Most of you will already be aware of the steps to upgrade the MyECU, outlined here - http://www.cajinnovations.com/MyECU/FirmwareUpgrading.htm.
You'll also know that laptops with parallel printing ports are getting fairly rare. There is now an new option that will allow programming from a USB equipped laptop.

I've tested an inexpensive AVR programmer from Sparkfun Electronics - http://www.sparkfun.com/products/9825 also available from http://microcontrollershop.com/product_info.php?products_id=4541.

It still requires a cable to be made up to go from its 6 pin connector to MyECU's 5 pin connector and the following pics will show how. Future circuit boards for MyECU will have the 6 pin connector.

http://cajinnovations.com/yabb0/Attachments/ProgCable1.JPG
http://cajinnovations.com/yabb0/Attachments/ProgCable2.JPG
http://cajinnovations.com/yabb0/Attachments/ProgCable3.JPG

The command to program is slightly different. If you have the newer Atmega324PA ( not the Atmega324) you may need to add -F to the command also as Atmel in their wisdom decided to change the chip signature.

avrdude -u -p m324p -c usbtiny -e -U lfuse:w:0xE7:m -U hfuse:w:0xDF:m -U flash:w:My16M_32.hex -U lock:w:0x3C:m

I've also done a repackaging of avrdude and the usb drivers to save having to install all of WinAVR. I've only tried this on WinXP. Download the following zip and unzip the files into a directory c:\avrdude.
The first time you plug in the programmer, Windows will ask for a driver. Point Windows to this directory for the drivers. You should then be right to program as mentioned on the first link above although I had to unplug and replug the programmer first.
http://cajinnovations.com/yabb0/Attachments/Avrdude.zip

If you buy it from the Microcontroller shop you might want to consider getting this bluetooth adapter also to save post

great! i'll buy one..i've saw also this http://www.fischl.de/usbasp/

Yes that looks like it will do the job also. The one I mentioned comes with a 6 way cable also. I don't know if that one does.

For UK users, this looks the same.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bluetooth-Mate-Silver-Arduino-LilyPad/dp/B0055IPMRI

this is a bluetooth not a programmer

That's correct, its not a programmer. It's a suggest to save on postage. The bluetooth will be the preferred communication option in future allowing a smartphone to be used to do logging/tuning.

I tried to follow up the link from the “MyEcu Firmware Upgrading – New Programmer.”



It came up as a list of nine files, not sure which I have to copy across, I am running the Windows 7 32bit system. 


Also colours of wires in the photos of the connecter not clear, two look to be red - I assume one is orange.  Please do a diagram showing which wires go where.

Its the orange wire that is not connected. It is not required.

I'm going to redo the links in the original post. Google docs is not working sometimes.