When I tried this, per your instructions, I got a flashing backlight on the LCD. I was able to cure this by pulling the SD card and replacing the Image695.hex file with the one from the unpatched .ar file. Further digging, using Excel and Wikipedia for the Intel Hex format and I figure out that, at least for the V1.05 update file I have, the checksum for the second change should be 79. After doing that, the Ekocycle accepted the firmware without any drama. Now, to see if it skips updating cartridge capacity.
Update: The patch as referenced had a checksum that didn't work for my upgrade file. Second checksum should have been 79, not 7A. Ekocycle took the update without a flashing backlight.
Glad you got it sorted! As best I could tell, in a line of the hex codes (in HxD or HexEdit), if you subtract an amount from one byte and then add the same amount to the checksum byte, the firmware is happy. So if you change hex 22 22 to 22 10, then you would add hex 12 to the checksum byte. Very crude logic, but it seemed to work for my case. I'm guessing that your copy of the 1.05 firmware was different from mine, somehow, hence different checksum bytes.
@ChiefBridgeFuser -- Just for fun, here are the MD5 hashes for my original and modified V1.05 files: --------------- MD5 Digest 204786834d8c541f5296d58012f6f63a ekocycle V1.05.ar 992351ba8e31504754a0cdc455c16d65 ekocycle V1.05.ar.modified ------------------ Do your files produce a different hash??
Yes. Original is the same -- it would be bad if 3DSystems had two releases that are both labeled V1.05. My MD5's below: Original : 204786834d8c541f5296d58012f6f63a Patched : 934bedffe8086f560abbcc6a7993a32f I suspect that there are different versions of some low-level bootloader updater in play here. Yours would be the one that ignores bad checksums on lines in an Intel Hex record. Mine would be the one that flashes the backlight on the blank display when the Image695.hex file is corrupt. The reflashing process involves unpacking the update file onto the SD card by the previous version of code. (I suspect overwriting the language/graphics files unconditionally.) It also unloads two of the .bin files and the .hex file into the root of the SD card. There were another two .bin files in there that i suspect are copies of config data in internal flash. When I had the flashing display, I replaced the Image695.hex file on the SD card with the original one using my PC. When I looked at the SD card later, the .hex and those two extra .bin files were gone. In any case, the previously published line checksum for the Ekocycle mod is wrong. I'm mystified as to why your unit took it, but based on some of the other goofy behavior of the firmware and Cube Print PC software, I'm not surprised.
That is weird! We start with the same file, but have to make different changes for the 'no filament write' hack. As they say, "that doesn't compute!" I agree with you about the 3DS software!
Hey Chief - since then I've converted my Ekocycle to Cube 3, along with most of my cartridges - thanks to Tomuro's "ReCube Pro Enhanced" rig. I modified a couple of printheads & cartridges to use external filament spools. I can still use up my Eko filament, by setting the cartridge to ABS. It's better in some ways as a Cube 3, less so in others. John
Hi everyone. I am new to all of this, but would like some help. I am a high school teacher that recently rescued a Ekocycle out of the trash. Our schools engineering dept had finally replaced their Ekocycle with a Monoprice. They asked if my Tech class would like to have the Ekocycle to take apart. Well, we actually fixed most of the issues, and have a fully functional 3d printer now. However, we are limited by the $50 filament refills. Yuck! So, we are extremely interested in a hack around this that will allow us to use other filament. I have been reading all of the replies on this thread. Can someone help me out? What are the steps that I need to do in order to get the hack on my Ekocycle? Steps? We are using version 1.05 on our Ekocycle. Thanks!
Welcome to the fun, KVL. In answer to your question, I've babbled on a bit on the other forum you joined (JohnTee there). Here, I'll stay quiet so you can get some other views. My Ekocycle came from the trash can next door to yours. While I was in the UK visiting our daughter recently, a friend of hers offered several of them that he had rescued from a demo installation at Harrod's dept store(s). Apparently Coca-Cola had no interest in recycling some useful pieces of hardware when they were through using them to showcase the value of recycling...
[QUOTE = "Søren Hansen, post: 65957, miembro: 105896"] Hola a todos Ahora he actualizado mi cubePro con el firmware 2.00 pathed. Tengo una pregunta: ¿Es necesario que el cartucho contenga suficiente filamento para imprimir? ¿Insertó un cartucho que contenÃa un 5% restante y el printeto me dijo que no quedaba suficiente filamento? [/ QUOTE] La mÃa es pregunta ..., yo tengo la cubepro con firmware 2.2, entiendo que lo reactualizaste a 2.00. Cómo lo hiciste, porque lo intente y me arrojó error La mÃa es cuestión ..., tengo el CubePro con firmware 2.2, entiendo que lo actualizaste a 2.00. Cómo lo hiciste, porque lo intenté y me arrojó un error
[QUOTE = "Søren Hansen, post: 65957, miembro: 105896"] Hola a todos Ahora he actualizado mi cubePro con el firmware 2.00 pathed. Tengo una pregunta: ¿Es necesario que el cartucho contenga suficiente filamento para imprimir? ¿Inserté un cartucho que contenÃa un 5% restante y el printet me dijo que no quedaba suficiente filamento? [/ QUOTE] TenÃas el firmware 2.02 y te devolviste al 2.0?, cómo lo hiciste? a mi no me deja hacerlo
[QUOTE = "APCollyer, publicación: 62767, miembro: 80333"] Hacké previamente mi Cubepro y funcionó bien pero tuve problemas y parte de la solución de 3D Systems fue actualizar el firmware a V2.02 y una nueva extrusora. Intenta hackear esto, pero el software no funcionarÃa. Asà que mi solución fue reinstalar el firmware anterior, pero este volvió con un error cada vez que intentaba actualizar el CubePro a través de USB. ¿Hay una solución o estoy perdiendo el tiempo y ahora vuelvo a costosos cartuchos? Cualquier ayuda apreciada [/ QUOTE] Encontraste respuesta a tú pregunta?. Yo tengo el mismo problema y e podido darle solución
Hi all, I am trying to figure out how to use the APP that Mythandar (from print3Dforum) made for temperature modification. Below is a short video of what I am doing. If it looks blurry increase the video resolution in the settings to 720p 1) I import the print ".Cube3 " file 2) select a save file on my desktop 2) set the cubifiy directory as anohter folder on my desktop 3) select temperature 4) Click through all the steps (STEP 2 always says "no file found") 5) Then when I import the file into the cube software, and try to print, it says "Bad File". This is as far as I got... I really want to use this app, but I don't I am using it correctly. Can someone help?
Hey John, I have been trying to get a response from Tomuro. I have built the Arduino prototype and it worked wonderfully to reset my ekocycle cartridges. I have also hacked my firmware to no longer change the % of filament used. I have also convered my Ekocycle to a cube 3, but would like the Recube Pro for the arduino to allow me to reset the Ekocycle cartridges to ABS. I have donated to Tomuro as well. How long did it take for him to get back to you? Are you able to share the pro version with me? John
Hi Chief, I have attached both the modified and unmodified versions of the 1.05 firmware that I am using on my Ekocycle. I am sorry that you are seeing the issue you are seeing and I should have provided the versions in my earlier posts. John
Your breadboard is prettier than mine! I'm surprised that Tomuro has not responded - he was usually replied within a day or two when he was working on the Ekocycle part of the code. I think he may have been getting a bit tired of the project by then, though. At that time - last March - he was using eddress: tomuro at haxtom.com At this point, I would feel bad about sharing his code without his knowledge. Let's try to get in touch with him. I'll try sending a note.
Thank you for your assistance. I understand that you wouldn't want to share his code. Thank you for the compliment about my breadboard, this was actually my very first project like this, and the first revision was actually very, very ugly and incorrect.
If it works, it's Beautiful!! I just received an email from Tomuro - he's been on vacation and is catching up. Let me know if you don't hear from him pretty soon.
Hello all, I have an Ekocycle, and was trying to get the printer to not count down the percentage of filament left, like in post 448, and I ended up with a wrong digit in the .hex, giving me the same screen flashing error as ChiefBridgeFuser. I took the SD out of the printer, and for some reason, it isn't reading on my computer. Tried on a different computer as well, and neither reads it as a device. I was thinking about trying to swap another SD for it, but I don't know what files to add to at least get it running to flash a firmware update. I tried taking some of the files out of the 1.05 firmware .ar file using the hex editor, but the printer wouldn't boot off of the new SD, though it did read it, since the screen flashed a few times, unlike the old card. Would I need a clone of another working SD, and if so where can I get a clone?
The SD card is normally readable - FAT32, I think. The files on the SD card are different from the firmware file. Best approach would be to reformat and copy the files from a working SD card. --------------- BTW, we have seen some differences in the firmware mod checksum values. One way to go is to make your own checksum value change by subtracting the hex value of the code byte change from the checksum byte. I.e., if you change code byte from 0x22 to 0x10 (subtracted 0x12) , then add 0x12 to the checksum. Do this in both locations. Another way would be to obtain a known good copy of the modified firmware file. Another way would be to change from Ekocycle firmware to Cube 3 firmware -- see The Ekocycle Cube Thread - Page 3 and use the modified Cube 3 firmware. (I don't have a link to a copy, but I'm sure it's out there somewhere.) There are several reasons to do this, discussed in the forum linked above.
I see. I think I might have broken the card or something, since no computer I try it on recognizes it as storage. Is there anywhere I can get the right files to copy to another SD?
There are two important .bin files that are required. One manages the serial number based on the NIC address and the other I forget what it does. I was able to read the internal SD with Windows 7. Not having one or both .bin files could render the printer stupid. Let us know how it works out.
From the looks of it, the SD card is toast. Might have bent it or something when I pulled it out. Couldn't recognize it on either computer I tried (windows 10 and arch Linux). Do you think there is way to manually make the .bin files using any info from the printer itself? Or mod a set of files from another printer? I did look at the cube3 mod, but it looks like I'd need a functional printer anyways to run it. As of now, it won't boot.
I cannot say with absolute certainty because someone may have the encryption for the challenge/response and/or the serial number/NIC Address hash whatever... but I for one believe these are critical files and make up the heart of ownership. I could share my files but they won't do you much good... and they are Cube 3. It won't "checksum" with your NIC. But the image does provide the structure. If some files are missing, it prompts for a F/W update. The BIN files are minimal in content. Some people at the Print3DForum have done more code level stuff than I ever could. But I'd say from experience, you're ready for a Franken-Qube! It's a great piece of hardware!
Oh, yea... the link for doing the transformation is here on OpenBuilds Tear down of Cubify cube 3 3D Printer + convert to RepRap
I see. I figure recovering/remaking the bin files is probably more trouble than its worth. From what I can tell, briefly skimming through some of the Frankencube thread, it looks like the best option to get it working. As a plus, seems like a fun project! I appreciate the help!
