[ANN] OpenAG5 - open firmware for AG5
సూర్యం
I'd like to announce the OpenAG5 project (http://
openag5.tuxfamily.org), which aims to provide open-source firmware and
reverse-engineered device documentation for the AG5.
So far, I've determined the microcontroller signals for all buttons,
lights (LEDs), and mouse encoders. I am currently building a MON08
programmer circuit to be able to reprogram the on-chip flash on the
microcontroller.
Visit http://openag5.tuxfamily.org for details.
Cheers.
Tube...@gmail.com
it at home because i use the Yaarg remap, so if i take it over to work
or friends i would have to install AHK or i cant use or demonstrate it
myself, and just don't want to bother. Also, having to install extra
stuff is a big loss, since the AG really 'just-works' if you don't
remap.
I remember that Mike Willner said you couldn't reprogram the hardware,
but i guess he thought AG fans wouldn't want it bad enough to actually
hack the device :-P Are you working with him though, or are you
figuring all of this out by yourself? I bet he would give you any
information you need to make this project a success. Maybe even get
some official support?
I'll be watching this one closely, maybe see where i can
contribute :-) I have some experience in programming a PIC micro
controller, so if i can find the time, i'd love to help out.
greetings,
>>Tim
Suraj N. Kurapati
> Wow! That stuff looks great!
Thanks.
> I really love my AG, but i can only use it at home because i use
> the Yaarg remap, so if i take it over to work or friends i would
> have to install AHK or i cant use or demonstrate it myself, and
> just don't want to bother.
Exactly. A pressing issue for me is that I can't use the AG5 w/o my
custom remapping in a Linux virtual terminal (since xmodmap & xkb
only work inside X).
> Also, having to install extra stuff is a big loss, since the AG
> really 'just-works' if you don't remap.
> I remember that Mike Willner said you couldn't reprogram the
> hardware, but i guess he thought AG fans wouldn't want it bad
> enough to actually hack the device :-P
Correct, you can reprogram the on-chip flash memory on the
microcontroller with your own code and you're good to go.
> Are you working with him though, or are you figuring all of this
> out by yourself?
Just by myself. It's actually a fun process since I'm only
harvesting functional information (wiring) and not structural (the
PCB schematics, how the AG5 plastic is shaped, etc).
> I bet he would give you any information you need to make this
> project a success. Maybe even get some official support?
Well, I asked some questions about "device programming" on a
previous thread but neither he nor anyone else responded. So I
assumed I was on my own.
> I'll be watching this one closely, maybe see where i can
> contribute :-) I have some experience in programming a PIC micro
> controller, so if i can find the time, i'd love to help out.
> greetings,
>> Tim
Thanks for your support Tim. I haven't written any code yet, but
when I start to, I'll set up a Darcs or Git repository so that we
can work together.
Please subscribe to the project mailing list (instructions are on
project website) so we can keep in discussion.
Mike Willner
at our manufacturer. He said it was unlikely the engineers at Sejin would
want to help someone hack their code, but he would check. I have not heard
back from him and in this case I don't think no news is good news.
Nevertheless, I will ask him again. As for me, I have no problem with what
you are trying to do. I think it's great. I encourage it!
Mike
Suraj N. Kurapati
> Sorry I didn't respond earlier. I forwarded your initial post to my contact
> at our manufacturer. He said it was unlikely the engineers at Sejin would
> want to help someone hack their code, but he would check. I have not heard
> back from him and in this case I don't think no news is good news.
> Nevertheless, I will ask him again. As for me, I have no problem with what
> you are trying to do. I think it's great. I encourage it!
Wow. Thanks for your support Mike! It is very heartening to see
that you are so open minded. To me, this is a true reflection of
just the kind of creative personality that one needs to invent a
radical and innovative device such as the AG5. I commend you. :-)
Happy new year.
Doug Sims
Sorry no one responded to your earlier post. I read it, but I was not in
the office during most of the previous weeks so I didn't get a chance to
reply.
I would love to use this to remap the few buttons I use on AG5 permanently.
I think this project will also help me with my two goals of getting an
optical mouse into the AG5, and to make it wireless.
Also, does this mean we can add green and red shifts to buttons that do
not currently have them assigned? i.e. Add a green shift to 'j' or 'v'?
DougS
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Suraj N. Kurapati
> I love the site. This is a wonderful project.
Thanks.
> Sorry no one responded to your earlier post. I read it, but I was not in
> the office during most of the previous weeks so I didn't get a chance to
> reply.
No problem.
> I would love to use this to remap the few buttons I use on AG5 permanently.
> I think this project will also help me with my two goals of getting an
> optical mouse into the AG5, and to make it wireless.
Yes these will be definitely possible.
The optical mouse may require more reverse engineering on the
secondary PCB[1] than I have done, because you will be essentially
removing the mouse encoders and soldering-on wires from your optical
mouse.
For the wireless application, I suppose you would build a
USB-to-wireless adapter and have a corresponding receiver on the
computer side.
> Also, does this mean we can add green and red shifts to buttons that do
> not currently have them assigned? i.e. Add a green shift to 'j' or 'v'?
Absolutely. However, there is a minor hardware limitation when it
comes to key assignments:
The left & right green shift keys, and the left & right red shift
keys are hard-wired to the same set of signals (see the big table in
the "Button wiring" section[2]).
As a result, it is impossible to distinguish whether the left or
right green/red shift key was pressed.
Cheers.
[1] http://openag5.tuxfamily.org/#secondary_board_front
[2] http://openag5.tuxfamily.org/#Button-wiring