Gen 7 USB to TTL connection or other problem?

I built my a Gen 7 from kits provided by Traumflug at a very reasonable price. Thanks!
However, I'm unable to get the arduino IDE to recognize the port my board is plugged in to. I installed the support as directed and I can select the correct board but the port does not show when the board is plugged in. The yellow LED lights on the board as well as an LED on the USB to TTL adapter. I'm not sure the USB to TTL is wired correctly, though.

Here is what I have.

USB to TTL --------------- Gen 7

+5v --------------------------- VCC
GND ------------------------- GND
RXD -------------------------- PD0 (RXD0)
TXD -------------------------- PD1 (TXD0)
RST -------------------------- RESET
3.3V -------------------------- not connected


I made a somewhat educated guess and that's what I came up with, but it's not working. Does this look correct? If so, any other suggestion on what's wrong. I would assume the board does not need to be connected to a power supply to upload firmware as I have not plugged a power supply in to it yet.


Thanks

... not sure - maybe you have to cross the RXD and TXD ... the most common problem are different baudrates or wrong port number in the Arduino IDE or host software ...

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Viktor
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Aufruf zum Projekt "Müll-freie Meere" - [reprap.org] -- Deutsche Facebook-Gruppe - [www.facebook.com]

Call for the project "garbage-free seas" - [reprap.org]

Quote

the port does not show when the board is plugged in

Does it show up in your operating system? A serial port should appear as soon as you plug in the converter, even without plugging the converter into the Gen7.

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Generation 7 Electronics	Teacup Firmware	RepRap DIY

yep I think the RXD/TXD wires should be crossed

baud rates should be set different than the 9600 that the test file says??

... you have to look into the firmware - there are firmwares with 19200, 38400 or 115200 BAUDs predefined ...

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Viktor
--------
Aufruf zum Projekt "Müll-freie Meere" - [reprap.org] -- Deutsche Facebook-Gruppe - [www.facebook.com]

Call for the project "garbage-free seas" - [reprap.org]

> Does it show up in your operating system? A serial
> port should appear as soon as you plug in the
> converter, even without plugging the converter
> into the Gen7.

Not sure. I'm using OS X lion and it doesn't show in Finder, but neither does my RAMPS.

>... not sure - maybe you have to cross the RXD and TXD ... the most common problem are different baudrates or wrong port number in the Arduino IDE or host software ...

I'd tried crossing RXD and TXD with no change. In my understanding baudrate is irrelevant until trying to connect to host software. I haven't even tried that because Arduino IDE doesn't see the port I'm plugged into.

Quote

Not sure. I'm using OS X lion and it doesn't show in Finder

Then, make it sure, please. Devices show up in /dev and the serial device is something like /dev/tty.usbserial-xxxx, where xxxx is some funny serial number.

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Generation 7 Electronics	Teacup Firmware	RepRap DIY

Traumflug Wrote:
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> Then, make it sure, please. Devices show up in
> /dev and the serial device is something like
> /dev/tty.usbserial-xxxx, where xxxx is some funny
> serial number.


The device is not showing in the OS. Does it use different drivers than the FTDI dirvers my RAMPS uses? Bad device, maybe?

Quote

Does it use different drivers than the FTDI dirvers my RAMPS uses?

This depends on the adapter you're using. For example, the E'go doesn't use the FTDI chip. Ideally, your adapter came with a hint on which driver to install.

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Generation 7 Electronics	Teacup Firmware	RepRap DIY

Update:
I've got the device showing in OS and Arduino 21. It was a firmware issue. It uses a UART chip. I tried to upload your test file and that is where I'm now hitting a problem. The file compiles without issue, but when uploading it timeouts. I get the same issue with RXD and TXD crossed or not.

Here is the exact message:
avrdude: stk500_2_ReceiveMessage(): timeout

Looks like you don't have auto-reset. You have to hit the reset button manually just before the upload starts. Might require a few attempts until you find the right point in time.

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Generation 7 Electronics	Teacup Firmware	RepRap DIY

With RXD and TXD crossed and hitting reset right after pressing upload on Arduino IDE, I'm able to upload sketch. Serial monitor shows sketch running correctly, but I have not connected to PSU yet to make sure all is well.

Thanks!

First off,
Thanks everybody for all the hints and advice, especially Markus for walking me through!

Now, my next issue:
I hooked up PSU and ran the test file. PSU turned on and LED blinked 10 times, woohoo!
However, I then uploaded repetier and tried to connect with pronterface and I get:



Connecting...

Brown out reset
wait
wait
wait
wait
wait...ad infinitum



Anymore suggestions?

Thanks again

That's a firmware issue now See [forums.reprap.org]

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Generation 7 Electronics	Teacup Firmware	RepRap DIY

Traumflug Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> That's a firmware issue now See
> [forums.reprap.org]


Noted

I also built my Gen7 board, plugged the ATX and tested all voltages with ATX down and activated. I burned the bootloader that came with the marlin firmware using Lady Ada's USBTiny ISP. Up to here everything worked fine.


* Now I am trying to upload the firmware but I have the same problems described in this thread; after a long time I get an avrdude timeout message.
* the board doesn't seem to have any short
* I am using Lady Ada's ftdi cable (quite sure it is connected to the board properly, the black wire (gnd) to the left, towards the heaters)
* windows 7 installed the ftdi driver automatically and it shows up as COM7 (the only serial port)
* I adjusted the COM7 baud rate to 115200 to match my setting in the Configuration.h file of the firmware
* the firmware compiles with no problem
* I am using Atmega644 16MHz
* I tried many times to press the reset button on the board, then press Upload on Arduino interface and quickly release the reset button once the file size appears in the black message box. (Also tried pressing quickly the reset after the message appears)
* with everything connected I read 5V on VCC

I have no idea what to try next. If anymore details are needed please ask. Any help is greatly appreciated, thanks!

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/03/2012 01:48PM by Arkady.

Without a working auto-reset, I have to release the reset button _before_ the upload starts. After releasing the reset button avrdude has 3 seconds time to start the transfer.

Oh, wait, you didn't use the recommended bootloader. So this time might be a lot shorter.

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Generation 7 Electronics	Teacup Firmware	RepRap DIY

Which one is the recommended bootloader?

I just burnt the bootloader that was in here: [github.com]

I still get the same problem, I am quite sure the file size in the message box is displayed well within 3s of having pressed the reset button ...

Ok so I went through some of the steps again and now here is what I get:
(trying to upload test firmware with Traumflug's bootloader already burnt)

Binary sketch size: 2394 bytes (of a 63488 byte maximum)
avrdude: stk500_2_ReceiveMessage(): timeout
avrdude: stk500_2_ReceiveMessage(): timeout
avrdude: stk500_2_ReceiveMessage(): timeout
avrdude: stk500v2_cmd(): short reply, len = 0
avrdude: Expected signature for ATMEGA644 is 1E 96 09
Double check chip, or use -F to override this check.

I did select the right board (Gen 7 with Atmega644 and 16MHz).

Are you the Arkady I met on IRC? So I think we solved this by finding out your USB-TTL converter doesn't work as expected.

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Generation 7 Electronics	Teacup Firmware	RepRap DIY

Well, I tested the feedbackloop and it worked. The work around was to upload the code with the programmer using avrdude.
Serial com still works but the reset button doesn't work if the USBTiny programmer is plugged on the board. It actually does the reset when it is unplugged...
Now, on to firmware compiling problems

One of the six pins for the programmer is the reset pin, so it's quite possible the programmer prohibits using the reset button.

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Generation 7 Electronics	Teacup Firmware	RepRap DIY

Dear Traumflug,

I am trying to test the Gen 7 v1.2 that I have just finished to assemble. I am quite new in electronics, in particular in solder components...
I have the problem that I continue to get time out errors during upload.

On the v1.2 board I have a 644P chip with 20 MHz oscillator. Doing voltage tests, all seem to be ok, so I guess that all is ok.
To upload the firmware I am using a USB to TTL that I bought from RS (code 687-7780) which is based on FTDI chip. TTL 232R-3v3-2mm.
The datasheet of the converter is here: "http://docs-europe.electrocomponents.com/webdocs/0da7/0900766b80da7104.pdf"
and specifications of my cable are on chapter 7.

Thinking about auto reset problems, I tried to reset the board before uploading several time but with always the same result
"
avrdude: stk500v2_ReceiveMessage(): timeout
avrdude: stk500v2_ReceiveMessage(): timeout
avrdude: stk500v2_ReceiveMessage(): timeout
avrdude: stk500v2_getsync(): timeout communicating with programmer
avrdude: stk500v2_command(): failed miserably to execute command 0x11
avrdude: stk500v2_disable(): failed to leave programming mode".


The OS is not relevant, with both Win7 and linux i got the same result.

Do you have any suggestion? Is it maybe the usb cable damaged? or to be set up? The drivers are ok, both OS recognise the device.

Thanks in advance

Timeout means, there's no communications happening at all. As the decvice is recognized, the USB cable appears to be OK.

Are you sure you have a bootloader on the chip? If you got a factory fresh ATmega there won't be one.

Is the Standby LED, one of the two LEDs in the lower right corner, lighted? This indicates 5V Standby is applied.

If you got the ATmega from me, there is a bootloader uploaded and also SetupTest.pde. The latter should turn on the power supply and blink one of the MOSFET LEDs (don't forget to connect 12V to see this) and also write text to the serial line. All of this without any uploading, just by inserting the chip and applying 5V Standby.

Also make sure the USB-TTL connector is inserted the right way, like shown here: [reprap.org]

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Generation 7 Electronics	Teacup Firmware	RepRap DIY

Hi,
I bought the chip from reprapworld, and they sold it to me as with Sanguino bootloader inside.
If I power the board with USB cable or with PSU ATX20 only the standby led is lighted. To have both lighted I need to connect also 12V connector.
The ttl connector is connected in the right way. The cable also has an additional wire which is not connected.

Thank you

Quote

I bought the chip from reprapworld, and they sold it to me as with Sanguino bootloader inside.

Most likely, this is a bootloader compiled for 16 MHz. You need one compiled for the clock speed of your electronics (20 MHz). Your current bootloader's baud rate is about 115200 / 16 * 20 = 144000 baud.

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Generation 7 Electronics	Teacup Firmware	RepRap DIY

Ok, thanks. I will try to replace the bootloader.
I hope that it will works...
thanks again.

Traumflug you were right, the problem was the bootloader. Now, communication is working.

I only have a problem with PSU unit, ATMEGA is not capable to bridge to the ground the PSU-ON pin, and I'll have to do it manually. Powering the GEN7 board by 4 pins connector and place a bridge on the 20 pins connector to activate the 12V mode.
I will search the dedicated topic on the forum.

Thanks a lot for helping.

First thing would be to measure the voltage on that PS_ON pin. It's 5V while in standby, 0V with PSU turned on. And be aware many firmwares turn on the PSU only on demand, i.e. if you turn on a heater (10 °C is sufficient) and/or move a stepper.

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Generation 7 Electronics	Teacup Firmware	RepRap DIY