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Propeller Project Board USB crystal problem — Parallax Forums

Propeller Project Board USB crystal problem

Hal AlbachHal Albach Posts: 747
edited 2013-08-06 17:54 in Propeller 1
I recently received the Propeller Project Board USB and last night I started doing the Spin Programming Tutorial. Everything worked as it should until I got to Lesson 6 and selected the onboard 5 MHz crystal. Everything came to a screeching halt. None of the LED's would toggle. I added the PLL4X to the _CLKMODE and slowly, excruciatingly slowly, the LEDs began to light up. Tried several other crystals, no joy. It continued to operate extremely slow even with the crystal removed as long as I had a PLL setting of 2 or higher. I'm guessing that the PLL is picking up environmental noise and working with that. It appears that the Propeller is not seeing the crystal. The Spin Tutorial is the only program that has been run on this board. Just LEDs through 220 Ohm resistors on pins 16 -23. When I removed the crystal I noticed that the two sockets that the crystal plugs into extend up from the board and I wonder if the crystal's metal case could have shorted the connections. As it stands, I have a Propeller that will only run when using the internal RC clock source.

Comments

  • Mike GreenMike Green Posts: 23,101
    edited 2013-08-04 08:05
    Call Parallax tech support on Monday to get your Board replaced.
  • NWCCTVNWCCTV Posts: 3,629
    edited 2013-08-04 20:09
    Where is the Spin Programming Tutorial located? I searched at learn.parallax.com but could not locate it. I wanted to try this myself.
  • Hal AlbachHal Albach Posts: 747
    edited 2013-08-05 06:33
    Open Propeller Tool V 1.3.2, click HELP, then click PROPELLER HELP..., 4th item down on the list at the left, SPIN PROGRAMMING TUTORIAL
  • LoopyBytelooseLoopyByteloose Posts: 12,537
    edited 2013-08-05 11:32
    NWCCTV wrote: »
    Where is the Spin Programming Tutorial located? I searched at learn.parallax.com but could not locate it. I wanted to try this myself.

    There is a Spin Tutorial in the Ver 1.01 Propeller Manual that was removed in later versions. I liked this so much that I created a separate PDF of just that section to refer to.

    The version in the Propeller Tool is a bit different and in HTML style... reads differently and distracts me.
  • NWCCTVNWCCTV Posts: 3,629
    edited 2013-08-05 12:19
    I guess that's why I could not find it on line!!!!
  • Hal AlbachHal Albach Posts: 747
    edited 2013-08-05 20:56
    Well, tonight I managed to get my Propeller Project Board USB working by replacing the crystal with a 6 MHz oscillator I had hiding back in my parts drawers. (Didn't have a 5 MHz). Earlier today I had contacted Tech Support and the gentleman I spoke with was convinced the PLL had blown. I tried to tell him that I thought the PLL was working because when I selected the PLLxX option the Propeller would run, just extremely slow. Probably was picking up 60 Hz in the environment. He was steadfast that the PLL had blown and offered to replace the board for half price since it was two months out of warranty. I accepted his offer and proceeded with ordering the replacement. After that I figured I had nothing to lose trying an oscillator and everything to gain. As luck would have it, the propeller came roaring back to life (I know there's a pun here, somewhere!) (Maybe I should have run out and bought a lottery ticket.) I tried all the PLL configurations and the led toggles from twice a second to 4 times a second with a PLL2X and 8 times with PLL4X, and so on. I then reverted back to the 5 MHZ crystal, made the changes to the Method and poof! Dead again. The oscillator is now a permanent part of this board. And now, back to the Spin Tutorial.
    BTW, how does on go about adding the red <solved> to the title?
  • Cluso99Cluso99 Posts: 18,069
    edited 2013-08-06 01:07
    Glad your problem is resolved.
    To mark it solved, edit your first post under advanced and you will find it there.
    Now go and buy a 5MHz xtal ;)
    BTW Without you trying the 6MHz most of us would have suspected the PLL.
  • lanternfishlanternfish Posts: 366
    edited 2013-08-06 01:24
    Just blew my spare Protoboard (non-usb). Accidentally plugged a 9V ac wall wart into it. Will operate in rcfast/rcslow but that,s all. Might try the 6MHz crystal 'trick' just to confirm the PLL is stuffed (or not). Have swapped 5MHz crystals with no luck.
  • Hal AlbachHal Albach Posts: 747
    edited 2013-08-06 07:28
    "Now go and buy a 5MHz xtal " & "Might try the 6MHz crystal 'trick' just to confirm the PLL is stuffed (or not). Have swapped 5MHz crystals with no luck."

    Just to make it clear, I replaced the 5 MHz 2 legged crystal with a 6 MHz 4 legged oscillator, and changed the two statements in CON block from:

    _CLKMODE = XTAL1 + PLL4X
    _XINFREQ = 5_000_000

    to

    _CLKMODE = XINPUT + PLL4X
    _XINFREQ = 6_000_000
    It wasn't the frequency change that worked, it was going from a simple 2 pin crystal to a 4 pin oscillator
    clock.png
    that made the difference.
    clock.png
    100 x 62 - 5K
  • lanternfishlanternfish Posts: 366
    edited 2013-08-06 17:54
    A-ha. Think I have something suitable lying around. That makes more sense. Thanks
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