Problem with BS2 startup

anilson1

hi,
when I run identificatio I get this:

port "COM1" | Device type: "nothing" | Version: "nothing" | Loopback: "No" | Echo: "Yes"

I know that the board has power because I created a simple circuit with a 447 ohm and a LED and it lighted.
when I disconnect the serial cable only change Echo: "No".

I got my electronic circuit board from a book I bought "123 Robotic projects for the evil genius". I ordered "BS2 Rev J" from parallax.

What should be the reason for this???

Mike Green

1) The BS2 might be plugged in backwards or some of the pins might be bent.

2) Your serial connection might be bad. You might have a bad cable.

3) If you're using a USB connection, the USB to serial adapter might not be working properly.

4) Some USB to serial adapters can't be used for programming a Stamp. They don't properly implement the handshake lines, DTR particularly.

5) You can't use the default Windows USB to serial adapter drivers. You have to install the manufacturer's drivers.

6) Loopback simply verifies that RTS and CTS are connected together on your board

7) Echo simply verifies that data sent from the PC to the Stamp is echoed back to the PC as it should be. It requires that the Stamp be plugged in, but it doesn't have to be powered or otherwise working.

allanlane5

+1 Mike Green. The "Loopback" check looks for RTS and CTS to be connected together at the 'far end' from the PC. On the BOE board this is done with a trace on the board -- this check is simply to confirm that the cable is connected. If "Echo" is yes, but Loopback is no, then there's a missing wire somewhere.

"Echo" confirms that what's sent out TX by the PC comes back on RX. The BS2 module has a couple of transistors on it which do the RS-232 "level shifting", and these transistors "echo back" everything they get, whether they are powered or not.

When the BS2 is reset with the DTR signal (also known as "ATN"), it sends back a message string -- this lets the PC figure out the Device Type and Version. So this will only work if the BS2 is powered up.

To summarize what the IDE does:
1. Check Loopback (verifies cable is plugged in)
2. Check Echo (verifies there's something on the other end of the cable)
3. Check Device Type (verifies there's a powered BS2 on the other end).

Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)

IIRC, loopback is now optional and no longer required to establish a connection.

-Phil

anilson1

I guess I had a wrong cable, a null cable.

I just bought a new serial DB9 Serial Extension Cable M/F, but I still have problems. Now Loopback and Echo show "Yes", but nothing for Device Type. When I run a small program like:

' {$STAMP BS2}
' {$PBASIC 2.5}
DEBUG "Hello World!"
END

It Tokenize Successfully but a communication error box appears saying. "No BASIC Stamp found".

Is my BS2 chip damage???

Mike Green

Please re-read my previous note.

Also try the link at the bottom of this page ("For troubleshooting, click here"): www.parallax.com/tabid/530/Default.aspx

anilson1

I am using serial cable M/F connected with COM1 and not USB,
I am 200% sure that BS2 is not backwards and pins are ok.

Is there any specifc type of serial cable I should use?

allanlane5

And do you have a new battery? Is the BS2 powered?

Steph Lindsay

If you are using the BASIC Stamp Editor v2.5, open the Help and go through the Connection Troubleshooting guide. It will give you some hints to check out depending on your configuration and the type of error message you get. There is a page for "No Device Type" found. You may need to change your computer's FIFO buffer setting.

You can also contact Parallax Tech Support for free help, via email or telephone:

http://www.parallax.com/tabid/381/Default.aspx

-Stephanie

P.S. the latest BASIC Stamp Editor software for Windows is available at www.parallax.com/basicstampsoftware