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SX-Key Clock Jitter — Parallax Forums

SX-Key Clock Jitter

pjvpjv Posts: 1,903
edited 2005-03-14 19:09 in General Discussion
For Those Who Care;

I just got bit again!

In doing some critical timing debugging at 50 MHz using the SX-Key, I noticed up to 200 nanosecond jitter in my interrupt routine when there ought be none.

Reprogramming the device in non-debug mode, and plugging in the 50 MHz. resonator made it rock-stable.

Then of course I remembered I have been tripped up by this more than once before; the SX Key's phase-lock loop oscillater causes the jitter in its clock generation. Perhaps it is (somewhat) power supply induced as I'm using a 5V switcher. I'll have to check that out.

OK, checked the switching power supply, and while there is a 100 mV or so blip at the occurrence of the jitter, this happens roughly every 10 milliSec, and my switcher is much faster than that, and it is fed from a regulated 12 V bench supply.

So the only conclusion I can draw is again the SX Key's circuitry (phase lock loop ?) drawing a power pulse at that rate. If it becomes enough of a problem I will delve moore deeply.

Will I never learn??

Cheers,

Peter (pjv)


Post Edited (pjv) : 3/9/2005 9:39:44 PM GMT

Comments

  • BeanBean Posts: 8,129
    edited 2005-03-09 23:04
    It is most likely a result of a DDS chip in the SX-Key. It probably cannot generate exactly 50MHz, so it must correct every so often. It's really obvious in my video project when you have the SX-Key attached everything is wavy. Unplug the SX-Key boom rock solid.

    Bean.

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    Check out· the "SX-Video Display Module"

    www.sxvm.com
    ·
  • Paul BakerPaul Baker Posts: 6,351
    edited 2005-03-09 23:25
    Ah thats why I was getting those wavy lines, hadn't gotten to the point of transitioning to oscillator when the deadline passed. My crummy video transmitter/receiver did it as well, just thought it was due to the setup I have (source->VCR->TV Card).
  • KenMKenM Posts: 657
    edited 2005-03-10 02:45
    My $0.02

    When I use the SXkey to run the circuit at 50 MHz, an output pin high or low looks considerably·noisier than doing the same thing from a 50 MHz resonator.
  • dkemppaidkemppai Posts: 315
    edited 2005-03-14 13:28
    I thought the timing issues running debug were caused by reading the memory map, or
    something periodically. I've noticed the same issues running with a >1mbps IR data link.
    Makes debugging a little more painful, but still possible.

    -dan
  • pjvpjv Posts: 1,903
    edited 2005-03-14 19:09
    Hi Dan;

    According to my measurements, the clock jitter is a maximum of 200 nano Seconds, and is not due to debug activity. It behaves the same whether in DEBUG mode using the SXKey, or in RUN mode with the SXKey. Using an external resonator makes the jitter disappear.

    During debug activity, that is getting register/memory screen updates, the processor executes debug software that has been loaded into the processor during the DEBUG command, and that software takes many milliseconds to execute; that is not the jitter I was referring to.

    Peter (pjv)
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