Disassembling Joyetech eVic firmware image

[Judge Dredd]

People keep commenting that the firmware changes will "fix all things" like it's magic or something.

There are a lot of things firmware can do.

I've said in previous threads...this deveice even comes with built-in heat sensors and shuts down when overheated due to heavy vaping...that's in the product info. Changing the firmware won't change the hardware limitations, only how the existing device works feature wise (like easier VW for example).

We're not so sure that the limitations are hardware based.

Circumventing the firmware is generally a bad idea. If there's bugs, they'll fix em....

Fixing bugs is the least of my worries in my personal attempt at reverse engineering the firmware. It's only a bad idea if you're careless whilst you do it, like me, LOL.

Interesting thread. Interesting to do for curiosity's sake. But .... one must use some real caution or you'll fry the hardware and/or possibly even blow up the battery. (Like by activating two things that aren't normally active at the same time creating a heavy amp draw.... that's a long shot but hey...get the point?)

It takes a lot more than heavy current to blow up a Li-Ion battery. They're meant to release gas when damaged, not combust.

 

[_nderscore]

The MCU inside eVic was originally designed for MP3 players, and it can playback MP3 and WMA files using the build in codec and DAC.
It's possible that we may not succeed at our attemts to increase the power output, but wouldn't it be awesome if it provided audio feedback, in GlaDOS voice?

There's no on-board speaker though, is there? Nor an audio out. We're getting into hardware modification territory there methinks...

 

[AttyPops]

..snip...
It takes a lot more than heavy current to blow up a Li-Ion battery. They're meant to release gas when damaged, not combust.

It's the amp draw that generates the internal heat due to resistance of the electrolyte. The internal heat is what ...if uncontrolled...gets to a certain point and then it basically goes into a chain reaction. That's all paraphrased. See Battery University for more information on fires and explosions (if not well vented) for lithium ion.

IDK if the battery is Li Ion or not...but be careful. The protection circuitry is probably firmware based.

The total power dissipation is also a factor for other components. IDK what the heat reference was for in their info, specifically...battery or maybe MOSFET or whatever.

(I'm a programmer historically...so trust me.... I also mess with embedded systems stuff once in a while as a hobby. So I know what it can and can't do. And I've blown up my fair share of circuits as I designed and checked them. I'm by no means an EE but I know you can get into trouble.)

Not being argumentative, just re-stating the warning. Also, the product info about the heat was real interesting to me. A bit odd in fact.

I'm not saying that you can't do it. You may in fact do something fantastic. I'm just saying ....test well.

 

[Hello World]

The eVic was originally marketed as a device capable of 15 watts, they then limited it to 11 watts with the 1.1 firmware update. I'm sure if that was fixable they'da done it as many people wanted to return the unit and their money back. We'll see what v1.2 brings us ...

 

[elmattias]

The eVic was originally marketed as a device capable of 15 watts, they then limited it to 11 watts with the 1.1 firmware update. I'm sure if that was fixable they'da done it as many people wanted to return the unit and their money back. We'll see what v1.2 brings us ...

I think it was limited for two simple reasons

1: people were not getting dill power and realized this

2: the hardware a stood couldn't produce it

Both points go hand in hand, quite frankly I think that the issue lies in the boost circuit and the switch...the Zmax is completely capable of the 15 Watts that you can set it to...hell if you want to get REALLY technical, Zmax can produce 24 Watts by setting it to VV and cranking it to 6 volts on a 1.5 ohm RBA,I know this because, well, I've done 24 Watts on Zmax with my zap....

When evic can reproduce these results, I'm sold...but it's more about what the scope says and not the menu setting.

Sent from my EVO using Tapatalk 2

 

[Judge Dredd]

It's the amp draw that generates the internal heat due to resistance of the electrolyte. The internal heat is what ...if uncontrolled...gets to a certain point and then it basically goes into a chain reaction. That's all paraphrased. See Battery University for more information on fires and explosions (if not well vented) for lithium ion.

That is true, but you have to remember, we're not dealing with high-power batteries. These aren't things, that, if my guesses are correct, are going to even allow the pulling of enough amperage to create a problem as far as an explosion goes.

IDK if the battery is Li Ion or not...but be careful. The protection circuitry is probably firmware based.

I'm fairly sure it is Li-Ion, but I could be wrong, and yes I would agree with you on the protection circuits, although unless I make a change inadvertently those circuits should stay in tact.

Not being argumentative, just re-stating the warning. Also, the product info about the heat was real interesting to me. A bit odd in fact.

No no not at all. I can't speak for the other people disassembling it but I do appreciate the warning, and if I came off as a jerk in my last post I apologise.

I'm not saying that you can't do it. You may in fact do something fantastic. I'm just saying ....test well.

Point taken!

 

[Janusxvii]

It looks like a lot has been posted since I last checked this thread. I figured I'd add my $.02 on everything. First, the MCU is capable of MP3 playback? That is very interesting. As was previously stated, it would require some hardware modding to add a speaker but it is definitely worth filing that piece of information away for future reference. AttyPops brings up some good points with respect to safety. I don't think anyone has tried uploading modified firmware yet, but extreme caution will be in order if/when that time comes. Lastly, as far as the amp limit being hardware or firmware based I would speculate (wildly speculate at that) that the device was supposed to be a 15W device but something most likely happened towards the end of development where either a component had to be replaced with an inferior substitution or some sort of instability at the higher wattages was discovered and was unable to be resolved. So is it hardware or firmware? I have no idea honestly, but when I finally get my hands on a device to take apart I will thoroughly document EVERYTHING and attempt to track down datasheets for the IC's and the display. Being realistic, I'm hoping to have all of the reverse engineering done and compiled into a "results package" (.zip file) by the end of March at the latest. With multiple people working on the coding side (and making really good progress it seems) and firmware v1.2 due out any time now, I think by late March there should be enough data from all fronts to get a really solid picture of what the evic can (and can't) do.

 

[runtpacket]

I've got a theory about the evic, that theory is that there is an inferior boost circuit on the device with an amp limitation on the hardware switch...that being said, I'm subscribing to this out of shear curiosity, with the hope that I'm totally wrong, and that you guys increase the overall power and performance of the device...

In addition, I'd also like to see if the "glorified puff counter"can be made into something better...because lets face it, the PC interaction that the evic has right now....it's kind of lame.

Sent from my EVO using Tapatalk 2

Firmware 1.2 or 2.0 removes the puff counter and replaces with watts or voltage display IIRC.

 

[elmattias]

Firmware 1.2 or 2.0 removes the puff counter and replaces with watts or voltage display IIRC.

removes the visible puff counter, sure...but the PC interaction will most likely still be just what it was initially coined as (by PBusardo himself i might add), a glorified puff counter.

on a note though, i would like to say that it appears to be going in the right direction in terms of display and menus, however, with the vapor community, for a lot of people it's all about the performance, and i'll reiterate what i've been saying since i've entered this thread....i want you guys to prove me wrong....but right now i want to see performance...and i just don't think you're going to get it from the evic.....the device has gotten "smarter" in the fact that it now gives you a range to vape with when you attach a new atty, however it is giving you a range of what it can produce, and generally when a device is telling you it's giving you all it can give because it's now become a "smart" PV, i think the problems lay in the hardware....to put it in perspective:

two smartphones ship on the same day, brand new devices. one of these phones is a budget model, the other a "premier" or "superphone" model with all the bells in whistles you could ask for. they both run the exact same operating system, in this case, lets just say it's android 4.1 jelly bean.

android jelly bean can support NFC payments and file transfer, 4g LTE, overclocking, and many, many other features that won't be necessary for this example.

the "premier" model phone supports NFC and 4g, everything works as intended on this device, it ships with a 1.5 ghz dual core processor and overclocks to 2.2 ghz

the budget phone however, it doesn't have an NFC chip and does not support transfers of money/files on the fly, it doesn't have 4g, and when you overclock the 1.0 ghz dual core to 1.4 it overheats the system and destroys the internal motherboard.

the same goes for PVs, if the hardware can't handle it, changing the firmware isn't going to help....but again, i really hope you guys prove me wrong....just remember, if that switch has an amp limitation, running over that amp limitation is probably going to net you some melted circuitry inside the control head, probably starting at the boost circuit

 

[_nderscore]

MVR Software 1.2 and eVic Firmware 1.2 are online on Joye's site already: http://www.joyetech.com/download/Software/MVR_V1.2.zip

It's not listed on their website yet, but the file is already up! And it's working

edit: In case they take it down, here's a mirror. And here's the firmware binary by itself.

 

[KraKsX]

MVR Software 1.2 and eVic Firmware 1.2 are online on Joye's site already: http://www.joyetech.com/download/Software/MVR_V1.2.zip

It's not listed on their website yet, but the file is already up! And it's working

i dont see evic firmware 1.2 just MVR (and no .dmg yet)

 

[_nderscore]

i dont see evic firmware 1.2 just MVR (and no .dmg yet)

1.2 firmware comes bundled in the installer for MVR 1.2.

 

[KraKsX]

1.2 firmware comes bundled in the installer for MVR 1.2.

Oh! Good to know, I don't feel like running windows on my Mac, so I have to keep waiting for the MVR for OXS

Thank you for clearing that up for me

 

[ImThatGuy]

Installed and tinkering with the pwm....

 

[ImThatGuy]

It's finally been corrected...

"No Atomizer Found"

Hallelujah!!!

There's a "Never" option now.

 

[bitterskittles]

First, the MCU is capable of MP3 playback?

They email the datasheet if you ask nicely
I'm still tracking down a development board tho. Think I'll have to call China over Skype

 

[bitterskittles]

I also did a little bit of research on 8051 MCU's and discovered that there is a freeware program called "MCU 8051 IDE". I don't know if that will be of any use but I figured I would throw it out there.

Good find! I was able to load the firmware to the hardware simulator in MCU 8051 IDE and partially run it, however, the built-in MCU profiles aren't compatible and the firmware crashes after a few cycles. I'll create a new MCU profile for SH86313 in the simulator if I can acquire the development header files somehow.

 

[Judge Dredd]

Index of /download/Software

All available software is there if anyone cares.

I'll have to get that IDE installed!

 

[Koman]

Index of /download/Software

All available software is there if anyone cares.

I'll have to get that IDE installed!

Good stuff...thank you!

 

[runtpacket]

I don't know that I have much to offer in terms of help on this subject but I think I like where you are going with this. I haven't used an evic yet but based on what it is it seems reasonable for me to believe that someone with better programming skills than myself should be able to write unofficial firmware. This could be an absolute game changer. Perhaps the best place to start would be a complete disassembly of the control head to see exactly what it is working with (hopefully they didn't put globs of epoxy over the chip(s)). A physical inspection is the only way to know for sure what the technical limitations are. The next step would be how the firmware is written. Likewise, ( I just thought of this) decompiling the MVR software that displays usage data on the PC might yield some useful information as well.
I doubt that was terribly helpful but I had to comment on this since I have been thinking about this for the past few days. I'll probably go ahead and order an evic in the next week or so because even though most of the bells and whistles are useless to me I am convinced it's only a matter of time until a firmware (official or otherwise) comes out that makes it a much better device for most vapers.

Someone on Reddit broke theirs. I asked them to snap a picture looking down the tube for you. here you go. Not much help but ya never know.
http://i.imgur.com/yE4hFvm.jpg