Issue using PWM Timer output to create a sine wave...

I am working with a customer that is trying to use App Note SLAA116 - "Using PWM Timer_B as a DAC" to create a sine wave output implemented in an MSP430 timer.  He is targeting an MSP430F2xxx family device. 

Here is the customers code for a function he is calling to attempt to generate a sine wave:

void generate_sine (uint16_t periods)
{
 uint16_t p_table_ptr;

   
    // Clear TimerA
    TACTL |= TACLR;
   
    // TimerA Setup:
    // SMCLK Source | Divided by 0 | Count Up Mode
    TACTL = TASSEL_2 | MC_1;

    // Load timer to set period of PWM to 256 counts (8-bits)
    TACCR0 = 0xff;

    // Load first table value
    TACCR1 = sine_table[0];
   
    // Set CCR0 in compare mode and enable interrupt
    TACCTL0 = CCIE;
   
    // Set CCR1 in compare mode, output mode 7 (reset/set)
    TACCTL1 = OUTMOD_7;

 
 while (periods)
 {

  for (p_table_ptr = 1; p_table_ptr < SINE_TABLE_SIZE; ++p_table_ptr)
  {
   // Turn off CPU until timer interrupt
   LPM0;

           // Load next table value
           //TACCR1 = sine_table[p_table_ptr];
           TACCR1 = 31 - p_table_ptr;

  }   

  --periods;
 }

    // TimerA OFF
    TACCTL1 = 0;
    TACCTL0 = 0;
    TACTL = 0;
 

}

Here is the customer's comments on the problem he is seeing with the above code:

"I’m just decreasing the pulse widths as I go through the for loop.  What I found is that any time I decrease the pulse widths and get to around a value of 20-25 (to load into TACCR1) I get a full-period pulse.  So, if you can see the output on the pin you would see decreasing pulse widths until pulse number 7, which would be a max-width pulse.  Then the pulse widths continue decreasing as they should.  This does not occur if I increase pulse-widths through the same range of values.

For added reference, here is the main program where he is calling the above function:

void main (void)
{

    // Stop WDT
    WDTCTL = WDTPW + WDTHOLD;

    // External LF crystal with 10pF loading
    BCSCTL3 = XCAP_2;
    BCSCTL1 = XT2OFF;

    // Set FLASH-writes timing generator ->must be in range ~257kHz - ~476kHz
    // Source = MCLK / 3 = 333kHz
    FCTL2 = FWKEY | FSSEL_1 | FN1;
   
    for (volatile int cnt=0; cnt<0xfff; cnt++)
    {
        // Delay for XTAL stabilization
    }

    // Clear oscillator fault flag
    IFG1 = 0;

    // Perform initial calibration of DCO
    set_dco();

    // Setup WDT as interval timer
    // sourced from ACLK (32kHz)
    WDTCTL = WDT_ADLY_250;

    // IO config
    P1OUT = 0; // All outs are zero
    P2OUT = 0; // All outs are zero
    P1DIR = 0xFF; // p1.x Direction - output
    P2DIR = 0xFF; // p2.x Direction - output

    //Set P1.2 as TA1 output
    P1SEL |= BIT2;

    // Enable interrupts
    _BIS_SR(GIE);

    // Enable WDT interrupt
    IE1 |= WDTIE;

    for(;;)
    {
  // Sleep until WDT expires
  LPM3;

  //if (hap_timer == 0)
          //{
               generate_sine(1);
               //hap_timer = rand() % 40;
          //}
          //else
          //{
               //--hap_timer;
          //}

    } // end for(;;)

}