How To Upgrade the Firmware on a Universal PCB

The Universal PCB (UPCB for short) project was started to allow a single game controller, especially fighting sticks, on as many different consoles as possible. Information about the project can be found on the following thread in the Shoryuken.com forums: Shoryuken.com

One of the biggest features of the UPCB is the fact that it is upgradeable. Releases will continue to appear to address any compatibility issues, improve support for currently supported consoles, and include support for new and future consoles.

This Instructable will walk you through the process of flashing your UPCB with a new firmware .HEX file. This is broken up into two setups: installing the driver for the USB Bootloader, and the actual flashing process.

If you have already installed the driver once, you will not need to again on that system; go ahead and jump to Step 3 to begin flashing your UPCB.

This Instructable assumes:
1. You have a completely assembled, tested, and working UPCB.
2. You have a completely assembled, tested, and working 'Button Select USB' UPCB cable. See Step 2 for more information.
3. You have downloaded a recent UPCB software package, and extracted it somewhere on your system you can easily reach.

Note for users using Vista and experiencing the error 997:
Just a quick note to anyone trying to run the PDFSUSB program under Vista and getting 'error 997', try the following:

Right click pdfsusb, properties, compatibility, set to XP or 2000 or so. Also check 'run as administrator' if you haven't disabled UAC.
In device manager, select the PIC18F4550 Family Device, right click properties, power management, uncheck 'allow the computer to turn off this device'
Run the program as admin (right click, run as admin [if this is available])

Should solve the problem. As seen at http://forum.microchip.com/tm.aspx?m=241830

Step 1 A Word about the UPCB Cable

Upgrading the firmware is done via a USB 'Bootloader'. So, we need to connect the UPCB to your computer via USB. The best way to do this is to have a 'Button Select USB' UPCB cable. This Instructable will assume you have one. If you do not, look at the Instructable How to build a USB cable for the Universal PCB for complete directions for making one.

Connect your 'Button Select USB' UPCB cable to your controller. In order to access the bootloader mode, you plug in the USB cable to your computer with the Start and Select buttons held down. After the computer realizes you plugged it in, you may let go of Start and Select.