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No BASIC Stamps found — Parallax Forums

No BASIC Stamps found

tnorthtnorth Posts: 2
edited 2009-12-09 05:50 in Learn with BlocklyProp
I just set up my BASIC Stamps Homework board and followed the directions under Activity #4 to create my first program. When I go to run the program a communications error box pops up indicating No BASIC Stamps found. However, when I go to Identify if the board is connected via the serial port the Loopback & Echo fields indicate Yes on COM1, indicating the serial communications was established.

What do I need to do to resolve this issue?

Thanks

Comments

  • tnorthtnorth Posts: 2
    edited 2009-11-15 21:25
    Never mind, I figured it out. My 9V battery was low. I replaced the battery and everything is now working.
  • James LongJames Long Posts: 1,181
    edited 2009-11-15 21:42
    tnorth said...
    Never mind, I figured it out. My 9V battery was low. I replaced the battery and everything is now working.

    You will find, this is the most common error when using batteries. Most Stamp users eventually switch to using a power adapter to prevent this kind of problem. It's not real fun when you go to play/work with your stamp, and find your battery dead, and have no more around the house. It's even worse if you live in a place that all the stores close at 7:00 pm on Sunday night, and you can not get a battery.

    Hope you have fun with the Stamp.

    James L

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    James L
    Partner/Designer
    Lil Brother SMT Assembly Services

    Are you addicted to technology or Micro-controllers..... then checkout the forums at Savage Circuits. Learn to build your own Gizmos!
  • Mike GreenMike Green Posts: 23,101
    edited 2009-11-15 22:14
    Many people don't realize how little capacity 9V alkaline batteries have. It's about 500mAh. You're lucky to get 25 hours' use with just a Stamp and a single LED that's on most of the time. You're much better off using a 4 x AA Alkaline battery pack and wiring a 9V battery clip to it (being careful to get the polarity correct!). The Homework Board works fine off 6V.
  • SMS103SMS103 Posts: 7
    edited 2009-12-03 16:52
    I have "No BASIC Stamps found " this problem , My Basic Stamp is Board of Sducation Rev C ,BS2 RevJ .
    i replaced the battery ,but can't solve this problem and BASIC Stamp Editor v2.3.9 Show "yes" on loopback and echo only , can't find the BS2 ......
    BS2 connect to PC by USB , i changed the cable ,but.... can't solve this problem

    Is BS2 damage ?

    Thanks
  • Mike GreenMike Green Posts: 23,101
    edited 2009-12-03 17:31
    In order for a BASIC Stamp to be "found", several things have to happen:

    1) The Stamp has to be running. That means that it needs power and it can't be "broken".

    2) The Stamp has to be connected to a PC running the Stamp Editor. That means that it needs to be connected as shown in the Stamp documentation including the capacitors shown in the ATN line in the documentation (if you're using RS232). The Board of Education has this circuitry. If you're using a USB interface, it has to properly implement the DTR signal. Parallax's USB to serial adapters do this. Keyspan's High Speed USB to Serial Adapter does it. USB to Serial Adapters from FTDI (the manufacturer of the adapter chips that Parallax uses) do it. Some other USB to Serial Adapters do it, but there's no list. You'll just have to experiment.

    3) If you're using a USB to Serial Adapter, you may have the wrong driver software installed on your PC. The default Windows driver for USB to Serial Adapters does not work for downloading programs to a Stamp. You must install the manufacturer's driver.

    It's possible but unlikely that your BS2 is damaged. Almost all cases of "No BASIC Stamps found" are due to one of the above issues.
  • SMS103SMS103 Posts: 7
    edited 2009-12-03 17:56
    Mike Green said...
    In order for a BASIC Stamp to be "found", several things have to happen:

    1) The Stamp has to be running. That means that it needs power and it can't be "broken".

    2) The Stamp has to be connected to a PC running the Stamp Editor. That means that it needs to be connected as shown in the Stamp documentation including the capacitors shown in the ATN line in the documentation (if you're using RS232). The Board of Education has this circuitry. If you're using a USB interface, it has to properly implement the DTR signal. Parallax's USB to serial adapters do this. Keyspan's High Speed USB to Serial Adapter does it. USB to Serial Adapters from FTDI (the manufacturer of the adapter chips that Parallax uses) do it. Some other USB to Serial Adapters do it, but there's no list. You'll just have to experiment.

    3) If you're using a USB to Serial Adapter, you may have the wrong driver software installed on your PC. The default Windows driver for USB to Serial Adapters does not work for downloading programs to a Stamp. You must install the manufacturer's driver.

    It's possible but unlikely that your BS2 is damaged. Almost all cases of "No BASIC Stamps found" are due to one of the above issues.
    THANKS~~
    My case same as case1 , (The Stamp has to be running. That means that it needs power and it can't be "broken".)

    My Stamp can connected to PC and can wrote·programs to stamp yesterday , but i have find "No BASIC Stamps found" on Editor today
    so I replace the battery....·

    My stamp include the USB·SYSTEM ·.

    i don't know how to solve this problem...
    ·
  • Mike GreenMike Green Posts: 23,101
    edited 2009-12-03 18:09
    Make sure your new battery is good. If possible, try an AC power supply. Since your Stamp, Board of Education, USB cable, and PC (and its software) worked yesterday, the most likely problem is the lack of power.

    There have been some cases where the USB cable was defective. Try changing that.

    It's much more difficult than you think to damage a Stamp to the point where it won't work.

    If you have a multimeter or oscilloscope available, you could check that the Vdd voltage on the Board of Education is 5V (in relationship to Vss - ground).
  • SMS103SMS103 Posts: 7
    edited 2009-12-03 18:24
    Mike Green said...
    Make sure your new battery is good. If possible, try an AC power supply. Since your Stamp, Board of Education, USB cable, and PC (and its software) worked yesterday, the most likely problem is the lack of power.

    There have been some cases where the USB cable was defective. Try changing that.

    It's much more difficult than you think to damage a Stamp to the point where it won't work.

    If you have a multimeter or oscilloscope available, you could check that the Vdd voltage on the Board of Education is 5V (in relationship to Vss - ground).
    O~~ i check the Vdd voltage is 4.93 by multimeter . it is not 5V now,i checked it was 5v before .
    My battery is 9V
    the stamp have Error , why it was damage -.-

    thank Mike Green
  • SMS103SMS103 Posts: 7
    edited 2009-12-03 19:02
    update infomation

    the stamp Vdd-Vss voltage is 5.03V .
    the board Vdd-Vss voltage is 4.93V .

    On board , there have two capacters near the battery ,
    C1 voltage is 5.03V (near battery" - " )
    C2 votage is 4.93V (near battery " +" )

    The borad is Error ?
  • Mike GreenMike Green Posts: 23,101
    edited 2009-12-03 19:07
    4.93V is well within 10% which is the normal "correct" range (4.5V to 5.5V), so that's not the problem. Your measurements show an "error" of less than 2% which is quite normal.

    I don't have any new suggestions. Like I said, it's harder than you think to damage a Stamp.

    If you're located in the United States, call Parallax Tech Support. If you're located elsewhere and bought your Stamp from a distributor, give them a call. They may be able to help.
  • SMS103SMS103 Posts: 7
    edited 2009-12-03 19:30
    Mike Green said...
    4.93V is well within 10% which is the normal "correct" range (4.5V to 5.5V), so that's not the problem. Your measurements show an "error" of less than 2% which is quite normal.

    I don't have any new suggestions. Like I said, it's harder than you think to damage a Stamp.

    If you're located in the United States, call Parallax Tech Support. If you're located elsewhere and bought your Stamp from a distributor, give them a call. They may be able to help.
    THANKS~· If I have good new of my stamp , I will post it ~
  • lunaperolunapero Posts: 1
    edited 2009-12-05 08:20
    Just got a new BOE.·· Getting the same error.· Fortunatly for me i have an 2 BOE's..... And 2 bs2's..· turns out my new board, is no good....
    Both bs2's work in the original board, with both power supplys.· niether bs2 will be found in my brand new boards.· I would not have bothered, to post, except that while debugging i ran across your post and noticed the recent timeline.. Maybe a batch of bad boards?·· best of luck......··
  • dandreaedandreae Posts: 1,375
    edited 2009-12-07 14:23
    What version of the BOE do you have, is it the serial or USB and what REV?· What are you using to power the boards with?· Is the power switch in position 1 or 2?

    Dave

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    Dave Andreae

    Parallax Tech Support·
  • SMS103SMS103 Posts: 7
    edited 2009-12-07 15:05
    Dave Andreae (Parallax) said...
    What version of the BOE do you have, is it the serial or USB and what REV?· What are you using to power the boards with?· Is the power switch in position 1 or 2?

    Dave
    1. Board of education REV C
    2. USB
    3. BS2 REV J
    4. 9V battery
    5. power switch in position 1 and 2 , this 2 case , PC can't find· the stamp
  • Chris SavageChris Savage Parallax Engineering Posts: 14,406
    edited 2009-12-08 16:42
    Do you have any circuitry connected to the BASIC Stamp or any wires in the breadboard? If so remove all connections so nothing is connected to the board. You may also be experiencing a latency issue on the USB side, which can be corrected by reducing the latency timer setting in the advanced port options in the device manager.

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    Chris Savage

    Parallax Engineering
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    ·
  • SMS103SMS103 Posts: 7
    edited 2009-12-09 05:50
    MY BS2 lost the "Single PNP Trans. Pack,(10 kW Res. & 2N3906) " near then pin 24 , so the stamp was damage .... i replace the new one , it is normal now
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