Cheatsheet For Installing Euro Kastle Firmware (ST Modular PCB v2)
- (A) AVRISP MKII Programmer
- (B) Atmel Studio v7.0 Program For Windows (Atmel Studio v7.0 - Build 2397)
- (C) Euro Kastle firmware: KASTLE_LFO.hex & KASTLE_VCO_1_5.hex (Available at this link - Firmware.zip)
Procedure*
- Two ATTINY85 IC's will need to have a different firmware version installed on each
- IC U1 = VCO Firmware (KASTLE_VCO_1_5.hex)
- IC U2 = LFO Firmware (KASTLE_LFO.hex)
- Connect AVRISP MKII Programmer to computer via USB cable
- Connect the AVRISP MKII Programmer 6‑pin ribbon cable to the 6‑pin header labeled AVR_LFO (U2)
- Ensure the red stripe is oriented with the line indicator (Pin 1) on the PCB as seen in the image to the right
- Connect a 10‑pin ribbon cable from Eurorack case power to the Euro Kastle 10‑pin power header
- Power on the computer
- One red LED and one green LED should now be lit on the AVRISP MKII Programmer
- ‑or‑ One red LED and one blue LED if your AVR device is a counterfeit 😎
- One red LED and one green LED should now be lit on the AVRISP MKII Programmer
- Power on the Eurorack case (this will supply power to the Euro Kastle module)
- Run the Atmel Studio v7.0 Program (Refer to the images below for the sequence numbers shown in RED)
- At drop‑down menu choose "Tools" then
- (1) Click the "Device Programming" tab
- (2) Choose "AVRISP mkll" for Tool and choose "ATTINY85" as the Device
- (3) Choose ISP for Interface and Click the "Apply" button
- (4) Click the "Read" Device Signature button. Both green LED's on the AVRISP MKII Programmer should now be ON
- (5) Click the "Read" Target Voltage button
- (6) Click the "Fuses" tab
- (7) Change these settings
- EXTENDED = 0xFF
- HIGH = 0xDF
- LOW = 0XE2
- Place a checkmark in the "Auto read" and "Verify after programming" boxes
- (8) Click the "Program" button and "Verify registers ... OK" should be shown
- (9) Click the "Memories" tab and place checkmarks in the first two boxes
- (10) Choose the firmware file KASTLE_LFO.hex
- (11) Click the "Program" button and the LED on the Euro Kastle module will blink rapidly during the firmware transfer
- ▪ A solid red LED and a flashing green LED on the AVRISP MKII will light up
- ▪ "Verifying Flash...OK" should be displayed when done
- (12) Click the "Close" button
- At drop‑down menu choose "Tools" then
- Flip both toggle switches on the Euro Kastle module all the way to the top position
- The LED on the Euro Kastle module will blink at the speed set by the LFO RATE knob
- Turn the RATE knob fully clockwise and then fully counter‑clockwise
- Turn the knob fully clockwise and then fully counter-clockwise If you are able to control the rate of the LED then congrats! The firmware for IC U2 was installed correctly for the LFO section
- Power off the Eurorack case and ensure the Euro Kastle module is off
- Unplug the AVRISP MKII Programmer's 6‑pin ribbon cable from the Euro Kastle PCB
- Next, firmware for the VCO section needs to be installed (IC U1)
- Connect the AVRISP MKII Programmer 6‑pin ribbon cable to the 6‑pin header labeled AVR_VCO (U1)
- Ensure the red stripe is oriented with the line indicator (Pin 1) on the PCB as seen in the image to the right
- Repeat steps (1) through (9) as shown above however, for Step (10) you will use a different firmware file
- (10) Choose the firmware file KASTLE_VCO_1_5.hex
- (11) Click the "Program" button and the LED on the Euro Kastle module will blink rapidly during the firmware transfer
- ▪ A solid red LED and a flashing green LED on the AVRISP MKII will light up
- ▪ "Verifying Flash...OK" should be displayed when done
- (12) Click the "Close" button
- Power off the Eurorack case and ensure the Euro Kastle module is off
- Unplug the AVRISP MKII Programmer's 6‑pin ribbon cable from the Euro Kastle PCB
- Both ATTINY85 IC's (U1 and U2) have now been updated with firmware and the module is ready to test
- Verify the Euro Kastle module is working
- Power on the Eurorack case
- Plug a cable into the OSC OUT jack. Plug the other end into the GATE IN jack of a different module and verify a response
For unknown reasons, installing firmware using the U1 socket and AVR_VCO 6‑pin header would not work on a few of my V2 PCB builds
To solve this issue, I simply placed a blank EEPROM IC in the U2 IC socket and used the AVR_LFO 6‑pin header instead
When I finished installing the KASTLE_VCO_1_5.hex firmware, I moved the IC back to the U1 IC socket
* Note: Everything needs to be done in the order shown above or it won't work. There are other ways to install firmware on the Euro Kastle. The instructions shown above represent only one method. The designer of the Euro Kastle module uses a different hardware programmer called "MySmartUSB Light AVR ISP Programmer"
