Did I break my SX-key...
DigitalMan
Posts: 42
I'm having a bit of trouble getting my SX-key to work, the IDE says it can't be found on any COM port. At first I thought it was my unsheilded·budget home-made serial cord (oh like you don't have a mess of wires sticking out of your computer...), but I managed to plug the SX-key and project board·straight into the DB-9 port and it still won't work. I'm using a random·9V wall-wart that I found in the basement, but judging by the LED on the project board it's got the right polarity to work.
I'm worried that I may have fried it somehow. Or it might just be old, I just pulled all my SX and PIC stuff out after a year or more, and I know this kind of thing doesn't stand still. I'd like any advice on how to poke or prod this thing further to make it work, because I really, really don't want to have to buy another one.·The Key came with SX28's with date code AB0020AD, if that helps.
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;Long live the SX18AC/DP!
I'm worried that I may have fried it somehow. Or it might just be old, I just pulled all my SX and PIC stuff out after a year or more, and I know this kind of thing doesn't stand still. I'd like any advice on how to poke or prod this thing further to make it work, because I really, really don't want to have to buy another one.·The Key came with SX28's with date code AB0020AD, if that helps.
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;Long live the SX18AC/DP!
Comments
When I first got my SX project board I ran into the same problem. It turned out that I was using a low powered wallwart (which worked fine with the basic stamp). When the SX key is pluged into the project board it requires quite a bit more current. I tried a 500MA 9V adapter and the problem disapeared! I guess thats why a 7.5 Volt at 1 amp is recomended.
Jim W.
Jim's suggestion is very important - a good power supply can cure many problems. Besides this, please check this thread http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php?p=564136 for some information on how to test your SX-Key.
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Greetings from Germany,
G
Once you've gone through the process of elimination and concluded that the SX-Key is the problem, I'll gladly send you another one. Now that you've gone to the trouble of dragging you out of the box we need to get you up to speed on all of the latest stuff (SX proto boards, SX/B, Guenther's board, etc.) Just send me a PM and include your address. Be sure to test your COM port with something else, though, like a BASIC Stamp just to make sure it is indeed the tool.
Ken Gracey
Parallax, Inc.
I discovered a power supply with PLENTY of 5VDC. I salvaged a power supply from an old PC. I has 5VDC at 25amps. ... I'd say that was enough to power all of my basic stamps and chips simultaneously! (grin). It also has 12VDC so that I can tap that side for the boards that already have regulators (i.e. the SX 48 proto board).
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John J. Couture
San Diego Miramar College
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Chris Savage
Parallax Tech Support
csavage@parallax.com
Assuming that Hyper Terminal doesn't echo what I type (and it says it does not), then·my SX-Key is indeed echoing back characters, except I don't get 3 arbitrary characters after typing SX-Key. So it would appear something is quite wrong.
I'll bring my Basic Stamp 2 over here shortly, it's the big kind with the·DB-9 right on it. I'll be back when it's set up.
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;Long live the SX18AC/DP!
yes, a PC power supply indeed has enough "horse-power" to drive tons of SXes or BASIC stamps. As Chris mentioned, some cheap PC supplys are a real Smile, and some of them require a certain initial load to work properly. I don't remember if they need this load on the 5V or the 12V output. I know some guys who connect an old had disk drive to provide this initial load. In any case, it is a good idea to measure the output voltages, and check the ripple with an O-scope before hooking up such power supplies.
DigitalMan,
you power supply should be A-Ok, and don't lick the connector too often. Actually, this only gives you an estimate of the output voltage but not about the possible current
When Hyperterminal's echo is turned off, and you see your typed characters echoed, this only tells you that the serial connection between your COM port and the SX-Key is up and running, as the SX-Key returns the received serial data immediately due to its hardware, i.e. the data is not echoed from the on-board SX20.
When you type in the text "SX-Key" (no quotes, matching case), you should see your "SX-Key" (the "hardware" echo), immediately followed by another "SX-Key???" string. This is the answer normally sent from the on-board SX20, where the three question marks stand for three arbitrary characters as confirmation for a succesful link. In case you don't get this second echo, it is most likely that the SX-Key has a problem, so you should call Houston - sorry, I mean Rocklin.
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Greetings from Germany,
G
And here's a question; if BS2SX's use an SX chip for the interpereter, and SX chips can now be programmed directly with Basic... isn't an SX28 pretty much a cheaper BS2 with more flexibility?
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;Long live the SX18AC/DP!