New VEC2 Software and Firmware out... I think

[Joseph Dell]

I was looking on the Roe Racing web site and it appears that there is a new firmware for the VEC2. But I don't see a corrosponding VEC2 software update. I know that there had been a version 3.5.3 floating around but I never got it... do any of y'all have info on the latest Vec2 software? I'm nervous to update people's firmwares w/o the updated software to go with it...

Or maybe the better question: has anyone used the new VEC2 firmware yet?

thanks!

JD

 

[Supercharged Vipermad]

Hey....do you wanna do a write-up on how to do the upgrades? I was looking for something to guide me and finally ended up deciding I'd just call you! LOL!!!!

 

[Sean Roe]

Hi Joe,
Our web master got the newest firmware up on the site, but nothing else yet.
There will be a brief description of what the differences are.
The software dataset is still S106, so it will work with your existing software.
The next software release will have some more features and we're wrapping it up as soon as possible. As we give it more features, we think of more features to give it (vicious cycle I've learned).
Meanwhile, you can download your firmware file and upload it into your VEC2.
Watch the support page over the next week or so.
Regards,
Sean

 

[Joseph Dell]

Woo hoo! Thanks for the update! I'll start playing right away!

JD

 

[GTSnake]

Ok, I'm too lazy to read the instructions.

How do you upload the new firmware into the VEC2? Do you just burn it on a card and insert it into the VEC2?

 

[Joseph Dell]

Nope. gotta read the instructions. I gotta find them somewhere too... but i recall it being easy.

JD

 

[Mr Hemi Head]

did the firmware update a few days ago. It fixes the rich condition in #10 cylinder.

 

[Joseph Dell]

Sweet! Any idea what else it does? I'm sure Sean will post the specs when the doc is ready... but I'm excited to see a new firmware!

BTW - to update firmware, connect pins 3 and 4 (serial cable) to the master board, run the firmware update tool, then move the pins to the slave board and do the same. That's it! piece o' cake!

JD

 

[Mr Hemi Head]

JD the official word from Sean is it fixes a bug that causes the rich #10 cylinder. If it does anything else he ain't saying.

After reloading the firmware turn the key off and then on to reload your smart card program. The VEC2 would not read my card until I did this.
Rick

 

[KenH]

I am running the new firmware and it made all the difference in my car.

My A/F was all over the place, didn't respond as expected to tuning and the car ran poorly at times, crapping out at WOT. With the new firmware, the car ran extremely lean which at first seemed like a bad thing (lean bank error codes within 20 miles after the upgrade). Once the car was retuned from scratch with the new firmware and the EASE software that Sean sells, it now runs like a champ and has been rock solid.

I had to set my injector percentage to some unexplainably high value to bring my fuel adaptives in line, but it made a night and day difference in how my car is running (which I think is something of a special case.) My guess is that some of the changes that were made allow marginal cars like mine to integrate with the Roe SC setup better somehow.

 

[SYNFULL]

I'm a little lost here. Do you need a laptop to upgade the firmware, or do you write it to the card somehow and then onto the vec 2?
Gary

 

[DrumrBoy]

Sean,

Did the VEC 2's shipped last week have the upgrade or do I need to download it?

 

[Joseph Dell]

to update the firmware on a VEC2, you MUST have a laptop or desktop. you plug in the serial cable to the "slave" board and do the update w/ the special firmware update software. then you do the same with the "master" board. total time it takes: about 60 seconds for both.

good luck!

JD

 

[GTSnake]

to update the firmware on a VEC2, you MUST have a laptop or desktop. you plug in the serial cable to the "slave" board and do the update w/ the special firmware update software. then you do the same with the "master" board. total time it takes: about 60 seconds for both.

good luck!

JD

What serial port? Do you mean the DRB under the dash?

 

[99 R/T 10]

I am running the new firmware and it made all the difference in my car.

My A/F was all over the place, didn't respond as expected to tuning and the car ran poorly at times, crapping out at WOT. With the new firmware, the car ran extremely lean which at first seemed like a bad thing (lean bank error codes within 20 miles after the upgrade). Once the car was retuned from scratch with the new firmware and the EASE software that Sean sells, it now runs like a champ and has been rock solid.

I had to set my injector percentage to some unexplainably high value to bring my fuel adaptives in line, but it made a night and day difference in how my car is running (which I think is something of a special case.) My guess is that some of the changes that were made allow marginal cars like mine to integrate with the Roe SC setup better somehow.

My question is if we update, without making any changes to the card, is the car going to run lean untill we change the adaptives?

 

[Mr Hemi Head]

to update the firmware on a VEC2, you MUST have a laptop or desktop. you plug in the serial cable to the "slave" board and do the update w/ the special firmware update software. then you do the same with the "master" board. total time it takes: about 60 seconds for both.

good luck!

JD

What serial port? Do you mean the DRB under the dash?

If you don't have Roe's VEC2 software package then visit Radio Shack and buy a 9 pin D connector(connects to the master and slave boards).You will need a serial cable to connect from this to the serial port on your computer.For computers with no serial port purchase a serial to USB converter.
Rick

 

[KenH]

My question is if we update, without making any changes to the card, is the car going to run lean untill we change the adaptives?

Others that have tried the new firmware have not had the same result as I did. I think my car had a fundamental issue that caused the car to run quite differently with the new firmware. If yours is running fine now, it will probably be fine after the update without a program change.

 

[GTSnake]

[/QUOTE]
What serial port? Do you mean the DRB under the dash?

[/QUOTE]

If you don't have Roe's VEC2 software package then visit Radio Shack and buy a 9 pin D connector(connects to the master and slave boards).You will need a serial cable to connect from this to the serial port on your computer.For computers with no serial port purchase a serial to USB converter.
Rick

[/QUOTE]

I do have the VEC2 software but I'm still trying to figure out how to connect to the VEC2. Do you mean pull out the connector on the back of the VEC2 and plug in an adapter?

 

[Joseph Dell]

No.

Call Sean and order the cable kit. Then you'll be in the know.

JD

 

[Mr Hemi Head]

What serial port? Do you mean the DRB under the dash?

[/QUOTE]

If you don't have Roe's VEC2 software package then visit Radio Shack and buy a 9 pin D connector(connects to the master and slave boards).You will need a serial cable to connect from this to the serial port on your computer.For computers with no serial port purchase a serial to USB converter.
Rick

[/QUOTE]

I do have the VEC2 software but I'm still trying to figure out how to connect to the VEC2. Do you mean pull out the connector on the back of the VEC2 and plug in an adapter?

[/QUOTE]

If you have the connector kit that came with the package you are all set.

Insert the pin with the red wire into position 3 on the rear VEC2 connector and the pin with the purple wire into position 4.

The connections are the same for the master and slave. They must be loaded seperately.

 

[Joseph Dell]

but the old VEC2 kits didn't come w/ what Mr Head here is talkin' about. So if you don't have it, call Sean and order the cable kit. the new ones do as I saw one the other day with it (brand new) but the older ones like the one i have been playing with didn't come with it... they were pre-serial-cable.

JD

 

[Sean Roe]

Hi Everyone,
The instructions will be on the website this week.
JD has it pretty well explained.
A firmware update requires linking directly to the VEC2 via a serial cable, to the Master and Salve boards independently.
The latest firmware is version 5.108 and the last couple dozen VEC2's have had it installed already.
Check the bottom of your VEC2 for the version you have.
The new version works with all S106 programs.
No other changes should be necessary unless the car was "special" to begin with.
Regards,
Sean

 

[GTSnake]

but the old VEC2 kits didn't come w/ what Mr Head here is talkin' about. So if you don't have it, call Sean and order the cable kit. the new ones do as I saw one the other day with it (brand new) but the older ones like the one i have been playing with didn't come with it... they were pre-serial-cable.

JD

Can you please post a picture of this cable?

 

[Tom Viper]

bump

 

[DrDJ]

Can anyone send me a copy of the main software program for the VEC2? The website has firmware and software updates only. Please PM me.

Thanks.

DrDJ

 

[nismobrown]

please can anyone post a picture of this cable, thanks.