ez430-Chronos RF access point problem

hi Fredrik,  thanks for the follow up. this is good feedback.

what operating system are you using?

Sorry, I should have made that clear.  32-bit Windows XP SP3, current on patches.

The driver for the CC1111 USB RF access point does not successfully install on my system. I tried manually installing by pointing Windows to the usb_cdc_driver_cc1111.inf file, and Windows tells me that it was unable to locate a driver for the device. If I manually run DPInst.exe, the Wizard's status indicates "Install failed (Unsigned)".

My operating system is Windows 2000sp4.

I am not able to figure out how to remedy this. Any help would be appreciated.

Thank you.

MCU Guru

MCU Guru,

Would it be possible to post a picture of your device manager?

Brandon,

Sure. The CC1111 USB CDC is not plugged into a hub.

MCU Guru

I'm having a similar problem on WinXP SP3.  Loaded latest Chronos from the website but the driver fails to install (before device is even inserted).  I get a pretty useless message from the device driver installation wizard:  " Texas Instruments (usbser) Ports (05/01/2009 1.1.0.0) Install Failed".

I've uninstalled/reinstalled, rebooted, etc.

Hello,

I am running into the exact same problem. I tried Fredrik's fix, but no luck. I am running WinXP SP3 as well.

Fredrik,

Could you post your driver version and software version? Could you also indicate exactly what you searched for in the registry?

Thanks

Sorry! Let me be clear. I am running into the problem Fredrik was seeing. My drivers install correctly, but the device still does not work. I also noticed the following:

0. when I insert the dongle, LED flashes for a brief period, and turns off. subsequently, the control center does not run, gives me an error saying "dongle is off" and gives me no choice to continue

1. if I start the control center first and then plug in the device, the software runs but nothing works, it does not talk to the RF dongle. The device enumerates correctly as "TI CC1111 Low-Power RF to USB CDC serial Port"

Please help.

Thanks in advance

It works now! I had to play with the baud rate settings. The default value suggested didnt work. Works for me at 57600.

Thanks

Still having the same problems.  Tried the suggestion of regedit, etc.  Still no luck.  I notice that if I plug the rf device in, the PID/VID combination is not the same as listed in the driver.  See the image:

Does that matter?  I'm bummed - can't do a thing with the kit.

How did you change the baud rate?  On the PC or watch?

On the PC. Device Manager -> Port (COM) -> Properties -> Port Settings

I have the same problem as MCU Guru.

Using the CC1111EV ,the HID  demo works fine but when I try the CDC (rfmodem) demo the hardware wizard reports no driver found.

I pointed it at usb_cdc_driver_cc1111.inf and checked the VID/PID (0451/16A6) in the inf file matched the VID/PID in the device, but still no luck.

I'm running win2Ksp4.

System information reports :

System Information report written at: 11/02/2010 10:20:30 p.m.
[Problem Devices]
Device PNP Device ID Error Code
CC1111 USB CDC USB\VID_0451&PID_16A6\001 28

and the inf file is attached.

Anyone got any ideas???

Everyone please don't make the rather dim mistake I did.  There are two USB devices in the kit.  One is a debug probe, the other is an RF access point.  Make sure you have the right one inserted.  I was trying to run the demo using the debug probe - That won't work!  I'd hurriedly opened the package, read little, and failed to notice the RF probe tightly wrapped in an anti-static bag...  Sigh.

I have the same probem ok in XP, but not win2K.

Did you ever solve it?

HI,

I have received eZ430 chronos and I have installed every thing as per the document but, once the software is initiated and the accesspoint is started i could not connect watch using acc menu. I could not receive any readings from the watch

The staus remains: Access point started. Now start watch in acc,ppt or sync mode.

the led on the RF dongle blinks and send signal on the watch screen blinks for a minut and after that nothing happens.

I tried different baudrates also. Even i have installed the latest driver.

Could any one help!!

Regards,

Krishna

Hi Krishna,

you might have tried all these already, but since I don't see them mentioned in your post, I just want to make sure they're not possibilities being left out.

* Does PPT mode on the watch not work either?

* How about  SimpliciTI Sync mode on the Chronos Control Center + Sync mode on the watch?

* Have you tried re-downloading the Chronos firmware? This might solve the rare case where firmware is somehow corrupted during production.

This is more out of curiosity, not so much problem-solving, but which operating frequency version (433, 868, or 915MHz) is your Chronos kit?

Please let me know if any of these helps.

Regards,

Dung

Hi Dung,

I have tried PPT and Sync options also both did't work either.

Now i will try to reload the Firmware hope it works.

By the way the Chronos set that I am using is 868MHz version.

Thank you very much for your suggestion.

Regards,

Krishna

Hey,

 I know this might be the first thing that you checked, but make sure you're downloading the same firmware version as your Access Point (868 Mhz), the way you describe the problem sounds like it could be this. Good luck.

Regards,

mx_de

TPU Guru, i have the same exact problem of yours: When I install the RF access point's driver, the install fails with message "install failed".... Tried to reboot, remove-reinstall, bot nothing... I am running windows 7 on a Macbook via Bootcamp.

Thanks!

EDIT: It is possible that this is a conflict with microchip's MPLAB 8?

Hi Aljaz,

Check out my subsequent post in this thread, dated 2/11/2010...

Yeah, but I'm quite sure that is the RF access device, it hasn't got any pins for watch connection...  The problem appears before i even insert the access point in the USB port! Does your access point work now?

Yes, once I had the correct device, everything worked fine. Note, that was WinXP...

Ok, thank you very much TPU Guru! Did anyone succeeded in installing the access point drivers on windows 7?

Ok, I managed to resolve the thing myself: There was an error in the .ini file, on line 120.

The original file reads:

ServiceBinary=%12%\usbser.sys ;;%12% == "%WINDIR%\system32"

But the usbser.sys file is located in the drivers directory, so I corrected it to:

ServiceBinary=%12%\usbser.sys ;;%12% == "%WINDIR%\system32\drivers"

Installed using DPInst, and all went well!

delete

I bought a EZ 430 Chronos Watch 433 MHZ version. The USB RF access point does not work after the initial lighting up the green led. I have checked the VID, PID, which is correct. I installed the newer version of control center, version 1.2 and still i have no success in getting the RF access point working.  I am disappointed. i had high hopes regarding this amazing development tool, sadly it does not live up to it's hype. The tool should be tested thoroughly. The TI email tech support page is in a pretty bad shape as well. It does not list the ex430 chronos or the new operating systems after windows XP. 

Any help would be appreciated.

Regards

Shobhit

Hi MCU Guru

I have the same problem on WIn2000 and could not solve it till now.

Has anyone found  a solution for this issue ??

best regards

GKO

Hi Shobhit

Which OS are you running ? Win2000?

best regards

Gerhard

Hey GKO,

                   I have windows vista home premium 32 bit. It is a pity that TI Support is not helping at all. 

Shobhit, 

I'm sorry you are having issues with the development tool. I focus on TI's power products. I know the Chronos is supported  through the wiki: http://processors.wiki.ti.com/index.php/EZ430-Chronos; there's also the google group: http://groups.google.com/group/ti-chronos-development-/topics?hl=en&gvc=2.

I do however have one of these watches. Are you getting the error that the dongle isn't plugged in? Can you maybe try a different USB port?  

On XP, I installed the Chronos Control Center. When I plugged in the USB RF dongle for the first time the LED lights up briefly then goes off. Windows goes through the hardware install where I had to click "continue anyway" a few times regarding the unsigned drivers then it seems like nothing happens. If I open Chronos Control Center there are no errors it starts on the SimpliciTI ACC/PTT tab and it reads, "Status: Access point is off." When I click the button that says start access point the status changes to "Access point  started. Now start watch in PPT mode." On the watch I puch the bottom left button a few times until the watch displays PPT then I press the bottom right button on the watch; the signal indicator on the watch display starts flashing. However, it is not until I press the bottom left button on the watch again that the LED lights up on the RF dongle and the Chronos Control Center indicates through the status text that "Button (#) pressed."

Hi Daniel,

                          The error is the access point is not plugged in.  It does not work even if Start RF access point button is clicked in the control center.I have tried different USB ports and i have tried it on a  different xp based system as well. The driver installs correctly each time. The led though lights up briefly when the dongle is plugged in and that is the end to it. I have tried uninstalling and reinstalling. Cleared my registry, cleared the driver source and then reinstalled everything. I ave tried running Control Center in Admin mode, but nothing seems to work..  The RF Access Point button in the TI CCC always shows "Access Point is Off". Clicking on it, does not change the status

Regards

Shobhit Kukreti

My query has still not been answered, and TI America Support has not responded to my service request as well. 

:(

Hi,

This sounds similar to the problem that I had. No issues with installing the driver, but the Control Center was unable to find the access point (on XP SP3). In my case it turned out to be a problem with enumerating the serial ports. The method that is used by the DLL (SetupAPI2) did not list any ports on my machine. I fixed the problem by modifying the DLL to try another method (WMI) in case SetupAPI2 fails. I have uploaded my modified DLL to my file area and you are welcome to try it. In case you want to diagnose first whether you are having the same issue and whether my DLL would most likely fix it you can download EnumSer from here: http://www.naughter.com/enumser.html. Run the executable (EnumSer.exe) from the command line with the access point plugged in and look for the lines "Device Manager (SetupAPI - Ports Device information set) reports" and "Take taken calling CEnumerateSerial::UsingSetupAPI2, xx ms". In case the access point is not listed between these two lines Control Center will not find it. Now look for the lines "WMI method reports" and "Take taken calling CEnumerateSerial::UsingWMI, xxx ms". In case the access point is listed between these two lines my DLL should work.

Cheers,

Jochen

Well, i got it to work with a  Visual C# code, but it does not work with the control center. 

Regards

Shobhit

It works now :)). Thanks mate. You are a life saver. I was about to discard the whole thing.

I guess TI people should incorporate this in their quick fix. How did you modify the dll ?

Hi,

This is what you need to do if you want to build the DLL yourself: Replace the original BM_Comm.cpp file with my version, which you can find in my file area, replace the original (stripped down) enumser.h file with the full enumser.h file, which can be obtained from http://www.naughter.com/enumser.html, add the enumser.cpp file to the project, and build the DLL.

Best,

Jochen

On Win7-SP1 (current on updates) 64-bit, i5-2.66Ghz-6GB RAM machine, eZ430-Chronos 433MHz ControlCenter v1.2 (shipped with the the Chronos, purchased a week back), everything worked out of the box, as per the Wiki. Needed no change, what-so-ever. Just reporting to let folks know that people are having success without struggle as well :-)

Thank You! Thank You! Thank You!!

Wayne

I too faced the same problem. When i checked the device manager, apart from this module one of the bluetooth serial port was assiagned the same port number. so after i changed the port number of my device, there was no more error.

I am reading this post because have the same problem with mine and after trying even the serial enumerator suggestion I discover that the RF Access Point is well enumerate and present without errors on Device Manager. After trying the TI group suggestion to start it up manually for synch, nothing happen. No LEDs light come up on the device and the Status never change on my Control Center. My eZ430 Chronos is the 915MHz model. The label on the box has Seal DT 05/09/10 and I bought from Mouser last week.

My machine is a Dell XPS running Windows 7 Starter SP1 edition, it was windows Vista and I just change the hard drive and run it this way with dual boot on Ubuntu long time ago. The C1111 RF module driver is the version 1.2 downloaded automatically after an update searching on the web. My machine always announce the device well without error but the Control Center always report no RF Access Point found when starting.Changing the serial speed from 9600 (default) to 115200 and 56000 bits per second doesn't help.SimpliciTI protocol window does not turn ON the device.

I don't know if the LED on the RF Access Point change color of state while the devices is operating, it just turn on for few second and turn off when plugged. I can change the serial COM port assign without a problem and the enumerator executable mention before, show the change. But it is not working.

Any help/suggestion is welcome.

Milton

I have the exact same problem as Milton here. Same OS with SP1 but have a 433MHz version. The error says the RF Access Point is removed. Any help will be appreciated.

Just try to reinstall the driver and application. Then connect the device and check if the com port numbers are coinciding. assign a new number to the com port for our device. and then start the application and try to access the device.

Sandip

I have just received my kit here in the US.  Cannot get the watch and the PC to ACC, ppt or sync.  Nothing is happening except I have to keep taking the battery out of the watch to reset and get out of the acc, ppt or sync modes.  Is this normal?  Anyway I was following the instructions and the control center just sits there waiting for data and the Green LED keeps flashing on the white pc interface board.  Suggestions?

thanks for sharing the info. i am sure this will be helpful for me.

can you please let me know where exactly is my file area from where i should download the dll?

please also write the path where the dll needs to be replaced.

kindly lay down the steps here.

that would be very kind of you