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Newbie basic stamp identification problem — Parallax Forums

Newbie basic stamp identification problem

narnekonarneko Posts: 6
edited 2009-08-04 01:16 in BASIC Stamp
I just started and have no experience whatsoever and I am having problems locating the basic stamp. when i try to identify the basic stamp from the basic stamp editor it doesn't show BASIC Stamp 2 its just says yes to loop back and echo in my COM 3 which is my usb port. I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong. Is my basic stamp not really plugged in our what?

Comments

  • sylvie369sylvie369 Posts: 1,622
    edited 2009-07-30 01:47
    You'll need to provide more information. How is the Stamp mounted? Is it in a Board of Education? Are you using a Homework Board? Your own setup?
    You you're using a USB port. Are you also using a USB/Serial converter? Non-Parallax converters are a notorious source of problems of this sort.

    What about your Stamp's power supply?
  • narnekonarneko Posts: 6
    edited 2009-07-30 01:54
    err the stamp is mounted how its suppose to be mounted it is the board of education and the basic stamp has written on it BS2 Rev J.
    not sure about the setup.its a usb to USB type-A, the one with a usb plug connected to a smaller looking usb plug(is that the serial plug?)

    all the stuff id from the Boe-bot kit and the power supply should be fine because i have 4 brand new AA batteries
  • narnekonarneko Posts: 6
    edited 2009-08-01 03:16
    Hey sylvie369 or any one,

    My Dad bought me the USB version of Boe-Bot Robotics kits from FRY's and I begin to assemble per book.
    The Basic Stamp 2 is mounted on Board of Education Rev. C
    I installed the Basic Stamp Editor V2.4.2. Connect the USB to the BOE, then to PC.
    I am using WINDOW XP, PC plug and play displayed New HW found.
    Check the Device Manager, shown COM3 as USB port.

    Launch the Basic Stamp Editor, click the Identify, loop back shown COM1, NO, NO in last two columns.
    But COM3, YES, YES in last 2 columns. "Device Type" shown blank.

    Click the RUN, scanning..... " NO BASIC Stamp2 found" Communication Error message pop up.
    Follow the book Appedix A: P301, trouble shoot and no luck.
    Select the COM3, property->port setting-> Advanced... Could not find FIFO Buffers labeled to uncheck.
    Now, I could not start anything, and need help.
  • Mike GreenMike Green Posts: 23,101
    edited 2009-08-01 03:22
    1) Make sure the Stamp is plugged in properly. There's a pin #1, usually marked with a dot. Make sure all of the pins go into the socket and none are bent or broken.

    2) If you used the Windows XP built-in USB driver, that may be your problem. It doesn't work for programming a Stamp. You have to use the proper USB driver from either Parallax or FTDI (the maker of the chip used). Use the Windows Control Panel to remove the USB driver for the USB to Serial Adapter, then reinstall a fresh copy downloaded from Parallax (www.parallax.com/tabid/530/Default.aspx).
  • narnekonarneko Posts: 6
    edited 2009-08-01 05:06
    Hello Mike Green,
    The Basic stamp 2 installed correctly.
    I uninstall the USB Serial Port drivers.

    I downloaded the driver from the same link before. When I installed, it ran with the DOS window for a few sec. No other wizard showed up.

    After I connected the USB to Board of Education rev. C with Basic stamp 2, I observed COM3 showed up as USB Serial Port with FTDI, ftser2k.sys dated 6/27/2007.

    I also saw under the USB Controllers area, USB Serial Converter driver by FTDI was installed. It was dated 2/17/2009 Ver.2.4.16.0. Once you uninstall one, the other also uninstalled.
    I supspect, may be the board is a lemon. Is anyway I can check?
    But when I RUN, COM3 LOOP BACK and ECHO shown YES with the No BASIC Stamp 2 found message.
  • Mike GreenMike Green Posts: 23,101
    edited 2009-08-01 05:14
    Loopback and Echo simply show that the serial connection is intact. They tell you nothing about the Stamp. The Stamp has to be operational to be found. It has to carry on a specific conversation with the PC. The PC forces a reset by toggling the DTR signal line and the Stamp has to execute a built-in download program within a specific period of time.

    The test for a "lemon" is to see if the Stamp identifies itself to the Editor. That actually exercises pretty much everything.

    Give Parallax support a telephone call on Monday. They may have you try a couple of other things. If they can't get it to work for you, they'll replace it.

    Do check the power source. The Stamp has to be powered to identify itself. Use a multimeter or an LED with a 330 Ohm series resistor to make sure there's 5V between the Vdd (+) and Vss (-) sockets in the breadboard area.

    Post Edited (Mike Green) : 8/1/2009 5:21:47 AM GMT
  • Steph LindsaySteph Lindsay Posts: 767
    edited 2009-08-03 22:07
    Hi Narneko,

    If you haven't talked to Tech Support or fixed this already (or if you are not Narneko but are similarly stuck) check for these:

    Is the Board of Education's green Power LED (above the black row of sockets marked X1) not lit? If yes, check the 3-position switch on the board, 0=off, 1=power to everything but servo ports, 2= power to everything.
    If moving the power switch does not light the Power LED, then your battery holder might actually be defective.
    Check to see if your batteries are in the holder correctly. If moving the power switch only lights the LED very dimly, you might have some of your batteries in backwards.

    -Steph
  • WBA ConsultingWBA Consulting Posts: 2,934
    edited 2009-08-03 23:34
    I am having the same issue with a PDB Rev C. Here's my thread:

    http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php?p=828025

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    Andrew Williams
    WBA Consulting
    IT / Web / PCB / Audio
  • narnekonarneko Posts: 6
    edited 2009-08-04 01:00
    Hello All,
    Call the Parallax Tech support who suggested to try it with the 9 V Battery.
    Yes, I do get a bright LED green light when the SW is at "1".

    I also measure the DC voltage with the DMM and Battery terminals and Voltage regulator chip Pin 1 and 3 with respect to Pin 2.

    For 9Vdc battery: SW OFF, measured 8.98 Vdc, ON, read 8.88 Vdc. Chip Left Pin 1: 8.88 Vdc, Pin 3: 4.95 Vdc.
    For 4 AA batteries, SW OFF, measured 6.24 Vdc, ON, read 6.21 Vdc. Chip Left Pin 1: 6.21 Vdc, Pin 3: 4.95 Vdc.

    Unistalled the USB drivers in both COM PORT 3 and USB device.
    Installed the FDTI USB drivers and observed the PORT and USB device. WINDOW found the new HW and installed the driver, No Yellow questions Mark. Turn SW to "1", click RUN Identify, same result.
    COM3 PORT shown YES in LOOP BACK and ECHO.

    No Luck, No Basic Stamp detected.

    I think, I got a lemon Basic Stamp.

    Any suggestion and idea, welcome.
  • narnekonarneko Posts: 6
    edited 2009-08-04 01:16
    After I got the schematic from Andrew William, My Dad measure the Basic Stamp Chip with SW at "1",
    Vin with respect to Vss: 6.24 Vdc.
    Vdd with respect to Vss: 4.95 Vdc.

    The Chip got the right power, right? any other possibility?
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