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SX not working!!!!! — Parallax Forums

SX not working!!!!!

MicrocontrolledMicrocontrolled Posts: 2,461
edited 2008-12-11 18:48 in General Discussion
I have recently received an SX Tool Kit, and I am having problems with it. Basicily, I took it out of the box, installed the software, hooked up the SX equipment as shown, applied power and plugged it in to the computer; and·when I pressed "Verify"·a·window popped up saying "SX not found on COM1". I had no resinator in the socket, my power source was a 6 Volt battery pack pluged into the SX tech·board, the SX was correctly inserted into the socket, and the·USB·Plug·was inserted into each socket to test it(the preferences box gave me only one choice even though there were 2 sockets). I cannot have even had it long enough to break it! rolleyes.gif If this is irregular, then this may·be it; whenever I plug in the SX Key to the USB cable, whether or not it is plugged into the proto board, the SX Key gets hot after a few seconds of being plugged into the USB Cable. I am using the cable that came with the kit. If you have ANY IDEA of what is causing this not to work, please give a suggestion!confused.gif

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Comments

  • BeanBean Posts: 8,129
    edited 2008-12-09 17:31
    If the SX-Key is getting hot, then it is probably defective.

    I'd suggest you call Parallax Tech Support and let them assess it.

    Bean.

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    www.iElectronicDesigns.com

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  • Old_LadyOld_Lady Posts: 20
    edited 2008-12-09 17:33
    Did you plug in the processor yourself? Is it possible (if it is a DIP) that one pin is bent under the chip, and is not inserted into the socket? Sorry if this is a silly question, but if you did plug it in yourself, do you think you have the part oriented correctly? Pin 1 is just to the left of the small circle cutout on the top of the chip..... Or is the processor already installed on the board? What processor are you using?
  • MicrocontrolledMicrocontrolled Posts: 2,461
    edited 2008-12-09 18:20
    I have used both chips that came with the set in the board. I did not see a pin bent under the chip, and niether chip worked. I thought the same thing "the SX Key is defective" and I still do. However, not but 9 weeks ago I got a defective propeller chip, and I don't enjoy returning things through mail. I will continue testing it and if it still won't work then I'll send in for a replacement. If anyone else has a suggestion of what it could be, please reply.

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  • Chris SavageChris Savage Parallax Engineering Posts: 14,406
    edited 2008-12-09 19:24
    My thoughts are that the FTDI driver never installs as COM1 unless there are no other COM ports on the PC…even then it typically starts at COM4. Are you sure you selected the COM Port that your SX-Key is on from the options screen? The IDE won’t automatically find the SX-Key. You need to tell it which port the SX-Key is on.

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    Chris Savage
    Parallax Engineering
  • MicrocontrolledMicrocontrolled Posts: 2,461
    edited 2008-12-09 21:46
    My Options page only shows avialible COM1 and COM6. When you click COM6 a message pops up that it is in use of another program, however, how do you change the COM ports listed for choice and how do you know what plug is which COM Port? I am using a Windows Me modified to an XP, does that matter? Plese Help! I am sending the kit back and getting another on Dec 10 unless otherwise noticed.

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  • PJMontyPJMonty Posts: 983
    edited 2008-12-09 23:04
    microcontroled1204,

    You don't get to choose which ports are shown. The IDE scans your system for all available ports and then displays them. It's up to you to either figure out or know which port is which and plug into the right one. It won't hurt anything if you choose the wrong one, so it's not hard to get it worked out.

    Thanks,
    PeterM
  • MicrocontrolledMicrocontrolled Posts: 2,461
    edited 2008-12-09 23:33
    I have just dicovered that my computer is calling a Serial pot a COM. It is not accepting a USB Port as a COM at all. Is there any way to make it do this??

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  • RobotWorkshopRobotWorkshop Posts: 2,307
    edited 2008-12-10 02:11
    The FTDI chip which is used in a lot of the USB to Serial converters will appear on your system as another COM port. That description goes back to the original IBM and compatible PC systems. The COMx ports are SERIAL ports and the LPTx was used to define standard Parallel printer ports.

    If your system has a COM1 by default then that either is a built-in real Serial port (if it has an open DB-9 connector on the system) or it is in use by an Internal Modem.

    COM6 is probably the USB to serial adapter. Does it disappear when you unplug the USB to serial adapter? Make sure the USB to Serial adapter is plugged in before launching the SX software on your system.

    Another thing to check are other applications running on your PC. Does it have a lot of extra "Stuff" installed? Junk running in the background and in the system tray? Also, if you are running a virus scanner then check it's settings since some may block access to system ports.

    Robert
  • Guenther DaubachGuenther Daubach Posts: 1,321
    edited 2008-12-10 10:06
    Some more suggestions:

    1. Make sure that you have installed the most recent SX-Key IDE - it is version 3.2.92h BETA. You can download this version for free from the Parallax site in case you don't have it www.parallax.com/Portals/0/Downloads/sw/sx/Setup-SX-Key-Editor-v3.2.92h-BETA.exe.zip. At the end of the setup procedure, this version should install the required drivers for the FTDI USB to Serial converter automatically. If it does not, you also have the option to download and install it from the Parallax site (locate the "USB Driver Installer" link at the bottom of the home page www.parallax.com/Default.aspx?tabid=530.

    2. After you have the driver and IDE installed, launch the IDE but do NOT connect the SX-Key USB to a USB port yet. In the IDE, open the Run/Configure dialog, and note which COM ports are listed in the "Serial Port" section. Shut down the IDE again.

    3. Connect the SX-Key USB to any available USB port of your PC. Do not connect it to any passive USB hub you may have, as this may not be able to supply enough power to the SX-Key USB.

    4. Launch the SX-Key IDE, and open the "Run/Configure" dialog again. Now, there should be one more COM port be listed in the "Serial Port" section. This is the one assigned to your SX-Key USB, so you should select this one.

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    Greetings from Germany,

    G
  • MicrocontrolledMicrocontrolled Posts: 2,461
    edited 2008-12-10 18:07
    To RobotWorkshop, I do not have a USB to Serial converter. The SX Key is new and has a mini USB connector instead of a serial port. To Guenther, thank you for the link. I believe that do not have the locate USB Driver Software. However, I do have the current version. I will try it, I will respond if it works.·smile.gif

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  • RobotWorkshopRobotWorkshop Posts: 2,307
    edited 2008-12-10 19:29
    I may have misread some of your earlier posts since it sounded like you were using the original SX-Key which would have needed a separate USB to serial converter. You may not have a 'separate' USB to serial converter but you do have one since the USB SX-Key happens to have it built in. The recommendations still apply in regards to items to check on your system and the additional posts by G
  • MicrocontrolledMicrocontrolled Posts: 2,461
    edited 2008-12-10 23:12
    This awnswers the question of why when I plug it in to the computer it pops up a message new hardware found: installing and then after a pause displays USB to Serial converter installed. When I go on the SX tool program, however, it dosn't display any COM ports besides 1 and 6, even though I found there is a COM3. Is there any way to change this? I have discoverd that COM1 is a Serial port and not a USB port, and when I select COM6 it posts a message saying that it is busy or in use with another application, even though the SX Key is the only device pluged into any port besides COM1(I have a homemade prop plug on a propeller chip in COM1!).I have tryed it without the prop pluged in, and that does not seem to make a difference. I think it is the computer that is causing this whole problem, but I do not know this for sure because our other computer has a problem with installshield and will not install the program! I am NOT going to send back the SX key now, because I do not think the key is the problem. The ONLY thing that makes me think that the SX Key is the problem is that the sx key gets hot when plugged in to the USB CABLE!!! I suppose that if it was the key it would have to be a short circut in it that made the computer think that it was not the SX key but still detected the USB to Serial converter. If anyone knows if a Serial to USB converter is availible, plese let me know! Any more suggestons would be greatly appreciated!

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  • Guenther DaubachGuenther Daubach Posts: 1,321
    edited 2008-12-11 10:02
    You mentioned that Windows came up with the message "New hardware found - installing". This makes me assume that you did not correctly install the drivers from FTDI but you allowed Windows to automatically install a standard driver which does not work correctly.

    First, disconnect the SX-Key USB. Next, check if the Windows device manager lists a USB to serial adapter (should be in the COM/LPT group). If any, remove it. Then install the FTDI drivers using the link I gave you in my last post. After the drivers have been installed, connect the SX-Key USB.

    Good Luck!

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    Greetings from Germany,

    G
  • MicrocontrolledMicrocontrolled Posts: 2,461
    edited 2008-12-11 16:33
    Thank You! I think that this is what could have gone wrong. If it is, I will post in saying so. thank you agian.

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  • MicrocontrolledMicrocontrolled Posts: 2,461
    edited 2008-12-11 18:48
    Heres the problem, I go to install the FTDI driver, and instead of having an installshield window pop up, it has a command propt pop up in which it says installing.... for a few seconds and then·goes away·without any further message, unlike·what it said on the FTDI driver page, which was that it would have an instillation. "Follow the advice on the screen.." is what it said even though it was only a command propt for a few seconds. I also got the program to install on the other computer and it DID THE SAME THING !!!!!mad.gif·PLEASE HELP!!!!! WHAT SHOULD I DO????confused.gif

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