Programming chips through the IO pins and a ZIF socket

[igendel 27]

Hi all,

 

I want to use an MSP430 Launchpad as a "programmer" for standalone MSP430[...] chips, the same ones used in the Launchpad itself.

 

I thought about removing the existing chip from the board, attaching a ZIF socket through some PCB to all the IO pins, and putting the chip-to-be-programmed on the ZIF socket. I figured it's essentially the same as replacing the chip in the Launchpad socket itself, only easier on its metal pins.

 

Will it work, or am I missing something? Perhaps I'll need to remove the LED jumpers? Anything else?

 

Thank you very much in advance!

[roadrunner84 466]

No need to remove jumpers, it should work as is. When putting a chip in a stand alone application, make sure to connect a 2.2nF capacitor from reset to ground and a 47k resistor from reset to Vcc.

[igendel 27]

Got it. Still some time before the actual socket arrives from China though, I'll update here in the forums when it's done.

 

Will I need an external crystal too? Not for any Real Time applications, just for decent accuracy... and I only got 16MHz ones at hand - they should work, right? [Edit: Oh, I see now crystals aren't an issue with these chips - it's just that I've been working so far mainly with AVRs :-) ]

[roadrunner84 466]

MSP430s can be sourced from a number of sources, you can use the internal low accuracy VLO (Very Low-power Oscillator), the more stable DCO (Digitally Controlled Oscillator), an external clock source (either digital or crystal). Then most peripherals can separately choose a source.

[cde 334]

You arn't the first to want to do this. Some have replaced the dip socket with the zif socket.

http://forum.43oh.com/topic/1044-launchpad-with-zif-socket/

 

Some made a little boostpack for a zif.

http://forum.43oh.com/topic/439-warning-dont-attempt-to-solder-a-zif-to-launchpad/

[igendel 27]

You arn't the first to want to do this.

 

Heh, indeed! I should have searched the forums before I asked... Thanks!

[Philipp 56]

I tried to desolder the 20 pin socket from one of my LPs, but I failed miserably, maybe due to high iron-temperature or bad desoldering skills.

I ruined some of the pads on the pcb, so personally I cannot recommend this method, although cde gave an example of a good looking ZIF'ed Launchpad :grin:

 

You might want to try this instead, maybe on some perfboard: http://forum.43oh.com/topic/2853-launchpad-v14-pcbs-free-with-every-order/page-2#entry25208.

[cde 334]

Best bet is to cut off the dip socket so you can easily desolder each pin individually.

[igendel 27]

If forced to, I would try solder wick to remove the socket from the Launchpad without too much collateral damage... but the PCB solution still seems easier and safer.

[roadrunner84 466]

Ofcourse, you could also make a ZIF socket that has a DIP20 footprint on the bottom Then you can insert the ZIF on the socket of the launchpad and still use the existing headers J1 and J2. The ZIF will be too high nonetheless to attach a booster. Afcours,e you could fix this by soldering longer headers in there instead of the ones delivered with the lauchpad.

[chibiace 46]

i would highly recommend some strip board, instead of pad per hole stuff for making a pcb to sit on top of the launchpad.

[chibiace 46]

and swapping chips is fun and all but perhaps think about putting a spy-bi-wire port on your devices

 

3.3V (not needed if your device is powered by a battery etc)

GND (but you need to tie grounds together)

TEST

RESET

[igendel 27]

chibiace - I was planning on a stripboard to begin with :-)

 

Also, while revealing my noobness, I must say that at this point I still rather program using Energia and a USB cable than some advanced technical toolchain. In fact, I don't even know what kind of device I'd need to connect the PC to the spy-bi-wire pins... would that be one of those >$100 programmers?

 

Thanks,

[roadrunner84 466]

No, the launchpad has a spy-bi-wire programmer built in.

Any "high end" tool chain would be hardware wise identical to the Energia setup.

Even so. I've been told you can "bypass" the Energia easy-stuff by creating a file called main.c in your projects, then you'd just be programming the value line MSP430 in the same way you'd do with any fancy setup, just without all the hassle to get stuff working (application wise that is, you still need to do the firmware part all by yourself).

[igendel 27]

No, the launchpad has a spy-bi-wire programmer built in.

Any "high end" tool chain would be hardware wise identical to the Energia setup.

Even so. I've been told you can "bypass" the Energia easy-stuff by creating a file called main.c in your projects, then you'd just be programming the value line MSP430 in the same way you'd do with any fancy setup, just without all the hassle to get stuff working (application wise that is, you still need to do the firmware part all by yourself).

 

Ok this is interesting. I found this forum topic http://forum.43oh.com/topic/303-launchpad-as-external-programmer/, will try that at first chance.

 

About the main() in Energia - that's just wicked. Will try that too!