AD-Teknik Phoenix/Smartmouse USB
AD-Teknik Phoenix/Smartmouse USB Programmer: (Category Other Programmers)
Because of the latest changes to the Phoenix/Smartmouse interface from AD-Teknik, I had to revise this review. Everything that was written for the 'old' version, is still true for this new one, except that with the new firmware (v0.1) in it, the list of programmable cards has now been expanded with two currently very popular cards. Just read on.
The AD-Teknik Phoenix/Smartmouse USB interface is one of only few such interfaces to be connected to your PC via USB instead of via a COM port.
The programmer comes in a very small, nice looking semi transparent orange enclosure. The programmer is so small that it does not offer the required height to accomodate a normal USB connector. Instead they fitted a mini USB connector. That is probably why the programmer is supplied complete with a USB cable with mini USB connector.
This programmer, like all USB devices, needs a special driver to work at all. When you install that driver, it will create a virtual COM port on your PC. In my case it created a COM-3.
But a driver alone is not enough. You will also need some software to switch interface modes. That software (and the drivers) can be downloaded from the AD-Teknik website, or from the download archive of this website.
When you have downloaded the driver and installed the programmer on your system, you can install the software to switch interface settings. When you start the software, you will see this window:
This is the software that allows to set some preferences (speed and interface type) for your newly added COM port. Simply select the COM port that was added to your system, set your preferred speed and click the interface type you want. The software will then make the changes to the COM port and display a message when the settings are completed successfully (see image below).
As you can see, it offers every possible setting you could ever need:
- 3.58 MHz Phoenix or Smartmouse mode
- 3.68 MHz Phoenix or Smartmouse mode
- 6.0 MHz Phoenix or Smartmouse mode
And there is even more!!!
To my knowledge this is the only USB based pure Phoenix/Smartmouse interface that can program both the Dragon Cam Loader card and the Titanium card. TJ has again produced some fine new software to enable programming of these cards. They all have the same 'look & feel' as the Phoenix/Smartmouse Config utility does. Just look at these samples:
1. The Dragon Cam Loader software:
2. The Titanium software:
You use this tool for erasing/programming the Titanium card. For updating the Operating System of your Titanium card, use TJ's Titanium Updater 2.0.
All software is downloadable from the AD-Teknik website and from the download archive of this site.
If you have got an AD-Teknik Phoenix/Smartmouse USB interface with the older firmware in it, these new software tools will not work. But don't worry, AD-Teknik offer very good service. They do have a special firmware update policy. Just check out their website.
All in all it is a very convincing product and it worked on all software I tested it with, except for Cardinal (GSM software) which did not recognize the added COM port.