tanager11

Alright hopefully I dont get too walked all over with people saying to use the "search button"....lol.

Over the last bit I have been doing all my reading/asking a few questions here and there regarding the wonderfull world of chip/ecm work....I have a couple questions for your experienced TBI guys since these are still a little cloudy to me.

1) The different bins....say for example ANLU vs. ANTT.....I have copies of the .bin files...but I want to take a look at them...not that I really know what to look at in them but to me thats part of the learning process. what do you use to "read" them...I tried opening the .bin files in notepad...but I cant make anything out....is there like a specific viewing/editing program...is this what you use something like tuner cat for?

2) I hear people talking about different definitions/masks....ie $61 etc....what are these.

Thanks...another newbie tuner in the making!

BronYrAur

iTrader: (1)

I use Tunerpro to "read" and edit the .bin. It's free software, I believe there's a link to it in the tuning section of the TBI sticky. Nice graphs and everything in Tunerpro.

You will also need an .ecu file to interpret the binary. I'll try to post it in here, just change the file extension to .ecu

tanager11

BronYrAur ...thanks for clarifying that....so I think I understand now what all those different "masks" such as $61 etc...they are sort of the "map" for the data...tells whatever program you are using how to interpret the data in .bin....correct?

Thanks,
Dave

tanager11

OH MY ***....I CAN SEE Says the blind man....and best of all I actually understand a lot more than I figured I would!

D

BronYrAur

iTrader: (1)

Yep, it's so much easier to see what everyone is talking about when you actually search through a .bin and can visualize the stuff. There's a lot of cool stuff you can do with it now. If you come across any questions, just ask.

Redline

how do you change the extension to .ecu?

BronYrAur

iTrader: (1)

When you open the folder that the file is in open the Tools menu then Folder Options. Then uncheck "Hide extensions of known file types". Now the file will appear as blah.ext just rename it to blah.ecu .

90RS305

Moved

JP84Z430HP

I hate to be rude here, but if you don't know enough to figure out how to rename a file, you're going to have a really difficult time trying to make the proper changes to a bin, to make it work with your vehicle. Futhermore, even if you don't know how to rename a file, if you're not intuitive enough to find out how, you're not likely to find anything that will help you with your tune.

With that much said, I think I can speak for most of us here by saying that as long as you show an effort in finding an answer to what you're asking, your question will be welcomed. If it is obvious that you haven't even hit the don't expect to get much help. Most of us (even the semi-lurkers like myself) know what questions are covered in the many previous posts, and iften we will point you in that direction, so don't be offended when you don't get help. I've had a few topics posted that took quite a while, and a few updates from me before they got any other responses.....

JP86SS

iTrader: (1)

Start here:
https://www.thirdgen.org/newdesign/tech/promintro.shtml

dimented24x7

iTrader: (2)

dont be too hard on him. We were all in that boat at one point or another. I know I had the same questions when I first started. I knew absolutly nothing.

dimented24x7

iTrader: (2)

Thats really more for the computer to make sure that you have the correct prom for your app. If the startup routine in the rom doesnt see that 0x61 hex value, itll assume that you dont have the correct prom that has the correct tables and continuation of the code on it. It will then halt the computer to restart.

JP84Z430HP

I knew that would come off as sounding harsh, but I just wanted to make sure that people know how much of a learning curve there is with this stuff. I'm not all that far along myself! My main point is that to learn how to rename a file, hit "F1" to open the help file, or gout out to google and do a search. To find out how to do PROM related stuff, Hith the on this board, and get good at doing so! Also, be really famliar with the intro to prom burning article.

I didn't intend to sound as negative as I did (after re-reading it....) but I also wanted to get the point across.....

yager

Hmmmm.... so im searching, and all i find is replys to similer questions, saying to "search", WITHOUT providing any info.

Between these answers and the dead links, this is why its so hard to find info... Fortunatly this is a quesiton i had AND it was answered.

Thanks to those who answered this and many other questions, im learning...

FWIW: im not sure how using a particualr Windows OS really relates to ones ability to understand doing this stuff... hmmmm

-mike