Questions tagged [reverse-engineering]
The process of taking a completed system and determining details of its design; may have legal limitations or ramifications in different jurisdictions
246
questions
0
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3answers
837 views
Reprogram a calculator to a cash register
due to the "high cost" (at least from my point of view) of a thermal printer I was wondering whether it was possible/worth the effort to buy a compared cheaper device with it integrated already (a ...
6
votes
2answers
17k views
Reverse engineer: How do I remove the black plastic that hides the ics?
I am hacking a circuit and it has this black plastic thing (see picture below) that hides part of the circuit.
How can I remove them to see what is inside?
What they are for? I think they are for ...
1
vote
0answers
150 views
Any Home Made Alternatives to using X-rays to identify ICs?
I am on the hunt for several ICs by searching for the markings on them. But sometimes the markings are just too vague and I cannot really guarantee that the IC I found is the IC I am looking for. I ...
2
votes
3answers
195 views
Sniffing a proprietary data line at 47.5V
I need to sniff the physical layer of a proprietary data line with a logic analyser, but my analyser is limited to 5V input. Unfortunately the line runs at 47.5V, which would fry everything. I ...
0
votes
1answer
83 views
Measure/Access Information from small device through audio jack (mic)? [closed]
I've got a small device that I have not yet opened. It sends some unknown sequence of voltage and current through a medium for a few seconds thereby calulating and then displaying a result value on a ...
-1
votes
1answer
187 views
Identifying this “Transistor”, in this particular circuit [closed]
I'm in FIRST robotics, and I've been helping with our robot over the past few weeks. Every robot (in FIRST) is required to have a status light, which is fancy-ily connected to some other gear. ...
2
votes
1answer
80 views
Coolpix L27 trigger mechanism
I plan to do a 3d scanner with low-grade digital camera.
I opened a coolpix L27 and found this :
Does anybody knows how this kind of button is called (may be it is normalised and finding a datasheet ...
4
votes
1answer
396 views
Why are some AVRs marked with 'atmega' and some marked with 'mega'?
I'm working on hacking the MCU in my MLP4DSM radio for an RC helicopter. The model number on the MCU is scratched out, but I can clearly read MEGA without an ...
3
votes
1answer
1k views
How can I tell which alternative is used in PoE?
I need to disable the power over ethernet being output by a device to prevent any damage to routers and switches. After looking more into how PoE works, there appears to be two alternatives to how the ...
1
vote
1answer
540 views
DE-9 monitoring solutions?
My treadmill connects to its controls via a DE-9 port interface and I'd like to reverse engineer it so I can control and monitor it via my computer instead. I would hope it perhaps uses RS232, but ...
0
votes
2answers
133 views
Need help with finding the electronic schematics
I'm trying to find what kind of circuitry(circuit components or schematics) is used in this anemometer: http://www.nrgsystems.com/sitecore/content/Products/5966.aspx
There are a lot of details about ...
2
votes
1answer
323 views
Analyzing 4-pin data port to determine protocol
I have a Solar controller for my pool, it controls the pump and actuator for routing water onto the roof to heat it up, when required. The controller knows the pool and roof temperatures, as well as ...
5
votes
0answers
2k views
How to calibrate a Kill A Watt meter and understand its hidden service menu [closed]
I found a hidden menu within the Kill A Watt P4400 meter, which is accessed by holding down the Volt and Hz buttons. Although I rendered my meter unable to measure accurately because of my futzing ...
1
vote
1answer
444 views
Nano Electric Receiver Switch - Circuit Components
I want to recreate the circuit board below, but I am having a hard time figuring out what components I need. I have been trying to look them up on mouser but I haven't got any results.
It is called ...
1
vote
1answer
222 views
Can I use a Bus Pirate to drive this VFD?
So a few months ago I asked the question on how to analyze a display. Since then I have found out much information about this board.
From some trace following it seems that
Brown - DATA
Red - ...
13
votes
3answers
1k views
Is it possible to reverse engineer an analogue IC from a physical example?
Lately I've been investigating custom ICs developed by Roland in the late 70s/Early 80s for their analogue synthesizers.
They stopped manufacturing these components around 1989, there are no ...
1
vote
3answers
2k views
LCD display reverse engineering
I recently got in my hand an old phone lcd display.
Display itself seems to be useful so I took apart it from the rest, and I begun to test its behaviour.
Display is named SHARP LM167511 and its ...
3
votes
3answers
3k views
Reverse engeneering a home automation RF 315Mhz transimtter
I have this remote control and transmitter and I want to reverse engineer the 2 RF signals sent by the transmitter.
This is the board.
The board says "ak-rk01se".
I can also open up the transmitter ...
31
votes
2answers
11k views
How can I reverse engineer a simple through-hole board?
How can I reverse engineer a simple through-hole board? Trying to do it by eye gets confusing because it's easy to lose track of component orientation and location while flipping the board over. Maybe ...
4
votes
2answers
4k views
Reverse-engineering a brushless ESC, could someone help me understand the circuit
So I'm in the process of trying to reverse-engineer a hobby brushless ESC. Above is the schematic for a single half-bridge drive circuit.
VIN is 11.1V
D1 is an unidentified diode; all that I've ...
5
votes
4answers
30k views
Determining I2C Address without Datasheet
When setting up I2C communications, I know that it is certainly ideal to have the devices' datasheet(s), and find the I2C address of the device(s) that way. However, in some reverse-engineering ...
5
votes
2answers
769 views
Analyzing the Protocol
I am trying to understand a protocol (shown in figure 1) . For now this I have understood that data is transferred at high to low clock. as shown in figure. and the sync is for every 8-bit.
But then ...
-4
votes
1answer
7k views
How does SOLOSHOT work? [closed]
Does anyone know how SOLOSHOT works?
I'm interested in exploring cheap ways of tracking an object relative to another object. So my brother sent me a link to this product and I'm having trouble ...
6
votes
2answers
318 views
Is there any possibility of dissecting a microchip to get data from its internal memory?
There are many devices that perform various cryptographic operations inside their microchips. One of their key feature is that the secret keys are stored inside of the hardware and never leave it. ...
6
votes
2answers
3k views
Reverse engineering a 12 pin LCD?
I just found a broken "laser projecting alarm clock". I took it apart, and am interested in only the laser projection arm. This consists of a laser diode (although I suspect that this is actually just ...
3
votes
2answers
2k views
Reverse-engineering RF packets
I have a Blue Line Innovations PowerCost Monitor. It sends packets to a display unit over a 433.92 MHz RF link. There is code (Power Monitor, incomplete) to detect these packets with a RF Link 4800bps ...
1
vote
1answer
2k views
Sending IR signals to Robosapien using Arduino
I am trying to send commands to a Robosapien (first generation) using an IR LED hooked up to an Arduino. I have seen web pages on attaching a microcontroller directly to the toy, but what I want to do ...
3
votes
2answers
343 views
What is this resistor strip on my helicopter circuit?
RM: Smaller photo substituted - larger slower loading one here if desired:
http://i.stack.imgur.com/RPM8l.jpg
I am building a helicopter and would like to use a linear servo like the one on the ...
14
votes
6answers
818 views
Legality of Reverse Engineering
If there was a "law/legal" stack exchange site I'd post it there, but it's in its infant stages in Area 51. I'm a musician and an electrical engineering student. I've designed a modification to the ...
4
votes
4answers
2k views
How hard is it to reverse-engineer a two-way protocol for a beginner with a logic analyzer?
I recently bought a Tacx Flow trainer, which has a handlebar computer, with a 6channel RJ-11 cable between the trainer and the handlebar computer. The computer reads pedal frequency, power and speed, ...
0
votes
2answers
634 views
Sniffing data from C8051F007
For fun I have taken it upon myself to try to reverse engineer a consumer blood pressure device. The device uses a C8051F007 32 pin MCU. I am trying to figure out how I can eavesdrop on the ...
7
votes
5answers
1k views
Reverse engineer a chip or go with a new one and start from scratch?
I'm working on an existing toy product and the chip has been discontinued. We still want to produce more of this product. You press a combination of buttons and it talks to you.
What would be a more ...
0
votes
3answers
1k views
How to profile the communication protocol of my Microsoft Arc wireless keyboard?
I bought a new keyboard for windows, datasheet, and I would like to sniff the packets between the keyboard and the pc / USB transmitter.
The datasheet is useless and there is nothing informative for ...
2
votes
2answers
1k views
Determining Suitable Replacement Transistor?
I have a toy which developed a short, and one of the transistors on the board is now fried.
I've removed the shot transistor, along with the part of the toy which was shorting out, and everything ...
0
votes
2answers
342 views
checking solar panels current
I have some solar panels, that I don't have any information about it. How can i measure how much current it is able to deliver? With my multimeter under the sunlight? Can I test it with a light bulb ...
5
votes
2answers
126 views
Determine Attributes of an LED
I have some devices which have purple LED's in them. I need to make another one, but don't know anything else about the LED to buy more.
How can I determine the forward voltage and maximum current ...
20
votes
4answers
11k views
Is it possible to reverse engineer a chip design?
Can we make something like chip reader, which can understand chip design and generate blueprint of it?
1
vote
1answer
339 views
How to reverse cellphone firmware
I want to get full list of supported AT commands and other undocumented codes for some cell phone. I found that using strings command (on linux or win alternative) ...
6
votes
5answers
8k views
DSC Keybus Protocol
I'm plan to interface a atmel avr with my alarm system in home but the issue is DSC has a propriatary protocol between the keypad and the base. So has anyone messed with this before or can give me a ...
5
votes
4answers
346 views
Patented hardware architectures
I have seen patented hardware designs at the level of generic digital block such as shift registers, flip-flops and adders. If a chip maker were to include such a design deep within an ASIC, how can ...
4
votes
6answers
2k views
Monitoring two serial lines at the same time
First this is the setup:
(please note that one of the grounds is not connected, both FTDIs working properly)
Now, I have used PuTTY to look at these two serial streams, both exchanging data at 9600 ...
5
votes
5answers
574 views
Identifying the SPI master
I'm trying to reverse engineer the SPI communications between two chips. But, it's not clear who's master and who's slave.
I've found the chip select. Without lifting any pins or cutting traces is ...
8
votes
7answers
14k views
Reverse engineering USB signals
Let's say there is a USB stick that is specifically for storing dates or days or some kind of arbitrary data. In order to access the data you must have the software.
Is there any way to analyze the ...
5
votes
2answers
2k views
Pinout of a 3 wire magnetic card reader
I got given a piece of electronics to take apart that has a magnetic swipe card reader built into it.
Upon taking it apart the card reader itself (which appears very much like a tape deck head) seems ...
9
votes
3answers
11k views
Securing code on an AVR/Arduino and delivering updates
What is the best way to protect code flashed onto any AVR based device from reverse engineering?
What is an easy way to provide updates to end users to flash on their own without disclosing the code? ...
6
votes
3answers
9k views
Is there any way to determine the correct voltage for a stepper motor?
I recently bought a CNC mini-mill at an auction. It is fitted with steppers on the three axis. The X and Y are the same, and the Z is a bit smaller (physically). All the markings were removed from the ...
