Parallax servo controller without firmware

millitant · 2010-10-29 07:17

Hey,

I have a parallax USB servocontroller that i want to use in conjunction with my basic stamp 2, but it doesnt have any firmware and its not responding to the software from the parallax website. anyone have any idea how i install firmware on this thing and what could be the cause of it not functioning together with the software?

greets.

hover1 · 2010-10-29 07:28

Is it the new Controller (#28830)? If so the firmare is on the product page:

http://www.parallax.com/StoreSearchResults/tabid/768/txtSearch/servo/List/0/SortField/4/ProductID/595/Default.aspx

If it is the old style, I don't believe you can reload the firmware. How do you know it does not contain the firmware? Maybe the board is dead?

Jim

millitant · 2010-10-29 07:57

hey,

i have the 28823 usb servo controller, and i did check out the firmware versions on the parallax website, but i dont know how to upload them to the controller. how do i know its dead? i mean everything seems to light up, the red and green led seem to work.

how do i know it doesnt have firmware installed, i checked it with the serial code first that came in the manual:

' {$STAMP BS2}
' {$PBASIC 2.5}
Sdat PIN 15 ' Serial Data I/O pin
Baud CON 396 ' Constant for 2400 baud
buff VAR Byte(3) ' temporary variable
FindPSC: ' Find and get the version
DEBUG "Finding PSC", CR ' number of the PSC.
SEROUT Sdat, Baud+$8000, ["!SCVER?",CR]
SERIN Sdat, Baud, 500, FindPSC, [STR buff\3]
DEBUG "PSC ver: ", buff(0), buff(1), buff(2), CR

no result it just keeps spitting ' Finding PSC' and no number.

i also installed the 'PSCi Software for PC' software and used its tools to check for firmware, all it shows are a number of dots, no number either.
does that mean its dead, or empty?

hover1 · 2010-10-29 08:37

Ok..good you have the new one.

Download the firmware and unzip it to a folder of your choice.
Open "PSC Propeller Firmware.spin" in the Propeller Tool
Insert USB cable into the controller.
Press F11 to download the firmware into the Propeller.
Test with the PSCI software first.

Jim

millitant · 2010-10-29 11:39

Thanks for the information, one quick question though, you mention propellor tool. the software i have installed doesnt support the '.spin' format. could you tell me which software tool you are referring to?

thanks.

hover1 · 2010-10-29 11:51

The Propeller Spin Tool is located in the Download Section of the Propeller:

http://www.parallax.com/ProductInfo/Microcontrollers/PropellerGeneralInformation/PropellerMediaPage/tabid/832/Default.aspx

It's the first download on the top. When prompted, install the FTDI USB driver, if you have not already done so. You will need it to talk to controller through the Spin Tool and PSCI.

Jim

millitant wrote: »

Thanks for the information, one quick question though, you mention propellor tool. the software i have installed doesnt support the '.spin' format. could you tell me which software tool you are referring to?

thanks.

millitant · 2010-10-29 12:43

Thanks, ill give it a try.

millitant · 2010-10-29 16:01

no luck, i keeps telling me that i dont have a propellor chip attached on any of my com ports. keeps trying to locate one and stops.

error: no propellor chip found on any serial port.

hmmm, do you think its broken?

hover1 · 2010-10-29 16:06

When this happens, there are two things to try.

First..A new USB cable.

Second..Uninstall the FTDI drivers and the reinstall them. If you have an item in your control panel with a question mark, delete it. What OS are you running?

What is you total hardware setup?

Jim

millitant · 2010-10-30 03:35

Usb cable seems to be fine, works for my basic stamp, works for my camera and my mp3 player. when i plug in my servo controller is seems to register, no question marks in my hardware set-up. i checked the drivers, its the latest and it seems to be working fine, tried an update says it cant find anything more recent. so...

im running windows XP

hardware setup, i have 1 scanner on com1, i have the basic stamp/servo controller on com3. nothing else besides my screen.

i have nothing of interest installed that could disable any communication with the servo controller.

i tried checking port status and data transfer with the PSCI and com3 status via hyper-terminal it is sending data. and every time i touch something on PSCI the little green light blinks, which i presume means its receiving something.

but when i try the propeller tool it cant find squat. i dont know, it looks to me that everything is working but my servo controller is just brain dead. i need to somehow get the firmware on it. just cant get it to respond.

hover1 · 2010-10-30 04:48

Make sure the the jumper is installed over the two pins just above the "serial in" pins. The Propeller chip can not be identified if it is off.

You should not have the Basic Stamp and the Servo Controller on the same Com Port. XP should assign a different Com Port to the Servo Controller, as it's FDTI USB chip has a different and unique serial number.

It should have shipped from the factory with the firware installed.

Jim

millitant wrote: »

Usb cable seems to be fine, works for my basic stamp, works for my camera and my mp3 player. when i plug in my servo controller is seems to register, no question marks in my hardware set-up. i checked the drivers, its the latest and it seems to be working fine, tried an update says it cant find anything more recent. so...

im running windows XP

hardware setup, i have 1 scanner on com1, i have the basic stamp/servo controller on com3. nothing else besides my screen.

i have nothing of interest installed that could disable any communication with the servo controller.

i tried checking port status and data transfer with the PSCI and com3 status via hyper-terminal it is sending data. and every time i touch something on PSCI the little green light blinks, which i presume means its receiving something.

but when i try the propeller tool it cant find squat. i dont know, it looks to me that everything is working but my servo controller is just brain dead. i need to somehow get the firmware on it. just cant get it to respond.

millitant · 2010-10-30 13:23

i switch between the basic stamp and the servo controller with the usb cable. its always on com port 3.

i dont remember if it had firmware already installed when i bought it, it just worked then, not anymore though.

im just going to have to work with the basic stamp and see if i can get this puppy sent back for checkup or something, dont know if that is possible since i bought mine in 2005.

W9GFO · 2010-10-30 14:27

millitant wrote: »

i have the 28823 usb servo controller,

This is the old one, not the new one.

Rich H

hover1 · 2010-10-30 14:36

/Egg on Face

Rich, you are correct. We are dealing with the old controller. I read the part number wrong on my aging monitor in my dusty workshop.

That changes everything. I'll reread everything and get back to a BS2 state of mind.

Jim

W9GFO wrote: »

This is the old one, not the new one.

Rich H

hover1 · 2010-10-30 14:51

Sorry I brought you down the wrong road to troubleshoot this problem.

Clearly it had firmware installed at first, since it worked. If it's a hardware failure, I would contact Parallax to see what it would take to repair.

Jim

millitant wrote: »

i dont remember if it had firmware already installed when i bought it, it just worked then, not anymore though.

millitant · 2010-11-01 07:59

Ok thanks ill send them an email, check if there is anything that can be done. maybe they'll take it back and check it, but if it costs more than a new servo controller ill just buy me a couple of new ones, i am wondering why it doesn’t work anymore, does the chip lose integrity over time? do you know? thanks for all the advice though, it better than getting no reply at all.

Parallax servo controller without firmware

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