Firmware update / flashing on Panda II

NETMF & Gadgeteer
1

Hello all,
I am a new user of FEZ panda II, and I am a bit confused on some points on the rights of the firmware:

Is it possible to recompile / modify /reflash the following elements for free :

1)bootloader (GHI loader )
→ from this : http://wiki.tinyclr.com/index.php?title=Firmware_Update_USBizi i see that we can access to bootloader commands, but can we update/flash it? This post make me think we can not : http://www.tinyclr.com/forum/topic?id=2734
2) firmware
→ I see that it is possible to compile it with RVDS or GCC from this post : http://www.tinyclr.com/forum/topic?id=1466
→ It should be possible o update it with MFDeploy tool http://wiki.tinyclr.com/index.php?title=Firmware_Update_USBizi

The question behind is: it is possible and legal to build its own hardware from fez panda II schematics, and to flash the panda II firmware into this new board (with a fresh NXP LPC2387) ?

Thanks for your clarifications,
CCa

2

Yes if you use our USBizi chip and not raw LPC2387.

If you need to build your own (without helping GHI by making any purchase), you can make any of the open source boards like FEZ Cerbuino .

3

Thank you Gus for your quick reply :

So basically if I understand correctly, “raw LPC2387” and USBizi chip are at the same hardware, but you put GHI bootloader wich allows to flash GHI official firmware (or any other custom firmware?)

“If you need to build your own (without helping GHI by making any purchase), you can make any of the open source boards like FEZ Cerbuino .”
->Ok, I probably miss something, but it seems to me that we can do our own boards with Panda II, since we have schematics for both cards? (or is it something more open source on Cerbuino than on Panda?

We are at a point when we are prospecting different boards for a new product (that’s why we aim to do build our own boards) and so that’s why we are looking for something as “free of commercial use” and as open as possible…

Regards,
CCa

4

You basically pay GHI couple dollars for the premium features we have on USBizi. Panda hardware is open source but requires the use of our SoM, which is USBizi. Cerberus do not have premium features but it is all open source 100%, as outlined by the license.

Take another look here http://www.ghielectronics.com/offers/
Panda is FEZ/SoM hybrid
Cerberus is OSHW

5

Hi CCA,

you can use the open source hardware design files to create your own “franken-panda” or whatever you chose, using the USBizi100 or USBizi144 (use the Domino or Rhino as starting point). Or you could design your own; but if you choose to use a “raw” LPC chip, then you will need to port NETMF to it yourself, as the USBizi has the GHI bootloader on it, which then would allow you to use the latest GHI premium firmware, which is the value-add for the few $$ extra above the bare-metal cost

6

Plus there is usbizi project. It is half complete but a great start. Search codeplex.