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HELP! My propeller demo board ain't workin' — Parallax Forums

HELP! My propeller demo board ain't workin'

drtardisdrtardis Posts: 5
edited 2006-09-17 05:08 in Propeller 1
OK, I am a little wet behind the ears, but ...

I got the propeller demo brd in hopes of realizing a dream of really really really cheap multiprocessing. But all I get are brief flashes of red and blue lights upon connecting the USB to the back of my computer and then when the brd is “powered on” I get a cycling set of yellow LED (P16-P23) that lead to a solid on set of yellow LEDs. I have a LCD monitor connected, a USB mouse with a PS/2 adapter, and a std PS/2 keyboard.

If I disconnect the monitor, mouse, and keyboard I get the same thing, cycling and solid on yellow LEDs.

I searched high and low for documentation, but alas there appears to be no trouble shooting guide or FAQ for this nice board. I read the Propeller Manual every nite before I sleep with dreams of really really really cheap multiprocessing. On tear stained Propeller Manual pages I cry out for...

HELP!

drt


PS

If there is howto's for the demo brd from other newbie experiences that I have overseen, please point me to it.

Comments

  • Beau SchwabeBeau Schwabe Posts: 6,559
    edited 2006-09-16 04:31
    A couple of questions..
    ·
    1) Do the LED's show a specific pattern (that you can tell) or are they totally random?
    ·
    2) Have you run the Propeller IDE program and have you been able to identify the Propeller? (F7)
    ·
    ·
    It is possible that your Propeller did not end up with the default program "Graphics_Demo.spin"
    loaded into the EEPROM.· I have attached this file, but·you should be able to locate it in your·install
    directory under "Examples--> Library".

    Please let us know what your results are.
    ·
    ·
    ·



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    Beau Schwabe

    IC Layout Engineer
    Parallax, Inc.
    spin
    spin
    Graphics_Demo.spin
    8K
  • Mike GreenMike Green Posts: 23,101
    edited 2006-09-16 04:46
    Do be cautious about USB mice. Not all of them will pretend to be PS/2 mice when used with a physical adapter. Check your mouse's documentation.
  • drtardisdrtardis Posts: 5
    edited 2006-09-16 04:55
    Dam da is quik my friend!



    >>1) Do the LED's show a specific pattern (that you can tell) or are they totally random?

    No the LED initially scan from p16 to p23, then from p23 to p16, then from p16 to p23, then all LEDs from p16 to p23 are lit.


    >>2) Have you run the Propeller IDE program and have you been able to identify the >>Propeller? (F7)

    When I try to detect the board I get: No propeller chip found on any

    COM port … scan com1 … scan com2


    >>It is possible that your Propeller did not end up with the default program >>"Graphics_Demo.spin"
    >>loaded into the EEPROM. I have attached this file, but you should be able to locate it >>in your install
    >>directory under "Examples--> Library".

    OK, but it appears I can’t connect to the brd, so I can't upload code.


    >>Please let us know what your results are.


    ---
    In requard to the USB/PS/2 mouse I have used it on many of my other computers without a problem, but I will pickup a "real" PS/2 mouse today, If I can still find one, maybe at walmart smile.gif


    .drt
  • Graham StablerGraham Stabler Posts: 2,507
    edited 2006-09-16 08:21
    You could start by just unplugging the mouse, you don't need a mouse to put code on the propeller.

    Have you installed the FTDI usb driver?

    Graham
  • Mike GreenMike Green Posts: 23,101
    edited 2006-09-16 12:21
    Do install the FTDI USB driver if you haven't done so already. The Propeller Tool will force the Propeller chip to reset to identify the chip. The Tool behavior you describe suggests that the driver isn't installed. It sounds like there's some existing program in the Propeller's EEPROM to flash the LEDs in a pattern (I think there was a demo program that did what you're describing) so the Demo Board looks like it's working.
  • drtardisdrtardis Posts: 5
    edited 2006-09-16 16:54
    Fellas,

    As drFrankenstein said egor, "IT's A L I V E !!!!!!", BRD connects on COM4.


    Where is "loading the FTDI driver" documented? Guess that what I get for working on stuff like this a 2am in the mornin'

    Thanks for all your help!

    .drt
  • CJCJ Posts: 470
    edited 2006-09-16 18:19
    perhaps a link to the ftdi drivers from the demo board and starter kit pages would be the ounce of prevention needed

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    Who says you have to have knowledge to use it?

    I've killed a fly with my bare mind.
  • drtardisdrtardis Posts: 5
    edited 2006-09-16 18:50
    Please do.
  • Beau SchwabeBeau Schwabe Posts: 6,559
    edited 2006-09-17 05:08
    drtardis,
    Sorry it took me so long to reply today, I've been at the State Fair most of the day with my daughter
    I'm glad your Propeller is alive!

    CJ,
    I will let someone know about a link to the FTDI drivers.

    To me it makes sense that they should at least be on the Propeller download page, if not embeded in
    the Propeller install program itself.

    FTDI Drivers



    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    Beau Schwabe

    IC Layout Engineer
    Parallax, Inc.
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