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my first project, communication error — Parallax Forums

my first project, communication error

shopposhoppo Posts: 4
edited 2008-02-20 18:37 in BASIC Stamp
This is my first project and I cant seem to get it to work. I checked and doubled checked voltages and wiring on my project. All OK. I turn the power on and try to run the program and it wont download (when it scans for the Basic Stamp I get the following error)

"communication error"
"No Basic stamps found"
I am using a USB to Serial cable and MSN had no problems recognizing the new hardware.

I do not have and Palm Software interfering.

Any help would be appreciated.

Is there a way to verify that the problem is the BS2 or the cable?

Bryan

Comments

  • Bruce BatesBruce Bates Posts: 3,045
    edited 2008-02-18 07:05
    Bryan·-

    Whose USB to Serial adapter are you using? If it's an inexpensive one, the problem may be there. Better adapters, like those that Parallax sells, propagate all the necessary signals which NEED to be there for the PBASIC IDE to download a user program to the Stamp. Other software may not need for all the signals to be present for it to function.

    If you are using a battery to power your setup, you may want to check the battery voltage, or just replace the existing battery with a new one, and try it again.

    Let us know how you make out with these suggestions, and we'll go from there.

    Regards,

    Bruce Bates

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  • LoopyBytelooseLoopyByteloose Posts: 12,537
    edited 2008-02-18 07:18
    If you have a RS232 serial port on the computer, you can bypass the USB and use the RS232.

    While USB is nice, some converters are not 100%. Parallax provides one's that are, but occasionally a user gets into trouble when they buy another brand that doesn't support all 3 of the RS232 lines required. Of course, such products never tell you they are are less compatible - you find out the hard way.

    Alternatively, you may have a 100% compatible device, but the wrong software driver that doesn't support all 3 lines. In some cases, Parallax's drivers will work with non-Parallax products. In other cases, the original vendor may have an up-graded driver available for download.

    And, as Bruce clearly points out, you may not have the power properly connected to the BasicStamp. If there are any 'on/off' switches involved, may sure they are on.

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    ···················· Tropically,····· G. Herzog [noparse][[/noparse]·黃鶴 ]·in Taiwan
  • allanlane5allanlane5 Posts: 3,815
    edited 2008-02-18 14:52
    Typically, you MUST download new drivers for the USB to serial adapter from the vendor (or from a CD).

    If you don't do this, Windows WILL "recognize" USB to serial devices, and then load the Windows default driver, which MOST TIMES will not work properly.

    Thus it is critically important that you, BEFORE YOU PLUG IN THE DEVICE, download and install the Vendor's USB to RS232 drivers. THEN you can plug in the USB cable and have it be properly recognized and the right drivers loaded.

    EVEN THEN, there are quite a few USB-to-serial adapters designed for PDA's that don't implement all the RS-232 'hand-shake' signals, and thus won't work with the BS2. That's why Parallax sells one guaranteed to work for about $20 or so. But you'll STILL need to load the Vendor's drivers before plugging in the USB cable.
  • shopposhoppo Posts: 4
    edited 2008-02-19 00:36
    hey all thanks for the help. The battery (and all voltages are fine).
    I tried to uninstall and reinstall the driver from the manufacturer and that didnt help. I tried to get a newer driver (www.mpcraft.com) and that was not successful. Couldnt find a link on their site and the link to contact them didnt seem to work.
    So I tried to download the driver from Parallax but windows wont recognize it. It tells me the driver was not installed correctly after I try to install it. True enough it wont work. The name of the usb-serial adapator I have as it appears on the device manager (when I have the original driver installed) is Prolific. I am realizing I may have wasted money on this adaptor and have to fork out for a parallax one unless anyone thinks I can get the parallax driver to work? Thanks for your help so far guys.

    Bryan
  • shopposhoppo Posts: 4
    edited 2008-02-19 00:38
    The error with the parallax driver is "no usable ports found" if that makes any sense.
  • allanlane5allanlane5 Posts: 3,815
    edited 2008-02-19 02:22
    No, the driver MUST match the hardware -- using a different hardware's driver isn't going to work.

    Yes, you probably do need to get the Parallax USB to Serial.
  • LoopyBytelooseLoopyByteloose Posts: 12,537
    edited 2008-02-19 10:57
    Parallax drivers are only for UBICOM products. If the other product doesn't use a UBICOM chip, you are out of luck. I just mentioned it as a last ditch effort before you go out an buy a second USB to Serial device.

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    PLEASE CONSIDER the following:

    Do you want a quickly operational black box solution or the knowledge included therein?······
    ···················· Tropically,····· G. Herzog [noparse][[/noparse]·黃鶴 ]·in Taiwan
  • ForrestForrest Posts: 1,341
    edited 2008-02-19 11:37
    Parallax uses a FTDI USB to serial adapter. Download there drivers here www.parallax.com/ProductInfo/Accessories/FTDIUSBDrivers/tabid/530/Default.aspx
  • shopposhoppo Posts: 4
    edited 2008-02-19 20:57
    thanks guys
  • Chris SavageChris Savage Parallax Engineering Posts: 14,406
    edited 2008-02-20 18:37
    Kramer said...(trimmed)
    Parallax drivers are only for UBICOM products. If the other product doesn't use a UBICOM chip, you are out of luck.
    Kramer,

    ·· The drivers are provided by FTDI for their chips which we use in our adapter and USB-based products.· IBCOM was the former manufacturer of the SX chips.· =)

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    Chris Savage
    Parallax Tech Support
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