Notices by Tyler (tyler@nicecrew.digital)

One of them ODrive Clones, the ODESC V4.2 from Flipsky, comes with old ass firmware and doesn't work right with modern odrivetool, despite saying it's compatible. The flipsky is like $35 while the genuine odrive was like $130. The flipsky based on the v<3.6 hardware spec is not compatible with their web tool, only the python odrive library over usb, serial, and CAT control.

First, we just want to bring it up to date because the stock firmware just shits itself and doesn't work. The hardware version of this board is 3.6, which means that we can flash the onboard stm32 with the most recent firmware compatible with it, which is 0.5.6.

1. create and enter new python venv
2. pip install odrive=0.5.4 (need older version)
3. maybe optional, install udev rules sudo bash -c "curl https://cdn.odriverobotics.com/files/odrive-udev-rules.rules > /etc/udev/rules.d/91-odrive.rules && udevadm control --reload-rules && udevadm trigger"
4. download the .elf for your voltage config: https://github.com/odriverobotics/ODrive/releases/tag/fw-v0.5.6
5. convert the .elf to a .hex that's actually compatible with the firmware flasher objcopy -O ihex firmware.elf firmware.hex
6. edit the .venv/lib/python3.12/site-packages/odrive/dfu.py file and completely comment out the following section:if hw_version is None: logger.error("Could not determine hardware version. Flashing precompiled " "firmware could lead to unexpected results. Please use an " "STLink/2 to force-update the firmware anyway. Refer to " "https://docs.odriverobotics.com/developer-guide for details.") # Jump to application dfudev.jump_to_application(0x08000000) return
7. connect your flipsky odrive via usb, power externally via the DC input port, and hold the boot button then press the reset button, release, then flash the new firmware with odrivetool dfu firmware.hex

Congratulations you now have the most recent firmware that will actually work with odrivetool.