CH341a SPI / I²C programmer

[megaraider]

Re: CH341a SPI / I²C programmer

I was just doing what you suggested, taking measurements on the points by reading it with the multimeter, not sure if that's what you meant with "watch" (I do not have an oscilloscope).

Yes i meant an oscilloscope, but a multi meter (if with enough samples /s) set to V would work, or instead set to frequency reading.

My theory here was that CH341 is ultimately made of transistors, so while thinking in the situation, I took some tweezers and shorted every leg of the ic to gnd for about 10 seconds. Unexpectedly, when I plugged the programmer and pressed Detect, it gave me the list of ics, and let me do a proper reading after!!
I hope this doesn't sound too ridiculous, and I'll be happy to know your opinion. Maybe it was just luck and something else was involved, but apart from that, I only took readings.

That's good news
No ridiculousness involved. Sometimes transistors get 'over saturated' or the capacitors connected to them get 'stuck' and won't allow switching.
Nevertheless, imo should consider buying another unit since its life may be close to an end

[stj]

Re: CH341a SPI / I²C programmer

you could replace the chip - i bet they cost pennies on aliexpress

[Umadbro]

maybe you have a poor solder joint on the ic leg

Nope, that was of the first things I checked. The programmer is back to the same state. The SPI with which this started is dead. While the programmer was working I made some reading, 2 out of 8 didn't match. After swapping to the dead SPI and try to read it the programmer is back to not recognizing ics.

[stj]

Re: CH341a SPI / I²C programmer

maybe you have a poor solder joint on the ic leg

[Umadbro]

Re: CH341a SPI / I²C programmer

Since the programmer, CH341A, is recognized both by OS and the software the CH341A isn't dead.
Because you've done the 3.3V voltage supply tweak if any input/output pins came in touch with 5V most likely these pins died.
Tying any output to 3V for a short period is likely to be tolerated.
Do a simple test:
Connect it; launch the software, choose an IC from the list; disable ID check; and Read. While in Read operation watch pins 'CLK', 'CS', 'MOSI' & 'MISO'.

Thank you so much for your support. I managed to get it working, although what I'm gonna say is possibly ridiculous and not the reason why.

I was just doing what you suggested, taking measurements on the points by reading it with the multimeter, not sure if that's what you meant with "watch" (I do not have an oscilloscope).

On my pc, I could start the reading by selecting the ic manually, although empty, as the ic wasn't actually being identified, but couldn't take the multimeter readings there, so I got a laptop to do it in my workbench. With the laptop I couldn't take readings as it didn't let me bypass IC ID check. I kept fiddling with it for a bit until I gave up that and tried to think of any other way to test it.

Thinking in what would have changed inside the CH341A that made it still work but not identify the ic, I got thinking in a nightmare repair I had in a laptop where one transistor was not totally gone, but would get stuck in one position, would sometimes close, and sometimes wouldn't, making so the screen didn't turn on with the machine booting. I managed to figure out this by shorting the path on the transistor to make it work, and identified the culprit.

My theory here was that CH341 is ultimately made of transistors, so while thinking in the situation, I took some tweezers and shorted every leg of the ic to gnd for about 10 seconds. Unexpectedly, when I plugged the programmer and pressed Detect, it gave me the list of ics, and let me do a proper reading after!!

I hope this doesn't sound too ridiculous, and I'll be happy to know your opinion. Maybe it was just luck and something else was involved, but apart from that, I only took readings.

[megaraider]

Re: CH341a SPI / I²C programmer

Since the programmer, CH341A, is recognized both by OS and the software the CH341A isn't dead.
Because you've done the 3.3V voltage supply tweak if any input/output pins came in touch with 5V most likely these pins died.
Tying any output to 3V for a short period is likely to be tolerated.
Do a simple test:
Connect it; launch the software, choose an IC from the list; disable ID check; and Read. While in Read operation watch pins 'CLK', 'CS', 'MOSI' & 'MISO'.

[Umadbro]

Re: CH341a SPI / I²C programmer

Pins 6, 7, 8 are input pins and left floating in CH341A programmer.
See the attached schematic and try to figure out what's wrong (though there are several versions available).

Thank you. I will try to make some sense of this. If anything the ic would have died from having 3v going into clk, but I doubt it. It was very hot when I noticed it so it shorted something. Unfortunately is very likely U2, though it gets recognized by windows on any machine.

[megaraider]

Re: CH341a SPI / I²C programmer

Pins 6, 7, 8 are input pins and left floating in CH341A programmer.
See the attached schematic and try to figure out what's wrong (though there are several versions available).

[Umadbro]

Re: CH341a SPI / I²C programmer

Hi. I have one of these Ch341A programmer. The cheap version from eBay. It was working wonders until yesterday when I plugged the SPI hat one line over than supposed. Now the programmer is identified but not the IC. I tried with multiple ics, and I get the same result each time.
I had already done the adaptation to fix the wrong voltage supplying the ic, and it worked fine before and after. I undone it now, and still can't get a reading. I tried multiple software too so as machines and OSs.
I didn't find any shorts. Voltages seem weird in most legs on one side of the ic, 6 7 8 showing 3.98v.
I know that for the price I should just order another one, but due to complications in transport around the country, this will take a longer time than I can afford.
My only option now is to turn my pi into a SPI programmer, but I was hoping this to be the last option, if I can save this programmer I would be happier.

Has anyone ever had a similar experience or is aware of how to solve this?

[stj]

Re: CH341a SPI / I²C programmer

nice - source here:
http://televid-sib.ru/index.php?topic=42039.0

[Kasamiko]

Re: CH341a SPI / I²C programmer

Here is version 1.30 I'm using or you can try the alternative version (see attached image).

Advantage with this alternative version is automatic identification of I2C EEPROMs.

[RAZ4]

Re: CH341a SPI / I²C programmer

@lukepro i am having same problem, just wondering if managed to get it worked?

[bartx]

Re: CH341a SPI / I²C programmer

I'm not sure if it was mentioned before, but I recommend Flashrom as a software for CH341a programmer. Driver is included and it worked couple times for me unlike the original software delivered with this programmer.

[Stevedb]

Re: CH341a SPI / I²C programmer

hi there i have 2 new version but the one i would like to upload gives invalid file while it is rar file

here is the other version

he support everything

enjoy it

regards steve

[diif]

Re: CH341a SPI / I²C programmer

what does write operations timeout mean on ch341a software guys

Is the chip off the board or are you using a clip.

[Lyw]

Re: CH341a SPI / I²C programmer

what does write operations timeout mean on ch341a software guys

[bcn2019]

Re: CH341a SPI / I²C programmer

Thank you for the information, but I unfortunately use windows

Did you not see the link provided in Post #163?

[Marcustv]

Re: CH341a SPI / I²C programmer

Thank you for the information, but I unfortunately use windows

[CeeEee4]

Re: CH341a SPI / I²C programmer

^it is better to use linux and flashrom

[Marcustv]

Re: CH341a SPI / I²C programmer

Version 1.29 on the web is always full of viruses