SparkFun Forums

[markz]

Hi,

I'm about ready to tear my hair out here. I'm trying to program the sparkfun msp430 PIR detector and totally failing at getting the MSP-JTAG (parallel port version) working. The doc is pretty slim and the error messages are unclear. I've tried in two different computers and I've tried all sorts of parallel port settings in the PC and on Vista and XP and Vista in all the OS compatability modes.

I hook the programmer to my PC and the PIR detector and the LED comes on so power is being delivered.

When I first (on boot) try to use the Olimex programmer software set to LPT1 if I click the "read" button I get: "Port has been configured. Please reboot and try running again". Huh? What the heck does that mean?

After that I just get "Cannot initialize the port!". I get that even with no programmer plugged in.

At least the doc could tell me which parallel port mode to run in (ECP, Bidirectional, Normal) with interrupts on or off so I could get started. This is just silly. I also don't know whether to have the jumpers on the PIR set to Olimex or TI jtag modes (why are there two modes anyway?).

Does anyone know if the real TI usb programmer from TI is any more robust? I'm happy to spend the extra money to get real doc and support and based on reading this forum no way do I want the olimex usb programmer (I'm running out of hair).

Mark

[leon_heller]

I used to use one of those and it worked OK with both IAR and the CrossWorks software. It has some quirks, like using LPT3 when I only have LPT1.

Leon

[gm]

Looking at the schematic it appears that you can only program and debug the MSP430-PIR using Spy-Bi Wire (SBW) which the parallel JTAG programmers do not support. You should be able to program it using a suitable interface cable with the EZ-430, which is available for about $20. Another option is to solder the additional wires needed from the existing JTAG connector to the corresponding pins on the '2013. the third option would be to buy the USB FET (MSP-FET430UIF) from TI.

I would spring for the USB FET if you plan to continue developing with the MSP430 as that is supported across all of the devices and development environments.

HTH,

Greg

[TheDirty]

I have the EZ-430. It's nice and cheap and it's not hard to make an adapter cable for a 3 or 4 wire programming header of your own make.. It's too bad all the chips don't support SBW. I've also been told that chips like the 5 series have SBW, but are not supported by the EZ-430.

I'll update to the FET430 sometime, since like mentioned, the EZ430 use is limited, but since I can't buy any of the TI chips I want right now, it's not a priority for me.

[markz]

Wow, thanks for all the help. I think I'll spring for the TI since I've got a bunch of these to program and I don't mind keeping the programmer for other purposes.

Mark