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Project Board

Mag748Mag748 Posts: 266
edited 2014-07-17 13:19 in Propeller 1
What happened to it? What is getting revised? Hopefully a better 3.3V regulator circuit cause I've lost 2 of these boards to that. I'll try a couple of the activity boards for now. Haven't tried those yet.

Thanks,
Marcus

Comments

  • PropGuy2PropGuy2 Posts: 360
    edited 2014-07-11 13:40
    Yes - it looks like it is being revised. And like you said the 3v3 switching regulator and VGA outputs have been a problem. You can check the notice under Prop Project Board USB.
  • PublisonPublison Posts: 12,366
    edited 2014-07-11 14:02
    PropGuy2 wrote: »
    Yes - it looks like it is being revised. And like you said the 3v3 switching regulator and VGA outputs have been a problem. You can check the notice under Prop Project Board USB.

    Do you have a link to that problem?

    I'm not aware of that.
  • Mag748Mag748 Posts: 266
    edited 2014-07-11 14:22
    Publison wrote: »
    Do you have a link to that problem?

    I'm not aware of that.

    Publison,

    Here is one example of someone else having the same issue I've now had with (2) of these boards: http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php/156378-I-ve-killed-a-Project-Board.

    Both times it happened I removed every component from the prototyping area. And I checked that there were no shorts between 3.3V and gnd. If the board is powered by the 3.3V rail from an external regulated source it powers up normally. Also, the FTDI chip functions on it's own just fine. I feel that the 3.3V regulation employed on the Project Board is more sensitive than that of it's predecessors.

    Thanks,
    Marcus
  • PropGuy2PropGuy2 Posts: 360
    edited 2014-07-11 19:01
    I have lost a couple of Prop USB boards because of the switching power supply - it goes to 2 volts. I have removed all my added components and done some troubleshooting but never found the culprit component. I admit I do some serious prototyping, so this is not unexpected. As to the VGA problem, it has to do with some kind of feedback(?) by way of the X1 line, that causes the HS and VS lines to go out. This has been documented in a couple of forums previously. See my post and engineering report from last year.
  • NWCCTVNWCCTV Posts: 3,629
    edited 2014-07-11 21:17
    Could you please elaborate in detail what you are doing that makes this happen? I have one of these boards for my Wild Thumper and I need to make sure I do not do the same thing to make mine fail. Thank you.
  • NWCCTVNWCCTV Posts: 3,629
    edited 2014-07-11 22:45
    Tech Support, Can you chime in here. Do I need to replace my Wild Thumper Project Board? Will Parallax be offering a fix or a reduced replacement if necessary? I will hold off on doing anything further on my WT until I get clarification.
  • Dave HeinDave Hein Posts: 6,347
    edited 2014-07-12 08:23
    Is Parallax aware of an issue with the power supply? I wonder if the power supply issue is really just user error. It just takes a fraction of a second to blow a power supply if the wrong voltage is supplied.
  • NWCCTVNWCCTV Posts: 3,629
    edited 2014-07-12 12:04
    Is Parallax aware of an issue with the power supply?

    From the Product Page:

    This product is currently under revision. We expect to to stock the board again in the future.
  • PropGuy2PropGuy2 Posts: 360
    edited 2014-07-12 12:13
    As for the 3v3 power supply, I always use the same 9VDC wall wart for all my work.. I admit I do some serious prototyping, and that probably doesn't help any. Still, a linear PS is probably more durable, but a switcher is more efficient. For most everything you are probably going to do, the 3v3 switching PS is just fine and should not be a problem. Contact Parallax directly by phone or e-mail for help or assistance.
  • Dave HeinDave Hein Posts: 6,347
    edited 2014-07-12 14:04
    NWCCTV wrote: »
    This product is currently under revision. We expect to to stock the board again in the future.
    The webpage doesn't say why the board is under revision. I do know there's an issue with the VGA output and crosstalk with an XTAL clock signal. I've run into that problem myself. The work around is to cut the clock trace running to a connector by drilling it out. This is documented in a thread somewhere. Is the power supply issue documented anywhere?
  • NWCCTVNWCCTV Posts: 3,629
    edited 2014-07-12 16:15
    Is the power supply issue documented anywhere?
    I am not sure, which is why I was asking Tech Support to chime in and clarify.
  • Cluso99Cluso99 Posts: 18,069
    edited 2014-07-13 00:29
    PropGuy2: Typically power packs that are rated xVDC typically have no regulation. If they are able to supply reasonable to high currents and you only draw small currents, it is possible for the DC voltage to be much higher. It is not unreasonable for a 9V 1A supply to give 12V at 0.1A (100mA).

    For this reason, I prefer to use 6V 1A power packs. I do measure the voltages just to check.
  • LA6WNALA6WNA Posts: 138
    edited 2014-07-14 01:01
    Hi. Maybe I`m blind, but I can`t find this boards in the webshop any longer. Are they discontinued?
    For the VGA issue and workarounds, I guess Dave means this thread: http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php/146944-Propeller-Project-Board-USB-VGA-issues?highlight=moskog
    I`ve used a lot of this boards and really likes the layout with all pins accessible through the 40-pin header.
    Hope Tech Support clarifies soon.
  • rjo__rjo__ Posts: 2,114
    edited 2014-07-14 08:37
    Not to worry. http://www.parallax.com/product/32810
  • Ken GraceyKen Gracey Posts: 7,392
    edited 2014-07-15 14:38
    The product is under revision. It is not discontinued.

    There are two changes. First, two diodes were specified for much less current. Next, there was a VGA signal trace too close to the clock trace, causing VGA display issues. Using the VGA circuit was interfering with the Propeller's clock circuitry.

    It's going to take a total of six months to get the design done and back into inventory.

    I am certain we should have these by early January.

    Ken Gracey
  • NWCCTVNWCCTV Posts: 3,629
    edited 2014-07-15 14:57
    OK. So no power issues? Thanks for replying Ken. I doubt I will use the VGA on my Wild Thumper any how so no big deal at the moment.
  • LA6WNALA6WNA Posts: 138
    edited 2014-07-15 15:16
    Hi again. Thanks for clarifying, Ken. I newer had a power issue with this cards myself, but I sure had the VGA-issue. I`m frequently using VGA at my project, both for debugging and for displaying values under normal use. The cards should have an external VGA-driver so we had not have to use 8 pins for it. I dont know if that would be possible, but if; then we may had to use only 2 or 3 pins to drive the VGA-driver. Just a thought.
    Thanks again for let us know. Looking forward to the new revision of the cards.
  • Heater.Heater. Posts: 21,230
    edited 2014-07-15 15:33
    LA6WNA,

    Wait a minute. The whole point is that the Propeller generates the VGA signals itself and drives whatever pins VGA requires directly.
  • Bill HenningBill Henning Posts: 6,445
    edited 2014-07-15 15:59
    Use two boards - one for vga, keyboard etc. and another for your application, with a TTL level serial connection between them.
    LA6WNA wrote: »
    Hi again. Thanks for clarifying, Ken. I newer had a power issue with this cards myself, but I sure had the VGA-issue. I`m frequently using VGA at my project, both for debugging and for displaying values under normal use. The cards should have an external VGA-driver so we had not have to use 8 pins for it. I dont know if that would be possible, but if; then we may had to use only 2 or 3 pins to drive the VGA-driver. Just a thought.
    Thanks again for let us know. Looking forward to the new revision of the cards.
  • Oldbitcollector (Jeff)Oldbitcollector (Jeff) Posts: 8,091
    edited 2014-07-15 19:31
    Noticed that the Propeller Proto Board is back on sale.. $19.99.. Nice to have the tried and true as an option..

    http://www.parallax.com/product/32212

    IMHO, this is one of the best Introduction to the Propeller boards I'd ever encountered..
  • Mag748Mag748 Posts: 266
    edited 2014-07-15 19:56
    Oldbitcollector (Jeff) wrote: »
    Noticed that the Propeller Proto Board is back on sale.. $19.99.. Nice to have the tried and true as an option..

    http://www.parallax.com/product/32212

    IMHO, this is one of the best Introduction to the Propeller boards I'd ever encountered..

    Yes, these are great. Only issue is having to have the prop plug which I loose/break too often

    -Marcus
  • NWCCTVNWCCTV Posts: 3,629
    edited 2014-07-15 21:03
    For the price I really like the Project Board. There is a lot you can do with it and even more that I have yet to discover.
  • LA6WNALA6WNA Posts: 138
    edited 2014-07-16 01:33
    Heater. wrote: »
    LA6WNA,

    Wait a minute. The whole point is that the Propeller generates the VGA signals itself and drives whatever pins VGA requires directly.
    Yes, sure I know. It was just a kind of a wild thought for a way to save pins in larger projects. Not a problem anyway. I use shift registers to get more dig I/O`s, and that`s all fine.

    Hope for a fix for the VGA-bug anyway on the new revision. That would be nice. I love these boards to give projects a permanent home. USB connection is great so you have not to worrie about where your PropPlug is... It always hides somwhere :lol:
  • MoskogMoskog Posts: 554
    edited 2014-07-17 13:19
    Ken Gracey wrote: »
    The product is under revision. It is not discontinued.

    There are two changes. First, two diodes were specified for much less current. Next, there was a VGA signal trace too close to the clock trace, causing VGA display issues. Using the VGA circuit was interfering with the Propeller's clock circuitry.

    It's going to take a total of six months to get the design done and back into inventory.

    I am certain we should have these by early January.

    Ken Gracey

    OK, thats great, I need a few of them soon for my weather station project where VGA will be used, so you can expect an order as soon as the modified ones are available.
    Yeah!
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