I just bought a small embedded device (an iPod adapter for a car
stereo). Being the inquisitive type, I popped open the case to see
what the board inside looked like. I immediately noticed that several
of the chips, including the microcontroller, have had their markings
removed(!!!) I guess someone doesn't want people to know what sort of
parts they're using to make this thing. :)

So of course now I'm *really* curious. :) But I'm not a hardware guy,
so I need some help. Anyone care to take a guess as to which micro
this might be?

http://img702.mytextgraphics.com/photolava/2008/07/05/mystery-4b2mo9v9x.jpeg

The oscillator for the micro is there in the foreground - the number
on it is ATSO8ASM, and it's made by a company called CTS. I wasn't
able to find anything more than that on the web.

Some other clues: the micro is connected to both a CAN interface chip
and a J1850 interface chip, and may have built-in controller
peripherals for these buses. Also, the red plastic thing on the right
side of the photograph is a set of 5 DIP switches, which appear to run
directly into some pins on the right hand side of the micro - these
could be GPIOs. The six-pin DIP header in the lower left corner of the
photograph might be a JTAG connector.

Any guesses?

Scott in SoCal wrote:
> I just bought a small embedded device (an iPod adapter for a car
> stereo). Being the inquisitive type, I popped open the case to see
> what the board inside looked like. I immediately noticed that several
> of the chips, including the microcontroller, have had their markings
> removed(!!!) I guess someone doesn't want people to know what sort of
> parts they're using to make this thing. :)
> 
> So of course now I'm *really* curious. :) But I'm not a hardware guy,
> so I need some help. Anyone care to take a guess as to which micro
> this might be?
> 
> http://img702.mytextgraphics.com/photolava/2008/07/05/mystery-4b2mo9v9x.jpeg
> 
> The oscillator for the micro is there in the foreground - the number
> on it is ATSO8ASM, and it's made by a company called CTS. I wasn't
> able to find anything more than that on the web.
> 
> Some other clues: the micro is connected to both a CAN interface chip
> and a J1850 interface chip, and may have built-in controller
> peripherals for these buses. Also, the red plastic thing on the right
> side of the photograph is a set of 5 DIP switches, which appear to run
> directly into some pins on the right hand side of the micro - these
> could be GPIOs. The six-pin DIP header in the lower left corner of the
> photograph might be a JTAG connector.
> 
> Any guesses?
What pins are the oscillator connected to ??
What pins are the CAN interface chip connected to ??

Does the CAN chip have a number ??

My first guess.
Six pin programmer is likely to be AVR.


donald

On Jul 4, 8:17 pm, donald <Don...@dontdoithere.com> wrote:
> Scott in SoCal wrote:
> > I just bought a small embedded device (an iPod adapter for a car
> > stereo). Being the inquisitive type, I popped open the case to see
> > what the board inside looked like. I immediately noticed that several
> > of the chips, including the microcontroller, have had their markings
> > removed(!!!) I guess someone doesn't want people to know what sort of
> > parts they're using to make this thing. :)
>
> > So of course now I'm *really* curious. :) But I'm not a hardware guy,
> > so I need some help. Anyone care to take a guess as to which micro
> > this might be?
>
> >http://img702.mytextgraphics.com/photolava/2008/07/05/mystery-4b2mo9v...
>
> > The oscillator for the micro is there in the foreground - the number
> > on it is ATSO8ASM, and it's made by a company called CTS. I wasn't
> > able to find anything more than that on the web.
>
> > Some other clues: the micro is connected to both a CAN interface chip
> > and a J1850 interface chip, and may have built-in controller
> > peripherals for these buses. Also, the red plastic thing on the right
> > side of the photograph is a set of 5 DIP switches, which appear to run
> > directly into some pins on the right hand side of the micro - these
> > could be GPIOs. The six-pin DIP header in the lower left corner of the
> > photograph might be a JTAG connector.
>
> > Any guesses?
>
> What pins are the oscillator connected to ??
> What pins are the CAN interface chip connected to ??
>
> Does the CAN chip have a number ??
>
> My first guess.
> Six pin programmer is likely to be AVR.
>
> donald

48 pins QFP is more likely ARM, not AVR.
If I want it difficult, first thing is to scramble the header.

linnix wrote:
> On Jul 4, 8:17 pm, donald <Don...@dontdoithere.com> wrote:
>> Scott in SoCal wrote:
>>> I just bought a small embedded device (an iPod adapter for a car
>>> stereo). Being the inquisitive type, I popped open the case to see
>>> what the board inside looked like. I immediately noticed that several
>>> of the chips, including the microcontroller, have had their markings
>>> removed(!!!) I guess someone doesn't want people to know what sort of
>>> parts they're using to make this thing. :)
>>> So of course now I'm *really* curious. :) But I'm not a hardware guy,
>>> so I need some help. Anyone care to take a guess as to which micro
>>> this might be?
>>> http://img702.mytextgraphics.com/photolava/2008/07/05/mystery-4b2mo9v...
>>> The oscillator for the micro is there in the foreground - the number
>>> on it is ATSO8ASM, and it's made by a company called CTS. I wasn't
>>> able to find anything more than that on the web.
>>> Some other clues: the micro is connected to both a CAN interface chip
>>> and a J1850 interface chip, and may have built-in controller
>>> peripherals for these buses. Also, the red plastic thing on the right
>>> side of the photograph is a set of 5 DIP switches, which appear to run
>>> directly into some pins on the right hand side of the micro - these
>>> could be GPIOs. The six-pin DIP header in the lower left corner of the
>>> photograph might be a JTAG connector.
>>> Any guesses?
>> What pins are the oscillator connected to ??
>> What pins are the CAN interface chip connected to ??
>>
>> Does the CAN chip have a number ??
>>
>> My first guess.
>> Six pin programmer is likely to be AVR.
>>
>> donald
> 
> 48 pins QFP is more likely ARM, not AVR.
> If I want it difficult, first thing is to scramble the header.

I looked up 48-pin tqfp AVR on Digikey, nice search capablity.

AVR does not have OSC pins on 41 and 42. ( look close at the pic the OP 
posted )

I also looked at a few NXP and the OSC is on pins 8 and 9.

So, it might be custom.

donald

donald wrote:
> linnix wrote:
>> On Jul 4, 8:17 pm, donald <Don...@dontdoithere.com> wrote:
>>> Scott in SoCal wrote:
>>>> I just bought a small embedded device (an iPod adapter for a car
>>>> stereo). Being the inquisitive type, I popped open the case to see
>>>> what the board inside looked like. I immediately noticed that several
>>>> of the chips, including the microcontroller, have had their markings
>>>> removed(!!!) I guess someone doesn't want people to know what sort of
>>>> parts they're using to make this thing. :)
>>>> So of course now I'm *really* curious. :) But I'm not a hardware guy,
>>>> so I need some help. Anyone care to take a guess as to which micro
>>>> this might be?
>>>> http://img702.mytextgraphics.com/photolava/2008/07/05/mystery-4b2mo9v... 
>>>>
>>>> The oscillator for the micro is there in the foreground - the number
>>>> on it is ATSO8ASM, and it's made by a company called CTS. I wasn't
>>>> able to find anything more than that on the web.
>>>> Some other clues: the micro is connected to both a CAN interface chip
>>>> and a J1850 interface chip, and may have built-in controller
>>>> peripherals for these buses. Also, the red plastic thing on the right
>>>> side of the photograph is a set of 5 DIP switches, which appear to run
>>>> directly into some pins on the right hand side of the micro - these
>>>> could be GPIOs. The six-pin DIP header in the lower left corner of the
>>>> photograph might be a JTAG connector.
>>>> Any guesses?
>>> What pins are the oscillator connected to ??
>>> What pins are the CAN interface chip connected to ??
>>>
>>> Does the CAN chip have a number ??
>>>
>>> My first guess.
>>> Six pin programmer is likely to be AVR.
>>>
>>> donald
>>
>> 48 pins QFP is more likely ARM, not AVR.
>> If I want it difficult, first thing is to scramble the header.
> 
> I looked up 48-pin tqfp AVR on Digikey, nice search capablity.
> 
> AVR does not have OSC pins on 41 and 42. ( look close at the pic the OP 
> posted )

Are you sure that crystal is connected to pins 41 and 42?
Since the mark on the case is in the upper left corner I would say 
that OSC pins are on 21 & 22.
I looked at AVR, Luminary, SAM7, PIC, NXP, and found nothing that has 
oscillator on these pins. Any other ideas? Maybe ST?


-- 
  _|/ Francesco Sacchi - Develer S.r.l., R&D dept.
   |\ http://www.develer.com/ - http://www.bertos.org

On 5 Jul., 10:19, Francesco Sacchi <frasacOo...@libero.it> wrote:
> donald wrote:
> > linnix wrote:
> >> On Jul 4, 8:17 pm, donald <Don...@dontdoithere.com> wrote:
> >>> Scott in SoCal wrote:
> >>>> I just bought a small embedded device (an iPod adapter for a car
> >>>> stereo). Being the inquisitive type, I popped open the case to see
> >>>> what the board inside looked like. I immediately noticed that several
> >>>> of the chips, including the microcontroller, have had their markings
> >>>> removed(!!!) I guess someone doesn't want people to know what sort of
> >>>> parts they're using to make this thing. :)
> >>>> So of course now I'm *really* curious. :) But I'm not a hardware guy,
> >>>> so I need some help. Anyone care to take a guess as to which micro
> >>>> this might be?
> >>>>http://img702.mytextgraphics.com/photolava/2008/07/05/mystery-4b2mo9v...
>
> >>>> The oscillator for the micro is there in the foreground - the number
> >>>> on it is ATSO8ASM, and it's made by a company called CTS. I wasn't
> >>>> able to find anything more than that on the web.
> >>>> Some other clues: the micro is connected to both a CAN interface chip
> >>>> and a J1850 interface chip, and may have built-in controller
> >>>> peripherals for these buses. Also, the red plastic thing on the right
> >>>> side of the photograph is a set of 5 DIP switches, which appear to run
> >>>> directly into some pins on the right hand side of the micro - these
> >>>> could be GPIOs. The six-pin DIP header in the lower left corner of the
> >>>> photograph might be a JTAG connector.
> >>>> Any guesses?
> >>> What pins are the oscillator connected to ??
> >>> What pins are the CAN interface chip connected to ??
>
> >>> Does the CAN chip have a number ??
>
> >>> My first guess.
> >>> Six pin programmer is likely to be AVR.
>
> >>> donald
>
> >> 48 pins QFP is more likely ARM, not AVR.
> >> If I want it difficult, first thing is to scramble the header.
>
> > I looked up 48-pin tqfp AVR on Digikey, nice search capablity.
>
> > AVR does not have OSC pins on 41 and 42. ( look close at the pic the OP
> > posted )
>
> Are you sure that crystal is connected to pins 41 and 42?
> Since the mark on the case is in the upper left corner I would say
> that OSC pins are on 21 & 22.
> I looked at AVR, Luminary, SAM7, PIC, NXP, and found nothing that has
> oscillator on these pins. Any other ideas? Maybe ST?
>
> --
>   _|/ Francesco Sacchi - Develer S.r.l., R&D dept.
>    |\http://www.develer.com/-http://www.bertos.org

freescale maybe?

-Lasse

Francesco Sacchi wrote:
> donald wrote:
>> linnix wrote:
>>> On Jul 4, 8:17 pm, donald <Don...@dontdoithere.com> wrote:
>>>> Scott in SoCal wrote:
>>>>> I just bought a small embedded device (an iPod adapter for a car
>>>>> stereo). Being the inquisitive type, I popped open the case to see
>>>>> what the board inside looked like. I immediately noticed that several
>>>>> of the chips, including the microcontroller, have had their markings
>>>>> removed(!!!) I guess someone doesn't want people to know what sort of
>>>>> parts they're using to make this thing. :)
>>>>> So of course now I'm *really* curious. :) But I'm not a hardware guy,
>>>>> so I need some help. Anyone care to take a guess as to which micro
>>>>> this might be?
>>>>> http://img702.mytextgraphics.com/photolava/2008/07/05/mystery-4b2mo9v... 
>>>>>
>>>>> The oscillator for the micro is there in the foreground - the number
>>>>> on it is ATSO8ASM, and it's made by a company called CTS. I wasn't
>>>>> able to find anything more than that on the web.
>>>>> Some other clues: the micro is connected to both a CAN interface chip
>>>>> and a J1850 interface chip, and may have built-in controller
>>>>> peripherals for these buses. Also, the red plastic thing on the right
>>>>> side of the photograph is a set of 5 DIP switches, which appear to run
>>>>> directly into some pins on the right hand side of the micro - these
>>>>> could be GPIOs. The six-pin DIP header in the lower left corner of the
>>>>> photograph might be a JTAG connector.
>>>>> Any guesses?
>>>> What pins are the oscillator connected to ??
>>>> What pins are the CAN interface chip connected to ??
>>>>
>>>> Does the CAN chip have a number ??
>>>>
>>>> My first guess.
>>>> Six pin programmer is likely to be AVR.
>>>>
>>>> donald
>>>
>>> 48 pins QFP is more likely ARM, not AVR.
>>> If I want it difficult, first thing is to scramble the header.
>>
>> I looked up 48-pin tqfp AVR on Digikey, nice search capablity.
>>
>> AVR does not have OSC pins on 41 and 42. ( look close at the pic the 
>> OP posted )
> 
> Are you sure that crystal is connected to pins 41 and 42?

Sorry, fat fingers. Yes it is 21 and 22.

donald

In message <g4nar0$9hd$1...@nnrp.ngi.it>, Francesco Sacchi
<f...@libero.it> wrote:

>Since the mark on the case is in the upper left corner I would say 
>that OSC pins are on 21 & 22.

My multimeter agrees with you.

However, and this may simply be the result of too-big leads on my
meter and clumsy probing on my part, but each pin of the oscillator
appears to be connected to TWO adjacent pins on the micro: 20+21 and
22+23. I need to find one of those lamps with a magnifying glass in
the middle and buy some smaller probes before I can be sure.

In message <6...@comcast.com>, donald 
<D...@dontdoithere.com> writes
>My first guess.
>Six pin programmer is likely to be AVR.

Or a freescale part  Doesn't BDM have 6 pins?
-- 
\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
\/\/\/\/\ Chris Hills  Staffs  England     /\/\/\/\/
\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

In message <o...@4ax.com>, Scott in SoCal 
<s...@yahoo.com> writes
>In message <g4nar0$9hd$1...@nnrp.ngi.it>, Francesco Sacchi
><f...@libero.it> wrote:
>
>>Since the mark on the case is in the upper left corner I would say
>>that OSC pins are on 21 & 22.
>
>My multimeter agrees with you.
>
>However, and this may simply be the result of too-big leads on my
>meter and clumsy probing on my part, but each pin of the oscillator
>appears to be connected to TWO adjacent pins on the micro: 20+21 and
>22+23. I need to find one of those lamps with a magnifying glass in
>the middle and buy some smaller probes before I can be sure.


Any other pins you can identify?

Like the pins going to the CAN part, where the DIP switches connect to.

Have you tried looking at the part under a UV light?


-- 
\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
\/\/\/\/\ Chris Hills  Staffs  England     /\/\/\/\/
\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/