Thread: Max AVR USB Review

Max AVR USB Review




Index

1. Introduction
2. Packaging
3. The Chip
4. Requirements
5. Installation
6. Usage
7. Our tests
8. Conclusion

1. Introduction

Here it is, one of the first AVR USB out on the market that is designed and manufactured on the USA/EU.


Official Product Description:

The Max AVR USB board is a low-cost demonstration board based on the AT90USB 16kb microcontroller. It allows the quick evaluation of AVR microcontrollers and the AT90USB family.
The key simply plugs into the USB port of a personal computer. Designers can either run demonstration programs or their own application. Using the ATMEL FLIP Software.



2. Packaging

The chip comes packaged on a purple bag, with its geniune sticker glued up. After opening the package we found out our first impression with this AVR. We were told that these first batch
will come without housings, however in the near future they will be bundled with a housing to protect our investment. For now at least the chip comes sealed with a plastic protection to prevent
electric shorts if it gets on contact with any conductive surface.



3. The Chip

This little AVR is based on the AT90USB microcontroller. Keep in mind that the chip sold as is wont work to put our PS3 on dev mode, at least not until the proper HEX has been flashed onto
the AVR. The design of these AVR is well known and not a non-standard one, which helps for the porting of the PSGroove onto it or flashing utils. For flashing the hex we need an Atmel software named
FLIP which is available for free



4. Requirements

Ok so now were gonna focus on getting this product to work on our beloved PS3. To start this is what is needed:

Hardware
- PS3 FAT/SLIM (Duh!)
- PC/Laptop to flash the Max AVR the first time
- One original PS3 Game (if you want to test the Backup Manager)
- Free space on Internal/External HDD on the PS3 if plan to use with Backup Manager

Software
- PS3 OS 3.41 or lower installed (if your 3.42 your out of luck)
- PC OS Windows (had some issues with 64bits OS for flashing the AVR, so I recommend 32bit)
- Atmel FLIP 3.4.2 (To flash the AVR. Grab it here http://www.atmel.com/dyn/products/to...p?tool_id=3886)
- A working hex file to flash it with ( check Maximus AVR Tutorials )


5. Installation

Our first step to get the unit working is doing the flash of the hex. I'll try to sumarayze the steps.

- Install the Atmel FLIP Software
- Connect the AVR on the PC
- Press both buttons on the AVR (RST HWB)
- Release the RST button, then the HWB
- Windows should ask for drivers of the new hardware found. Point them to C:\program files\atmel\flip 3.4.2\usb
- Run FLIP, and flash with the correct hex


If you want more details on the flasshing I recommend you visit this blog Maximus AVR Tutorials





6. Usage

The AVR should be programmed with the PSGroove by now, so its time to put it to work. To do so, the first step we need to do is be sure that no other usb device is attached to the PS3.

Verify that the Max AVR should be connected on the first port on the front of the PS3. The unit must have been cold booted (PS3 Fats, move the on/off switch from the back, and PS3 slims
would need to have the power cord disconnected/connected). After that, we need to turn on the PS3, and just after hitting the ON button, we need to press the EJECT button.

After a few seconds, first the AVR will lit up a red led, and after 1 or 2 seconds more, it will change to green. Once it changes to Green it means that the exploit was succefully done.

Congratulations, now you have a PS3 running on DEV mode If you want to install ipk packages (ie ps3 ftp server or bacukp manager) you need to copy the files onto a usb mass storage device,
and you will be able to install them from the Game menu inside the PS3.



Here is a small video showing how to boot up the ps3

YouTube - Sample video of MAX AVR USB booting procedure w/ PSGroove

7. Our tests

With 24 hour of testing, the game compatibility was exactly the same as the PSGroove. I suggest you check this table before doing your backups to see if there arent any known issues of it.


8. Conclusions

After playing around 1 day with this AVR, I must say I was excited to see a PS3 see the light of the day. I really want to see what open source projects can come to life onto the PS3 with
the amount of processing power the PS3 has

Pros:
+ Price
+ Uses open source project for its code, making it a safe product
+ Easy operation
+ No opening of the PS3 required
+ Updateable


Cons:
- Backup Managers from other products (ie PSJailbreak) might not directly work on this (until PSGroove finds a way to emulate it)
- No FAT32 support (again, we hope that limitation is lifted with an update of the PsGroove project)
- Earliers adopters of this AVR might not get a housing


Link: Official Website http://www.avrusb.com/

MSRP: $39.00 USD

We would like to thank VGC Repairs (http://www.vgcrepairs.biz) for supplying us a unit for our review

Nice post man. I recieved mine yesterday. Just like you i had problems using Windows 7 x64. It would not let me load the drivers from the flip program because they are not digitally signed. So if anyone is using this i recommend using Windows XP 32bit. Xp flashed the chip with no problems. Plugged it into my PS3, worked like a charm.

Thank you for the post! Informative & helpful
EDIT: btw is this "it"..PS3 backups can come swarming in? I'm not exactly up to speed, but am getting to it..

does this guide work for minimus avr usb link found here Minimus AVR USB Development Board - ModTraders.co.uk

thanks in advance, and thanks for the great documentation

I can't wait for mine!

has anyone confirmed backup manager working with this?

Originally Posted by elite_aaron

has anyone confirmed backup manager working with this?

yes it does but you have to find the hex file that is patched to work with backupmanager. if you need it pm me ill tell you where i got mine

Originally Posted by wissmar454

yes it does but you have to find the hex file that is patched to work with backupmanager. if you need it pm me ill tell you where i got mine

is that why there is 2 in the zip theres a groove hex and backup hex correct do u flash them both

Originally Posted by t2d2422

is that why there is 2 in the zip theres a groove hex and backup hex correct do u flash them both

The groove hex file is for running the hack. The backup hex file is for running backup manager. Keep in mind, there are two different hex files floating around for backup manager. You need the patched version for backups when using PSGroove.