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Can't upload firmware to the Lightcrafter4500

I am having the exact same problem as this link, where I am trying to upload firmware onto the lightcrafter4500.

http://e2e.ti.com/support/dlp__mems_micro-electro-mechanical_systems/f/924/t/309183.aspx

I have no no I2C connections.  After I stopped using it for a week (the power was off and the device disconnected the whole time) it gave me the same error: Unable to read flash manufacturer ID.  After that I cannot do anything with the device in the GUI.

After powering off and back on again, the device works fine except I can't upload new firmware (the problem persists no matter how many times I reboot it).

There has to be a way to fix this without getting into all the details of the controller, registers or anything like that...is there an easier way, i.e. can we fix it somehow using the GUI?

I am using windows 8.  I uploaded firmware just fine for 1 week of use before this randomly happened.

Thanks,
Patrick

  • If this information helps clarify anything, here is the screen before I try to upload firmware:

    and here is the screen after I try to upload it.

    I can do other things like Get Image Load Time with no problem.  The binary firmware file is valid and there doesn't seem to be any driver issue (the manual itself said the device doesn't need a driver).  

    Thank you,
    Patrick

  • Answering my own question for future reference:


    I solved it by hitting the reset button and selecting "apply default settings" in the GUI.  Somehow after that I was able to change the firmware again!

    Patrick

    EDIT: I randomly got the error again, and this solution did not fix it!!

  • Hello Patrik,

    Your wrong setting on the kit could be preventing the Hardware to not to enter into flash program mode. If you can reproduce or see this again, please let us know we will analyze what is going wrong or some issue that we can fix.

    Regards,

    Sanjeev

  • Hi Sanjeev,

    I am getting the error again.  The first time I plugged it in after I came back this weekend, I could not enter programming mode.  The symptoms are exactly the same as before - it works, I go away for some time, and somehow it gives me this error again.  I tried fixing it the same way as last time, but that didn't work. I am just trying things now and hoping something works...

    In case it helps, sometimes I see the indicators for forced swap and seq abort turned red, other times they are all gray.  Usually, the 'connected' indicator is green, but sometimes its red.  Each time I try to enter programming mode, the USB driver makes the 'disconnected' sound.  Most of the time, it never makes the 'reconnected' sound, but sometimes it does.

    Best,

    Patrick

  • Hello Patrick,

    To enter into the flash program mode, we suggest do the following, after power-on the board, try entering programming mode, do not run any other configuration like pattern mode.

    Could you also let us know if you are storing some kind of default solution? if it let us know what is the solution configuration.

    USB connection and disconnection happens because the controller loads a different program when it enters in flash program mode where it re-enumerates USB causing PC to detect again. Do you feel USB connect and disconnect under normal conditions also? If so try running on a different PC and check if the problem goes away.

    Regards,
    Sanjeev

  • Dear Sanjeev,

    Thanks for your reply.  By "entering programming mode" do you mean clicking the sequence "Image/Firmware -> Firmware upload -> Browse -> Upload"?  That is what I've been doing, and even without clicking on anything else before that I still get the error.

    I am running the default solution that was given straight out of the factory (shown below):

    Under normal (i.e. working properly) conditions, I thought the USB disconnects as soon as the firmware starts uploading and reconnects when the uploading is finished, but I can't remember for certain.  I did try running it on another PC and the problem originally persisted, however I applied the default solution, reset the board, and the problem went away.  I then moved to my original PC after the weekend and the problem was there again - I will check with the working computer again asap...

    Best,
    Patrick

  • Hello Patrick,

    Disconnects and reconnects - is when it jumps to a different program in the controller where it also programming the flash. It is not possible to send any data when it is in disconnected state.

    Your steps seems to look proper to me. 

    Let us know if you find anything else where you can reproduce the behavior/issue consistently.

    Regards,
    Sanjeev

  • Hi, I am having the same problem as above.  When I click on Image/Firmware -> Firmware Upload -> Browse for *.bin file -> and Upload, I get an error that says Unable to Read Flash Manufaturer ID.  DLP rebooting did not resolve the issue.  There is firmware with custom image patterns already loaded to the DLP 4500. 

    I tried switching to another computer and was able to successfully preform the firmware upload.  The successful process was on a Windows 7 machine whereas I still have trouble with the original computer which has Windows 8.  Other than the operating system, I can't point to any obvious differences.

  • Hello Jason,

    Could you provide the following information to me:

    • Installation directory of the LightCrafter 4500 GUI
    • Confirm that the "FlashDeviceParameters.txt" file exists in the same directory as the EXE
    • Confirm that the installation directory is one which the EXE has write privileges
      • Folder's such as "Program Files(x86)" many times do not allow write privileges
    • When you try to upload the firmware, please list the steps of the process which succeed and those that do not.

    Best regards,

    Blair

  • Hello,


    The Lightcrafter 4500 GUI versions 1.2 and/or 2.0 were installed to C:\ , which is where the windows 8 operating system is installed.  I verified that the EXE has write privileges and the account is administrator; note that the main "Texas Instruments-DLP" folder says "read-only" and I can't seem to change it, even as administrator.  However, this configuration is the same on the other computer which has Windows 7 and uploaded successfully.   On the Windows 8 machine, I tried moving the "Texas Instruments-DLP" folder to the My Documents folder and uploading firmware to the DLP, but that again gave the same error.

    The steps in a successful upload were the same for the failed.  The only thing different was the successful was on a Windows 7 and the failed on a Windows 8 that, by the way, cannot be Windows updated.  The steps are:

    1.  Launch DLP Lightcrafter 4500 GUI

    2. Click on Image/Firmware tab

    3. Click on Firmware Upload tab

    4. Browse for a *.bin file (we have a custom one that has been working fine)

    5.  Click Upload

    Here is where we get the error that says "Unable to Read Flash Manufacturer ID"

  • Hello Jason,

    Few questions for you that would help us narrow down the problem.

    1. Are you able to use GUI on Windows 8 for other functionality? i.e., Connect to the EVM, exercise various functionality like Mode Switching, LED Control, Pattern Sequence configuration etc...

    2. On Windows 8 did firmware update ever worked for you? i.e., is it always failing 100% of the time. If it is, you could try increasing the timeout, in the GUI code, if you are familiar with building QT Application, you could rebuild source code, and increase the timeout from 5-seconds to 10-seconds, and see if it helps. 

    The file to modified in the GUI source code, mainwindow.cpp line# 748, QTime waitEndTime = QTime::currentTime().addSecs(5);

    Regards,

    Sanjeev

  • 1.  Yes.  The GUI appears to be working fine for other functionality in the Windows 8 platform.

    2.  I am somewhat familiar with Visual Studio and was able to find the line.  However, I see you offer only a QT project solution and I am not so familiar with that, sorry.  I did notice that my Windows 7 machine started the upload almost immediately whereas the Windows 8 machine had various indicators such as Seq Abort, Buffer Freeze, Seq. Error that lit up in seemingly different ways each time.

  • Hello Jason Green,

    #1. Okay.

    #2. Looks to me issues with USB HID communication; one more things, could you also try disconnecting other USB HID devices such as Optical Mouse connecting to the PC and see if it makes any difference. Also try re-installing the driver for the LightCrafter 4500 EVM. 

    Regards,

    Sanjeev

     

  • Success!  I uninstalled the "USB composite device" and it reinstalled itself after a hardware change scan (or unplug and replug in Lightcrafter USB cable).  After this, I was immediately able to upload Firmware in the GUI.

    Thanks!

  • Is the GUI connecting at all? Are you able to perform other operations except the firmware update?

    Regards,
    Sanjeev
  • Have the same Problem, Is there anybody can help me?

  • Hi,

    I experienced the same problem on a computer running Windows 8.1.

    I then connected the LightCrafter 4500 to another computer, also running Windows 8.1, and was able to download the firmware to it, so I suspected that perhaps USB communication was the problem.

    I uninstalled and reinstalled the HID drivers for the LightCrafter 4500 on the computer which was unable to download firmware and was once again able to download firmware to the LightCrafter 4500.

    The problem now reoccurs intermittently, but uninstalling and reinstalling the HID drivers fixes the issue.

    I could not find a permanent fix for the issue.

  • Not sure why the HID drivers are getting corrupted. Are you seeing same behavior on another computer also? The issue could be with the Computer HW, OS or any other application running on the computer causing HID driver errors. Also look at the PCB mini-USB port and check for any open contacts or loose soldering. Don't have large USB cables.
    Regards,
    Sanjeev
  • Thanks Sanjeev.

    I switched from the computer (desktop with Windows 8.1) which was having intermittent problems with the HID drivers to another computer (notebook with Windows 8.1) and used a new USB cable.  So far, with the new computer, I was unable to upload firmware using version 3 of the GUI one time.  Uninstalling and reinstalling the HID drivers did not solve the problem.  This time, uninstalling and reinstalling the USB composite device driver solved the problem.  I did not see any open contacts or loose soldering on the PCB mini-USB port.

    Regards,

    Ed