Parallax USB Oscilloscope

john-3pr

I bought a USB Oscilloscope when they were being discontinued (2012?) but could not get it to work with the V4 software.
I recently downloaded the V5.1.1 software and tried unsuccessfully to get it to run on 2 WinXP-SP3 PCs.

The software installs without any problems and says it installed the drivers successfully. When I plug the 'scope into a USB connector, the computer sees it and assigns COM3 to it and says it's ready to use. (COM3 appears in the Windows Hardware Manager.) I can launch the software and change the COM setting to COM3, press the "RUN" icon, but the USB symbol and the bottom left stays red; never goes green.

The default settings for COM3 are 8N1, no flow control. I tried it with XON/XOFF without success.
I noticed that the driver installed was FTDI V2.00.00. I installed the V2.08.24 driver; again without success.

I know this is obsolete, but it would be a great little tool to use on my home workbench.

Any help would be appreciated,
John

Duane Degn

IIRC, There's an "Identify Firmware" option. Will the program read from the oscilloscope enough to identify which firmware is in the 'scope?

I have one of these USB 'scopes and I've used on a Windows XP SP3 machine and a Windows 7 Home machine without issue.

Gadgetman

It may be a problem with it assigning it to COM3...

Try to reassign it to a higher number.

john-3pr

Duane: in the Ver.5.1.1 software it doesn't see the USB device at all (the USB symbol stays red and has a slash through it). I also tried the Ver.4 software; the splash screen says no hardware found (red square).

Gadgetman: I've tried COM5 & COM10, no luck. I've tried various baud rates... 115k, 57K, with both XON/XOFF and no flow control on the COM port. Can anyone confirm the correct COM port settings?

In WIndows Hardware Manager, the device is recognized when I plug it in and is assigned to COM3. Windows says it's ready to go. Should I be looking for anything else to be added in the Hardware Manager?

Thanks for your replies,
John

Publison

I can't seem to find my O'scope right now, but I'll pull it out tomorrow and see the configuration that works. I used it about 6 months ago.

Gadgetman

Do you have any other programs running that might lock up a serial port?
(PDA synch SW, OBD II reader program, anything... )

Publison

John,

I found my O'scope. and plugged it in with version 5.1.1.

I'm using FTDI driver version 2.8.240, and it's working fine.

I would suggest deleting all FTDI drivers in device manager, and then install new driver from:

http://www.parallax.com/downloads/parallax-usb-driver-installer

There could be remnants of the old driver, so delete all FTDI drivers. Install the drivers without the O'scope connected. Once the drives are installed, plug the O'scope in and see if Windows installs the driver and finds the hardware.

Let us know what happens.

BTW, Welcome to the forums.

JDat

1) Try to test FTDI chip. Disonnect RxD and TxD fro propeller. Connect them together and make loop (echo) tests with serial terminal program (RealTed,PuTTY, Hyperterminal Parallax serial terminal etc)
2) Upload firmware to propeller EEPROM. Make sure that EEPROM is working.

Publison

@JDat,

There is no Propeller involved in the older Parallax USB Oscilloscope.

JDat

Sorry, my bad. Confused with propscope.

john-3pr

Hi Publison,

After un-installing everything, I installed V5.1.1 which installed a Ver.2.0.0. driver; which didn't work, so I ran the V2.8.40 driver installer. That is what is currently installed.
Could you check your settings for the COM port (baud, flow control, etc.)?

Thanks for the welcome; I picked-up a BASICStamp back in the '90s, but have dabbling with CPUs/MPUs since the Altair days.

Thanks for any assistance,
John

Publison

Hi John,

My COM Port shows up as COM 21, (I use a lot of Parallax stuff, and each gets assigned a new COM Port), 9600 baud, N81, no Flow Control. Advanced settings, 4096 bytes for TX and RX, Latency=16ms.

All standard stuff. Have you tried other USB ports? Are any USB 3.0?

+1 for Gadgeman's questions in Post #6. The syncing software has reared it's ugly head before.

Jim

john-3pr

Gadgetman said: "Do you have any other programs running that might lock up a serial port?
(PDA synch SW, OBD II reader program, anything... )"

Yes, I have a PIC programmer on COM1.
I'll disconnect it and try again when I get home tonight.

Thanks,
John

Duane Degn

I had to start and stop the USB program a couple of times before I finally was able to connect with it.

I'm using Windows 7 and this is what I was finally able to get after clicking on the "SETTINGS" button.



Initially it showed up with COM4 selected, but the hardware was not detected with COM4.

After a couple of times of unplugging the 'scope and restarting the program, I was able to see COM41 as an option (I also have a lot Parallax stuff).

Each time a new FTDI device is connected to your PC, it creates a new virtual com port.

john-3pr

Still no luck. Tried it on both PCs running XP with no other serial or USB devices plugged in.

When I launch the V5.1.1 software (with the device plugged in) and click on the "Available COM ports" tab in the Settings, the COM port listed is the same one as in the Hardware Manager.
I can change it to COM41 in the Hardware Manager, launch the software and when I open the Settings drop-down tab for "Available COM Parts" COM41 will be listed.

It appears the software is getting SOME information from Windows, but I can click "Run" / "Stop" multiple times and the USB symbol stays red and the red squarenext to it turns into an orange hour glass with the letters T R I next to it.


John

lfreeze

I had a similar problem with the usb scope a few weeks ago. In my case, I was able
To solve it by opening the usb scope program in compatibility mode and then selected
“vista service pack 2”. (after trying all the other modes)
I am using windows 8.1 on my desktop,with the 5.1.1 version of the scope program
I am not sure how to access comparability mode on windows 7.
Hope this helps

Larry