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Rip, bs2 — Parallax Forums

Rip, bs2

philskiphilski Posts: 11
edited 2005-06-12 18:32 in BASIC Stamp
Greetings.

I pulled my robot based around a BS2 out of storage yesterday. I tried hooking it up to the computer, to no avail. I checked my (homemade) cable, it checked out OK. I was poking around the forums and found a post by Dave Andrae...

Mr. Dave Andreae (Parallax) had posted in another thread:

> There are some voltages that you can measure to see if your stamps are damaged.

> Sout = -5v

> Sin = -10v

> Res = +5v

> Vdd = +5v

Alas, only my Vdd pin had a voltage, the rest were dead. Is there no hope?

Philip

Comments

  • allanlane5allanlane5 Posts: 3,815
    edited 2005-06-11 16:24
    Umm, you should know the Sout and Sin voltages are only valid if you've got your BS2 hooked up to your PC -- it uses your PC's RS-232 signals to give Sin its voltage, and there are transistors that then give Sout its voltage from Sin.

    Oh, and 'RES' is driven from your PC's 'DTR' signal, so that has to be connected too.

    And I believe your PC must have its serial port open, as well.
  • philskiphilski Posts: 11
    edited 2005-06-11 17:38
    Ah. OK. I hooked it up to my PC.

    Sout: -8.79
    Sin: -8.59
    Res: 5.05
    Vdd: 5.06

    On Comm1, Device Type: blank, Version: blank, Loopback: no, Echo: no.

    any ideas?

    Philip
  • allanlane5allanlane5 Posts: 3,815
    edited 2005-06-11 19:37
    Hmm, again. The loopback is a simple wire connection on the BOE board, so it doesn't depend on the BS2 even being present. The 'Echo' depends only on the transistors on the BS2, again powered by the PC's serial port, so THAT should work as long as the BS2 is merely plugged in (the right way).

    It sounds either like a bad serial cable, or a serial cable plugged in to the wrong place.

    Except -- your voltages are there.· It could be a 'null-modem' cable -- though you should STILL get 'loopback' then.

    Do you have a good battery?
  • philskiphilski Posts: 11
    edited 2005-06-11 20:54
    It's not a BOE board. It's a solderless breadboard. Homemade cable. Battery fresh out of the charger and relatively new.

    I re-wired it all. Found out there was a broken wire.

    On Comm1, Device Type: blank, Version: blank, Loopback: >yes<, Echo: >yes<.

    I try to download a program (the included file sleep.bs2) I hit run and get an error message "no basic stamps found."

    Phil

    Post Edited (philski) : 6/11/2005 9:11:59 PM GMT
  • steve_bsteve_b Posts: 1,563
    edited 2005-06-11 21:56
    Did you include the extra capacitors that prevent the stamp from being reset when you connect your serial cable?

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    ·

    Steve
    http://ca.geocities.com/steve.brady@rogers.com/index.html
    "Inside each and every one of us is our one, true authentic swing. Something we was born with. Something that's ours and ours alone. Something that can't be learned... something that's got to be remembered."
  • philskiphilski Posts: 11
    edited 2005-06-11 22:04
    Yes, there is a capacitor inline between pin 3 and the serial cable, and a capacitor between pins 3 and 4. 0.1uF ceramic capacitors.

    I generally hook up the serial cable before powering on the stamp, normally, is that incorrect?

    I just tried powering on the stamp before attaching the serial cable. Same behavoir. Loopback yes, echo yes, no stamp recognition.

    Phil
  • Bruce BatesBruce Bates Posts: 3,045
    edited 2005-06-11 23:06
    Phil -

    When you constructed the cable, did you make it straight-through, or did you construct a null modem type cable with Tx and Rx reversed? The former is what you want, and the latter will cause nothing but trouble.

    Regards,

    Bruce Bates
  • philskiphilski Posts: 11
    edited 2005-06-11 23:31
    Straight through. The cable is stock, unmodified, the capacitors are installed on a solderless breadboard where the BS2 resides.

    Phil
  • steve_bsteve_b Posts: 1,563
    edited 2005-06-11 23:40
    What pins on your cable did you use? Or did you connect every pin together (1 to 1; 2 to 2; etc....9 to 9)

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    ·

    Steve
    http://ca.geocities.com/steve.brady@rogers.com/index.html
    "Inside each and every one of us is our one, true authentic swing. Something we was born with. Something that's ours and ours alone. Something that can't be learned... something that's got to be remembered."
  • philskiphilski Posts: 11
    edited 2005-06-12 00:08
    The cable is a straight through cable, 1 to 1, 2 to 2 ... 9 to 9.

    On the BS2 end, I did it as per the manual. pin 2 to pin 1 on the BS2, pin 3 to pin 2 on the BS2, pin 4 to capacitor to pin 3 on the BS2. Pin 5 to pin 4 on the BS2. Capacitor across pins 3 and 4. 0.1uF ceramic capacitors. Pins 6 and 7 on the cable are tied together.

    The software says "Loopback: yes" "Echo: yes" so I presume my BS2/computer interface is built properly.

    thanks,

    Phil
  • Chris SavageChris Savage Parallax Engineering Posts: 14,406
    edited 2005-06-12 01:55
    Hello,

    ·· Is this being connected directly to a Serial Port, or is it going through a USB adapter?· Also, is it a Desktop or Laptop computer?· And finally, did you try fresh batteries anyway?

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    Chris Savage
    Parallax Tech Support
    csavage@parallax.com
  • philskiphilski Posts: 11
    edited 2005-06-12 02:09
    Desktop computer.
    direct to on-motherboard serial port.
    Battery was charged yesterday, used for maybe 15-20 minutes testing serial connections with the BS2. I will top it off overnight for good measure.

    Thanks.

    Phil.
  • allanlane5allanlane5 Posts: 3,815
    edited 2005-06-12 12:28
    I hate to ask this, but: do you have an on-board regulator, like a 2940-5, or a 7805?

    If you don't, are you attaching your battery voltage to Vdd? Or to Vin like you are supposed to?

    Attaching a 6-volt, or 9-volt battery to Vdd may kill the BS2. Direct battery connection needs to go to Vin, which feeds an on-BS2 regulator.

    Otherwise, it sounds like you now have everything right. I would ohm-out the cable at this point (put an ohm-meter on the two pin-1's, to verify all wires go thtough). The Echo test would definitely pass with a null-modem cable, I'm not sure about the loopback test.
  • philskiphilski Posts: 11
    edited 2005-06-12 13:18
    No onboard regulator, attaching the 9 volt battery to Vin.
    Cable is straight through and works fine (pin1 to pin1, pin2 to pin2, ... pin9 to pin9, already tested with an ohm-meter)

    I've had this stamp for 6 years, havent used it in 3 years. I've built projects with it in the past.

    I'm not sure what to do at this point. My cable looks ok, the battery is OK and connected properly, the BS2 is getting the appropriate voltages from the battery and the serial cable on the appropriate pins, etc.

    Thanks

    Phil
  • Bruce BatesBruce Bates Posts: 3,045
    edited 2005-06-12 14:14
    Phil -

    If the Stamp is being held in continuous RESET (Stamp pin 22 _held_ LOW), you may get symptoms like you have. Both the LOOPBACK and ECHO tests are done from the PC end, and are purely "mechanical" tests. The identification of the type of Stamp requires the cooperation and response of the Stamp itself, elicited by prompting from the PC side. If it's being __held_ in continuous RESET, it will be unable to respond.

    Regards,

    Bruce Bates
  • philskiphilski Posts: 11
    edited 2005-06-12 14:42
    Bruce-

    The only things I have hooked up to the stamp are the battery and the serial connection.

    I realise that the loopback and echo tests are purely mechanical tests, testing the physical connection. Is there anything else I can do to verify the integrity of my stamp?

    thanks

    Phil
  • dandreaedandreae Posts: 1,375
    edited 2005-06-12 14:59
    I may have missed this, but what version of Windows are you using?· If you are using Windows 98 or 2000 you will need to turn off your FIFO buffers.· Go to your "Device Manager" and click on the com port that you are using and then click on the "Port Settings" tab and then click on the "Advance" button in the middle and then uncheck the "FIFO" buffer box.

    Dave




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    Dave Andreae

    Tech Support
    dandreae@parallax.com
    [noparse][[/noparse]url]Http://www.parallax.com[noparse][[/noparse]/url]



    Post Edited (Dave Andreae (Parallax)) : 6/12/2005 3:02:18 PM GMT
  • Bruce BatesBruce Bates Posts: 3,045
    edited 2005-06-12 17:19
    Dave -

    Just out of sheer curiosity, and for my own information, is this FIFO "problem" actually a Windows 98 issue, or is it a laptop issue; more specifically a Toshiba Laptop issue? I had always related it as a potential "cure" for problems on laptops.

    OTOH, there's certainly no reason why one shouldn't try it, resetting it back to its original setting if it doesn't provide the desired result. Just for the record, I run Windows 98SE and I've never experienced the problem.

    Regards,

    Bruce Bates
  • philskiphilski Posts: 11
    edited 2005-06-12 17:35
    XP, service pack 2.

    Phil
  • dandreaedandreae Posts: 1,375
    edited 2005-06-12 17:43
    Bruce Bates said...
    Dave -

    Just out of sheer curiosity, and for my own information, is this FIFO "problem" actually a Windows 98 issue, or is it a laptop issue; more specifically a Toshiba Laptop issue? I had always related it as a potential "cure" for problems on laptops.

    It is usually an issue with Win 98 and it follows desktops and laptops.·

    Phil said:
    ····· XP, service pack 2.

    ····· Phil,

    ····· I suggest contacting Parallax's tech support at 1-888-997-67,·It·seems·we have covered all aspects here in the forum.

    Dave

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    Dave Andreae

    Tech Support
    dandreae@parallax.com
    [noparse][[/noparse]url]Http://www.parallax.com[noparse][[/noparse]/url]



    Post Edited (Dave Andreae (Parallax)) : 6/13/2005 12:13:55 AM GMT
  • philskiphilski Posts: 11
    edited 2005-06-12 18:32
    OK, will do on Monday. Thanks.

    Philip Hahn
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