Updating rainmaker from linux - how to?

Eurorack
#1

I just got a rainmaker, unfortunately it’s not on the latest firmware. I specifically asked Schneiders if it would come with latest firmware, and they said that “Intellijel always ships with latest firmware”, but that didn’t seem to be the case. So I’m eager get it updated, especially for the “boot into state when turned off” feature, which is the reason why I waited to buy until now!

I don’t have access to a windows (or mac) computer, I’m running linux (64bit). I stumpled across this old post on muffs which discusses updating the rainmaker from a linux computer:
https://www.muffwiggler.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=2662530&highlight=#2662530

Seems simple, involves running two commands (obviously with newer firmware files):
dfu-util -v -a 0 --dfuse-address 0x08000000 -D rainmaker_1.07.bin
quartus_pgmw Rainmaker\ v1.09.jic

dfu-utils I’ve used before, can’t seem to find the new .bin file however. Also while I’ve downloaded rainmaker_v143.jic, I have a hard time finding a download containing the quartus_pgmw, looked around on Intels web site, even made an account, but I’m quite lost frankly.

So:

  1. Is updating the rainmaker possible under linux?
  2. Where do I find the .bin firmware for the display?
  3. Could you point me in the direction of the Intel software for the FPGA?
Shapeshifter v2.04 Firmware
#2

Update: I found the “Quartus Prime Pro Edition Programmer and Tools” here: http://fpgasoftware.intel.com/?product=qprogrammer#tabs-4

Downloaded and installed it, now I have quartus_pgmw (in exchange of 3.1GB of disc space :open_mouth:), should I be good to go with the FPGA?

#3

I’ve never tried updating the FPGA from Linix as we’ve always had a Windows machine available for that purpose. But it should work in theory, I used Quartus on Solaris way back in university to program FPGAs. Not sure what the USB driver situation for the onboard USB Blaster for the FPGA is like on Linux though…

As for the .bin file, you should be able to pull it out of the macOS app bundle (afaik it would just show the .app as a directory on Linux). If you can’t, let me know and I’ll upload it separately to the website.

Shapeshifter v2.04 Firmware
#4

Thanks! I got it working,

For future reference here’s what I did (@kamil could you go over this and correct glaring mistakes):

Before you start, setup udev, by adding the following to a new file /etc/udev/rules.d/51-rainmaker.rules

# Maybe these first two lines are enough...
SUBSYSTEM=="usb", ATTR{idVendor}=="09fb", ATTR{idProduct}=="6001", MODE="0666"
SUBSYSTEM=="usb", ATTR{idVendor}=="0483", ATTR{idProduct}=="df11", MODE="0666"

# Intel FPGA Download Cable
SUBSYSTEM=="usb", ATTR{idVendor}=="09fb", ATTR{idProduct}=="6001", MODE="0666"
SUBSYSTEM=="usb", ATTR{idVendor}=="09fb", ATTR{idProduct}=="6002", MODE="0666" 
SUBSYSTEM=="usb", ATTR{idVendor}=="09fb", ATTR{idProduct}=="6003", MODE="0666"   

# Intel FPGA Download Cable II
SUBSYSTEM=="usb", ATTR{idVendor}=="09fb", ATTR{idProduct}=="6010", MODE="0666"
SUBSYSTEM=="usb", ATTR{idVendor}=="09fb", ATTR{idProduct}=="6810", MODE="0666"

FPGA:
NB; Don’t power the rainmaker from eurorack for this, it will be powered from the computer via USB!

  1. Download and install quartus programmer (about 450 MB download):
    http://fpgasoftware.intel.com/19.1/?edition=lite&product=qprogrammer&platform=linux#tabs-4

  2. Connect the rainmaker to computer with mini usb, Check the connection with
    quartus_pgm --auto
    This threw me off a bit, since all text were green and it seemed to recognize the USB Blaster, but gave an error:
    Unable to read device chain - JTAG chain broken
    Seems the programmer is out of sync with current distributions, so you need to do:
    sudo ln -s /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libudev.so.1 /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libudev.so.0

  3. Send the firmware:
    quartus_pgm -m jtag -o "pi;rainmaker_v143.jic"

Display:
NB: The rainmaker will be powered from the eurorack for this…

  1. You need to pull the .bin firmware file from the mac updater from intellijel

  2. Connect the rainmaker to your computer via micro usb

  3. Push + hold the tiny button along the edge under the display, while powering on (needs power from the eurorack case, unlike the FPGA), screen will stay black, other LEDS should light up.

  4. Send the firmware:
    dfu-util -v -a 0 --dfuse-address 0x08000000 -D rainmaker_1.09.bin

2 Likes
#5

Looks good to me! Thanks for writing up the instructions.