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Prop Plug Died! Solved! After additional work! — Parallax Forums

Prop Plug Died! Solved! After additional work!

RS_JimRS_Jim Posts: 1,764
edited 2018-08-16 21:54 in Propeller 1
While running some tests with Tachyon and two different Prop boards, a QuickStart board and Propeller Breadboard, switched from the QS back to the Breadboard and my Prop plug suddenly ceased functioning. First noticed problem in TeraTerm so brought up Prop Tool and it was unable to find a propeller board with an F7. Did I somhow manage to fry my Prop Plug?
Jim

Comments

  • frank freedmanfrank freedman Posts: 1,983
    If this is a windows box.... Check device manager to see if there is a comm port matching the port F7 is looking for. I have had windows reassign comm ports even though the usb-serial device is the same. It does not like to have devices switched in and out while live and restart may fix the issue. It's windows. I have no detailed explanation as to why, but it was frustrating as hell until I saw the behavior.
  • Tracy AllenTracy Allen Posts: 6,664
    One failure mode of the Prop Plug is the solder on the 4-pin connector. It may be intermittent, where it works if you hold it one way. Inspect it closely, resolder. Another failure mode after long-time use is that the spring contacts in the connector lose their bounce. Replace the connector. There is also a possible issue with contact on the miniUSB end, with either the solder on the SMT pads, or the springs in the connector itself.
  • jmgjmg Posts: 15,173
    Tracy Allen wrote: »
    One failure mode of the Prop Plug is the solder on the 4-pin connector. It may be intermittent, where it works if you hold it one way. Inspect it closely, resolder. Another failure mode after long-time use is that the spring contacts in the connector lose their bounce. Replace the connector. There is also a possible issue with contact on the miniUSB end, with either the solder on the SMT pads, or the springs in the connector itself.

    ...and of course the USB cable itself.
  • Peter JakackiPeter Jakacki Posts: 10,193
    You can easily check your cable, just short rx and tx together and whatever you type into a terminal should echo back. This doesn't check the DTR reset though. The other failure mode is simply nasty ground loop current due to running a Prop board off a plug-pack/wall-wart while the PC has its own ground.
  • RS_JimRS_Jim Posts: 1,764
    Cable is ok I used same cable with QS board and it works fine.
    Jim
  • evanhevanh Posts: 15,915
    USB bridges/controllers commonly lock up with static discharges. Sometimes can be resuscitated by replugging the external device but often requires full power down of whole PC.

  • evanhevanh Posts: 15,915
    edited 2018-08-04 02:50
    Full loss of power is important. Not even a reboot with fix it. Do the wait-30-seconds method.

    PS: I've heard HDMI may also have joined this cherry club.

  • Peter JakackiPeter Jakacki Posts: 10,193
    I mean the prop plug itself. If the system sees a com port then the problem might be in the reset circuit but all that seems unlikely. The connections are more likely the culprit however USB drivers can disable a port if it perceives a problem. Sometimes just plugging the cable into another USB port will get it working again.
  • DigitalBobDigitalBob Posts: 1,513
    Do the led's flash when plugging or unplugging from the USB
  • DigitalBobDigitalBob Posts: 1,513
    Or propeller chip has bad pins or not powered.
  • RS_JimRS_Jim Posts: 1,764
    Thanks everyone for the input. Turns out the best input was the cold boot. I started up the computer early this AM, reconnected the PropPlug and it all worked.
    I was certain there was nothing physically wrong with device itself as it has very low milage. I have been working mostly with QS boards in the past 2 years. (Sorry Ken, I bought them cheap at my former employer.)
    This forum is the best!
    Jim
  • evanhevanh Posts: 15,915
    Good to hear it's solved.

  • frank freedmanfrank freedman Posts: 1,983
    Thx for either the Jinx or the reason to refresh the gray matter. working with tachyon and having some issues on the ppdb. So switch to activity board. PPDB was on com4. Windows decided that activity board should be com10 and the second serial on PPDB must be com9. I really do have a love/hate relationship with Windows..........
  • RS_JimRS_Jim Posts: 1,764
    Amen
  • Peter JakackiPeter Jakacki Posts: 10,193
    /dev/ttyUSB0 for the first USB serial device, no matter what etc. Why not come over to the dark side? You know you want to.
    Lord Linux rules (and it's free).
  • frank freedmanfrank freedman Posts: 1,983
    edited 2018-08-06 04:48
    That's what the Howler is for. It is a repurposed dual 4 core Xeon imaging computer. And space heater. Gets pretty expensive to run in AZ summer since APS raised rates. Runs mint 18.2, BST for prop work, but BST is getting a bit long in the tooth. It will be dead or unable to be reverse engineered before I give it up. Not quite sold on C, and the tools are such a mixed bag.

    My 2013 original surface pro took a header last month and trashed the screen but it was to make my life and service documentation much easier. So much so that and it's replacement were out of pocket since Company has been dithering for the last few years and currently uses Service Now on desktop and Crapple phones. Phone app is a pain and I don't want to go to my desk after each job or try to reconstruct the day before going home.New surface works well, but it's iffy powering a USB dvd/bluRay drive. May try BST under the new Linux VM that windows released using Suse. Windows is an obnoxious convenience. If I could set up a dual boot for real linux, I would.

    On the Forth side, fully up w/5.3 on PPDB and a activity board. This why I encountered my old friend the changing com port today. Now for some fun.

    Thx Peter
  • evanhevanh Posts: 15,915
    frank freedman wrote: »
    New surface works well, but it's iffy powering a USB dvd/bluRay drive. May try BST under the new Linux VM that windows released using Suse. Windows is an obnoxious convenience. If I could set up a dual boot for real linux, I would.

    Wine might work.

  • Peter JakackiPeter Jakacki Posts: 10,193
    edited 2018-08-06 05:31
    BST works fine, even if it is "long in the tooth" but so is the Prop chip itself. Neither needs changing but the Linux version that seems stable is BST version 0.19.4-pre11 with compiler version 0.15.4-pre10. I am currently on LM19 which I find to be running very smoothly indeed and with a more recent kernel I find that even the cantankerous card reader on my Dell XPS15 now works.
    zip
    zip
    bst-0.19.4-pre11.linux.zip
    1M
  • evanhevanh Posts: 15,915
    I meant for his work stuff too. Ie: Ditch Windoze completely.

  • frank freedmanfrank freedman Posts: 1,983
    They say that meth is bad, but still they use it. With windows, my addictive app is the OneNote. Probably could get away with lot of other windows things gone, but OneNote is probably not one of them. Same unfortunately for Outlook.
  • Peter JakackiPeter Jakacki Posts: 10,193
    edited 2018-08-06 06:09
    Or just live boot a Linux Mint 19 CD (I always image to USB Flash though) and open Gparted and partition your drive with 40G for Linux (leaves plenty of room for extras) plus an EXT4 home directory that's not dependent upon Windows locking NTFS, and a suitable swap partition of say 20G. Then you install Linux and when it comes to the "where to install option" you always choose "something else" and then you can assign your mount points for / and home while swap is detected automatically at boot. You may have to fiddle your UEFI settings to allow it to boot in the first place though although I think a lot of the newer Linux live images are more UEFI friendly.
  • evanhevanh Posts: 15,915
    Hmm, the database entries seem entirely out of date, but https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2017/12/crossover-17-linux seems to be saying those will work.

    There is also a bunch of suggestions here - https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/install-use-microsoft-office-linux/

  • evanhevanh Posts: 15,915
    frank freedman wrote: »
    They say that meth is bad, but still they use it. With windows, my addictive app is the OneNote.

    That's like saying doing your job is an addiction.

  • frank freedmanfrank freedman Posts: 1,983
    Yep, i'm kinda hooked on my rather good paycheck and bennies.
  • RS_JimRS_Jim Posts: 1,764
    The saga continues.
    my Prop Plug died agin, then I could not direct connect to QS board then a demo board. Tore my hair out! Finally deceided the common element between them was the FDTI drivers! Re installed FDTI drivers and rebooted computer. I am smiling again!
    Jim
  • PublisonPublison Posts: 12,366
    Jim, how are you using the PropPlug on the QuickStart? Just for a terminal connection apart from the built-in programming USB connection? That would mean you have a few FTDI drivers loaded. Double check there are the latest and greatest.
  • RS_JimRS_Jim Posts: 1,764
    I was using 2 different propeller boards. One qs and one that needed a prop plug.
    Jim
  • PublisonPublison Posts: 12,366
    OK, I get the picture now.
  • Cluso99Cluso99 Posts: 18,069
    Windoze 10 is basically free.....

    Free upgrades, takes over your pc for free, gives you free time while it updates, and free time when it reboots, and it send lots of your info back to the mothership for free too. It will even revert your version when it fails to properly do an update, and it will keep retrying this sequence for free, giving you lots more free time. And it will even share your contacts list for free too.

    Fantastic how what you own is shared for free, and free from asking your permission.
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