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UART+Windows 7 64-bit


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Hello!

 

Has anyone set up a working UART with MSP430 FET (launchpad or ez430) on Windows 7 64-bit. I have installed latest CSS and drivers for MSP430 FET installed correctly.

 

I can program chips, do debugging and so one.. But when I try to observe UART activity on COM port, there's nothing. I attached RF2500 daughterboard to ez430 and launchpad, but there is nothing to see when looking at COM port with serial monitor... I'm pretty shure I configure it correctly, 9600 bauds, 8bits, 1stop bit, no parity...

 

Then I attached hardware UART analyzer, the famous Piratebus and configure it to observe UART. BINGO... I get what I should and RF2500 reports voltage and temperature over UART...

 

Has anyone got similar problems???

 

Thanks

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Then I attached hardware UART analyzer, the famous Piratebus and configure it to observe UART. BINGO... I get what I should and RF2500 reports voltage and temperature over UART...

 

Has anyone got similar problems???

 

Thanks

 

Could you explain the buspirate connection again? You mean you configured it so as to simulate the RF2500?

Looks like a hardware problem on the RF2500 side.

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No I did not configure it to simulate RF2500... I just sniffed UART's TX and RX lines with PirateBus configured as UART monitor...

 

Scheme:

 

win7x64<====>FET <====> RF2500

...........................|

...........................|

.......................piratebus

 

What I saw, is that there is UART activity but none is displayed on computer's serial monitor. Seems like software issue to me and definately not hardware issue. Probably buggy x64 drivers for TI Flash Emulation Tool and USB chip.

 

I even tried UART echo example in the same way, same results...

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Also:

 

For those wondering I have found the explanation.

 

Basically, the windows driver used by the MP430 Application UART, seems to have extreme problem with usb hubs.

 

After quite a lot of hair pulling, multiple odd drivers, and disabling a lot of windows components, it appears that just plugging the device into a direct port(not a hub port) works perfectly.

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Ok, I have been testing things out and this is what I found out:

 

I tired NJC's UART example with Launchpad and MSP430G2231 chip. I looked at serial port activity with RealTerm and BINGO. It is working as it should. So drivers are ok and hardware also...

 

Then I tried connecting RF2500 daughterboard to 6-pin J4 ez430 connector on Launchpad. RF2500 starts the RF communication, LEDs start blinking, but fails to transmit anything over UART. No serial port activity on computer, though if I attach hardware analyzer I can see that RF2500 is transmiting... Possible drivers or FET firmware failure...

 

Then I even tried EZ430U FET which came with EZ430-F2013 bundle. I connected RF2500 to it and observed if anything would happen on computer's serial port... but there's noting... So again possible drivers or FET firmware failure...

 

 

Then I went on googlin'... found this:

 

http://processors.wiki.ti.com/index.php/EZ430-RF2500 <- Part which says: "Are you using a valid OS? (The EZ430 only works with 32-bit Windows Vista and XP)"

 

http://processors.wiki.ti.com/index.php/EZ430_Emulator_Upgrade <- Part which says: "he firmware on the eZ430 emulator can be manually upgraded in order to add new functionality such as the Application UART and to support additional MSP430 devices."

 

Things that bother me... I am using 64-bits OS which is not supported by RF2500 demo app, but I think this should not be problem... And that I should upgrade firmware on ez430 to gain Application UART functionality...

 

Any other thoughts and solutions?

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  • 2 years later...

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