sanguinololu 1.3a communication problems

I am trying to get my mendel prusa up and running after taking a few months off due to pure frustration...

I am a newbie to all of this and all the information/variations are making my head spin.
I have a sanguinololu 1.3a w/ ATmega1284p running on windows 7.
The chip was pre-loaded with a bootloader and sprinter firmware.
It was tested prior to shipping and the tiny chip on the back was pre-soldered.
My powersupply is good i forget at the moment what its specs are.

After assembly:
I can make the motors run and extrude plastic using pronterface, but the calibration steps that I have seen call for a calibration of the firmware. And I have not been able to get the board to communicate with the arduino software after trying several versions as well as the extra files of the sanguinololu 0023r3.

On pronterface I have to use a baud rate of 250000, but the arduino software doesn't support this. Also when using example sketches in arduino I could compile but not upload do to "not in sync" error. Now after trying different versions I can't even compile, it throws different errors like on the example sketch blink there is no output specified and just different things for each of the other examples. Is the arduino software the only one to edit the firmware.

I didn't have to use any serial software; when I hooked up the usb windows installed a driver (com3). I don't think thats the issue since pronterface has no problems.

Can anyone please help direct me to detailed instructions on what versions of software I need to edit or change the firmware?

Thanks in advance.
~Christopher

I think you are struggling with the Firmware uploading to your sanguinololu !

>>On pronterface I have to use a baud rate of 250000, but the arduino software doesn't support this. Also when using example sketches in arduino I could compile but not upload do to "not in sync" error. Now after trying different versions I can't even compile, it throws different errors like on the example sketch blink there is no output specified and just different things for each of the other examples. Is the arduino software the only one to edit the firmware.

The Baud rate 250000 is for the serial communication between Sanguinololu and your PC during Printing it doesn't deal with Arduino

You can set the the various baud rate in Configuration.h file in the firmware

So first you need to make work firmware uploading to the Sanguinololu Board
I suggest you to download Arduino1.0.1 for Atmega1284P and sanguino package from http://code.google.com/p/sanguino/downloads/list

Follow the steps given in http://sanguino.cc/softwareforwindows to install the Sanguino into the Arduino

choose Sanguino with 1284P with 16MHz (it represents your clock frequency)
Now try compiling it should work fine

Connect the Sanguinololu with the PC, with USB cable external power supply is not needed for uploading firmware because the sanguino takes the power from PC through USB
Now start uploading

Try pressing Reset button before uploading it should work!

Else the IC may lost its Bootloader !

To burn bootloader please follow these link

http://www.reprap.org/wiki/Burning_the_Sanguino_Bootloader

Fantastic imecproto!
Was contemplating making a bootloader cable to get this to work but your tutorial did the trick.
I recommend to those who bought their MendelMax 1.5 from blomker.com use this if they are having connection timeout issues with their Sanguinololu board.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/21/2013 10:41PM by ksteele15.

Hi,

I am having the same issue.. Using Windows 8.1 and another machine with Windows 7 i keep getting avrdude: stk500_getsync(): not in sync: resp=0x00
I followed all instructions.
I am using Arduino 1.0.5 -r2
i have downloaded the sanguinololu software. When i connect the board to the usb i can see it in the device manager listed as "USB Serial Port (COM4)" and in Arduino i see it. I have selected Sanguinololu 1284p 16mhz board and "Arduino as ISP" programmator but still get the message. I tried hitting the resset button, but no result.
I should mention that when i hit the reset button i get slightly diffetenr resp. Each time it is different, for example resp=0xd5, 0xd1, 0xd7 etc.

Can someone advise me how to proceed?

Quote

Hi,

I am having the same issue.. Using Windows 8.1 and another machine with Windows 7 i keep getting avrdude: stk500_getsync(): not in sync: resp=0x00
I followed all instructions.
I am using Arduino 1.0.5 -r2
i have downloaded the sanguinololu software. When i connect the board to the usb i can see it in the device manager listed as "USB Serial Port (COM4)" and in Arduino i see it. I have selected Sanguinololu 1284p 16mhz board and "Arduino as ISP" programmator but still get the message. I tried hitting the resset button, but no result.
I should mention that when i hit the reset button i get slightly diffetenr resp. Each time it is different, for example resp=0xd5, 0xd1, 0xd7 etc.

Can someone advise me how to proceed?

Ok this is what i've noticed.
First.
Dotn use Arduino 1.0.5. Use 1.0.1. (i've experimented with about 5 different IDE versions 1.0.5 never worked for me... 1.0.1 did though.)

download the software to 1.0.1 just as you did for 1.0.5.
here's where you can download all previous versions of arduino software

[code.google.com]

Second dont select "Arduino as ISP"
If you're connected to your computer directly use "parallel programmer".

Hi,
Using Sanguinololu 1.3a and Arduino 1.0.1 with Arduino as ISP i get "avrdude: stk500_getsync(): not in sync: resp=0x00".. Please help

That is a serial upload protocol... your not using your ISP... you need to use the file|upload using programmer option for that.

For normal serial uploading

Leave the ISP unplugged, you shouldn’t need it unless your installing the serial boot loaders or setting fuses.

Check that the auto reset jumper is in place (between stepper drivers and Large chip)
Check that you have your sanguinololu 1.3a plugged into the computer via usb.
Check you have the correct serial port (for the Sanguinololu) (Operating system will show it disappearing and reappearing as you unplug and plug it back in)
Check you have the correct board type selected (a 644p is not the same as a 1284p )

try again.

Still not working?

Find your board.txt file eg arduino-1.0.1/hardware/sanguino/boards.txt
Find the upload speed, eg for me with 644p its atmega644.upload.speed=57600
two bauds to try 38400 or 57600. change it to the other one from what you have, save the change and reboot. (to ensure you reload everything)

Different versions of boot loaders use different speeds. No way to tell what it has on it.

I think i have the wrong driver.. Everywhere i read it says "Make sure your port says Arduino Uno (COMX)" etc. But mine just says USB Serial Port COM3

Check that the auto reset jumper is in place (between stepper drivers and Large chip)
It is in place
Check that you have your sanguinololu 1.3a plugged into the computer via usb.
It is plugged
Check you have the correct serial port (for the Sanguinololu) (Operating system will show it disappearing and reappearing as you unplug and plug it back in)
The correct serial port is selected
Check you have the correct board type selected (a 644p is not the same as a 1284p )
I have selected Sanguino W/ Atmega1284p 16MHz

Unfortunately the result is the same..
avrdude: stk500_getsync(): not in sync: resp=0x00

PS:
Find your board.txt file eg arduino-1.0.1/hardware/sanguino/boards.txt
Find the upload speed, eg for me with 644p its atmega644.upload.speed=57600
two bauds to try 38400 or 57600. change it to the other one from what you have, save the change and reboot. (to ensure you reload everything)


I tried all that with the 2 speeds - no result.

PSS: Question - do i need to load a bootloader?

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/08/2014 04:02PM by ts87.

for the upload speeds you need to fine the line that matches "Sanguino W/ Atmega1284p" not atmega644.upload.speed as that was just myne for for a 644p chip.

If you brought a kits it should a have a boot loader, but it you made the electronics and ordered the chip from a electronics supplier supplier it came blank.

You have a ISP, you can try a new boot loader.

Yeah i have everything correct. I think i just have the wrong driver installed on the pc.. Unfortunately for Windows 8.1 i am not sure if there is proper driver. I might end up buying Pololu AVR..

Ok i have some progress on this.. I have this old USBasp programmer that is compatible with the 1284p chip. I managed to burn the bootloader on virtual XP machine since on win 8.1 the driver is not compatible for the USBasp.. So i managed to burn the bootloader and uploaded the sprinter scetch. Now i just have to test.

Ok.. Here is the update from the tests -
Y axis works great except the end stop (it doesn't seem to work)
X axis works only in one direction + end stop doesn't work
Z axis works great except the end stop

I need to check if this is from the sprinter or the connections.

PS. I think i found the issue:
Fuse Settings
The fuses for the atmel chip must be changed from the default factory settings to disable JTAG.
Symptoms of incorrect fuse settings:
X axis only moves in one direction.
Endstops do not work

Anybody can assist on that?

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/09/2014 12:17PM by ts87.

Problem solved.. Here is the final resolution:
1. Make sure that you have installed the propper driver - I have been struggling several days on Windows 7 and 8.1.. My pc recognized the device as standard usb device and this is it. I am able to upload firmware, but no bootloader. The solution was to use old USBasp programmer on XP machine.
2. Make sure that you have the correct bootloader for your chip. This is very important because you may find a lot of issues if you have the wrong bootloader. In my case one of my axis was moving only in one direction and the endstops were not working.
3. Make sure that you have the propper firmware. This is not so hard. There are a lot of different firmwares, me personally i use Sprinter Master.
If you follow these 3 steps you will face no issues. I figured 99% of the issues are caused by those 3 reasons.

Need help on calibrating..

Quote
JOguino
First.
Dotn use Arduino 1.0.5. Use 1.0.1. (i've experimented with about 5 different IDE versions 1.0.5 never worked for me... 1.0.1 did though.)

download the software to 1.0.1 just as you did for 1.0.5.
here's where you can download all previous versions of arduino software

[code.google.com]

Second dont select "Arduino as ISP"
If you're connected to your computer directly use "parallel programmer".