Novatools

This is a collection of tools for reading, patching and flashing the Novatouch TKL firmware.

See also vekkt0r.github.io for some more info about Novatouch keyboard reversing.

Disclaimer

This is just a quick hack that has only been tested by me. It is very dependent on a specific version of the firmware and if your keyboard has another firmware things will most probably break. The checksum of the original firmware will be checked before patching. If checksum differs the patching will abort.

It is possible you will brick your keyboard by using these tools.

Make sure you store a copy of your original firmware safely.

Pre-requisites

Python2
MSP430 toolchain
mspdebug OR python-msp430-tools (depending on flash method)

Flashing

The keyboard can be programmed in two ways:

Use JTAG or Spy-Bi-Wire (SBW) programming interface and a MSP430 programmer (for example Launchpad).
Use built-in bootstrap loader (BSL) to flash via USB.

Flashing via JTAG / SBW

This is the most secure way of programming the keyboard since it should always (if CM has not changed JTAG fuses lately) be possible to read out the original firwmware and verify it’s the version the patches work against.

Connect MSP430 programmer with Spy-Bi-Wire to the GNS, TEST, RST on the Novatouch programming connector (CN2):

    +--------------------+ 
    |CN2                 | 
    ++-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ 
 10  | | | | | | | | | |  1
     + | | + | + + + + +   
       | |   |             
       | |   +-----+ RST   
       | +---------+ TEST  
       +-----------+ GND

Not sure what the name is of the connector type on the keyboard, I just soldered wires to the pins on the backside of the connector.

Flashing via USB BSL

The MSP430F5510 has a built in bootstrap loader that can be used to flash via USB. To enter the bootloader the PUR pin of the MSP must be connected to VBUS during power up.

With stable hands it should be possible to do this without any soldering.

Disconnect keyboard from computer.
Connect wire between pin 1 on CN1 and PUR pin on MSP (see this image for exact locations).
Connect keyboard to computer.
Disconnect wire between PUR and VBUS.
New USB device with VID 0x2047 / PID 0x0200 should show up on computer, named “Texas Instruments MSP430 USB HID Bootstrap Loader”.

Usage

To flash with a programmer connect keyboard (as per instructions above) and then run:

$ make flash

To flash with USB BSL first make sure the keyboard is in BSL mode (as per instructions above) and then run:

make -f Makefile.bsl flash

This will fetch the original firmware (main flash only), do some patching, and then flash the patched firmware back to the Novatouch.

The patches done by default are:

Replace caps-lock with ctrl
Switch place of the ‘backspace’ and \ keys
Add hook function for entering BSL (bootloader) mode with fn + F1 + F4

Edit the patch.py file to do other key mappings, hopefully it’s understandable with the overly commented code.

Matrix

This a table representation of the actual key matrix. The row is the lowest 3 bits of key id and the column is the 4 bits above that (id = xCCCCRRR). I.e. key_id = R + (C<<3), where R is the 0 indexed row from the table below and C is the 0 indexed column. For example tab = 5 + (2<<3) = 21.

First row contains row id:s and first column is column id:s, rest of the table is the keys..

	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15
0	2	1	tilde	3	f1	4	6	5	9	8	7	0	ins	-	bkspc	=
1	alt_l	super_l	ctrl_l		esc		spc					alt_r	left	super_r	ctrl_r	fn
2					f5				f8	f7	f6	f9	printscr	f10	f12	f11
3	z		shift_l	x	f4	c	b	v	,	m	n	.		/	right	shift_r
4	s	a	caps	d	f2	f	h	g	l	k	j	;		’		ret
5	w	q	tab	e	f3	r	y	t	o	i	u	p	del	[	\	]
6														up	pause	pgup
7													home	down	scroll	end

twu/novatools