Compiler/DAC81416: Software Compiling and Isolated Use

Hi Nicholas,

The DAC81416EVM doesn't have any memory. So, you will always need a controller to program it. However, once programmed to a given setting, you may choose to remove the USB2ANY from the PC. Please make sure IOVDD is supplied externally before doing so.

In case your requirement is to program the same settings time and again at boot-up without doing it manually, you can use the "Save Register" and "Load Register" options from the toolbar. This will help you boot-up the device fast.

Hope that answers your question.

Regards,

Uttam Sahu

Applications Engineer, Precision DAC

Hey Uttam,

Thanks for all the help! I just have a few more questions: 

1. If I use the USB2Any with the DAC81416, will I have to recompile the USB2Any everytime I start it back up? Or are those registers you mentioned actually within the USB2Any? 

2. Would I be fine with using another programmer such as Arduino? Or is there any way I can store the information from the USB2Any on a separate chip and run the code off of that?

Thanks,

Nick

Hey Uttam,

Thanks for all the help! I just have a few more questions: 

1. If I use the USB2Any with the DAC81416, will I have to recompile the USB2Any everytime I start it back up? Or are those registers you mentioned actually within the USB2Any? 

2. Would I be fine with using another programmer such as Arduino? Or is there any way I can store the information from the USB2Any on a separate chip and run the code off of that?

Thanks,

Nick

Sorry, didn't mean to send that twice!

Hi Nick,

You don't need to compile any code for USb2ANY. the USB2ANY is already programmed to take commands from the PC based GUI. The DAC specific code is implemented in the GUI. USB2ANY mainly implements the SPI and GPIO functions.

You can use another programmer such as an MSP430 launchpad or an Arduino board. But the connections to the EVM will be ad-hoc and you will need Energia for MSP430 or Arduino for standard Arduino boards. You can refer to the code examples given in the datasheets for programming.

Hope that answers your question.

Regards,

Uttam

Thanks Uttam, you have been very helpful.

One more question, if I were to develop my own board using the DAC81416, I would also want to incorporate the MSP430. Since the datasheet for USB2Any incorporates the circuit schematic, would there need to be any additional software or firmware updates that I would have to use to make a complete system? I am trying to make this a portable device so being able to combine the two would be ideal. In other words, does the MSP430 need to be preprogrammed if I were to replicate it on a separate board that I make?

Best,

Nick

Nick,

The USB2ANY firmware is meant to work with commands from a PC. Because of this, it cannot work standalone. You can make a standalone system with any microcontroller like MSP430 provided they have an SPI interface. You can start with the MSP430 software SDK. You need to sync up with the MSP430 forum to get support on that. I can help you with the schematics and hardware-level design reviews etc.

Regards,

Uttam

Hey Uttam,

Thanks a lot. I am reading up on the MSP430 which is just a separate microcontroller to program the DAC chip and from what it looks like, the USB2Any uses the MSP430 with it's POR and PUC operations. If there is a simple way to program the device without it resetting automatically from a power off that would allow me to make this device work in a portable application. Should I go into the MSP430 forum or are there other options available that prevent system resets? 

Thanks,

Nick