, can you give me an estimate of when it will
become available? Obviously, eliminating the need for a separate update
cable would be welcome indeed!

TIA,

Frank

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On Tuesday, December 18, 2012 5:17:51 PM UTC-5, Jim wrote:
On Tuesday, December 18, 2012 9:56:36 AM UTC-5, wrote:

On Monday, December 17, 2012 2:43:38 PM UTC-5, Evan Ludeman wrote:



On Monday, December 17, 2012 2:06:01 PM UTC-5, bumper wrote:







On Monday, December 17, 2012 9:02:00 AM UTC-8, wrote:















I'm confident enough that its not going to be a problem that I plan to fabricate a RJ12-DB9 cable and give it a whirl.































































Frank (TA)































































------------------------------------- CUT HERE ---------------------------































Aktualisiert von: Frank Paynter, 14. Dez 15:40 (CET):































Hi,































































I would like to update the firmware on my PowerFlarm Butterfly display, but































I'm a bit confused by the directions for fabricating the required update































cable. Note that I'm an Electrical Engineer with over 40 years of bench































design and fabrication experience, so if I'm confused, I expect others are































as well.































































The instructions provide a pinout for the display-end connector, with notes































as to where each pin should go on the PC end. However, the PC-end































connector isn't specified - is it supposed to be a DB9 serial connector?































If so, you must know that DB9 serial connectors aren't widely available on































modern PC's; I have 6 PCs in my home office, and not one of them has a DB9































serial connector. When I need serial port connectivity, I use a popular































USB-serial adapter. Will your display update properly when using such an































adapter?































































Your specification calls for pin 5 of the RJ-12 connector to be tied to































+3.3VDC, but this isn't a common voltage for serial communications. What































happens if this line is connected to +5 or even +12 VDC?































































Regards,































































Frank















































Frank,































Please post an update if all goes well. I prefer not to tune my device for maximum smoke if there is some other brave soul willing to go first!































tks































bumper















You guys do know about this, yes? (From external display manual)















"Updates







Update through PowerFLARM®







After Q4/2012 it will be possible to update the displays through any PowerFLARM® unit







directly without the need for a special cable."















-Evan Ludeman / T8







Evan,







Just saw this myself in the Butterfly manual - wonder why they didn't mention this in the response to my email?







Frank (TA)



Hi Frank, I built my update cable several weeks ago (for the last update and to download flarmnet info) and it worked just fine with 2 AA batteries (just as someone else mentioned in this thread). RS232 adapters don't ever work well for me on laptops so the only reliable serial port I have is on my desktop. Since my rectangular display is screwed to my panel with the 4 provided screws I think I will wait until the post-Q4-instructions to magically appear just to save the hassle of un-mounting the display yet again.