• State TI Thinks Resolved
  • Locked Locked
  • Replies 10 replies
  • Answers 1 answer
  • Subscribers 34 subscribers
  • Views 807 views
  • Users 0 members are here
Support feedback
Options
Options
Related

This thread has been locked.

If you have a related question, please click the "Ask a related question" button in the top right corner. The newly created question will be automatically linked to this question.

TUSB3210: Download application firmware from a Mac Os host

Edaurd Andrasi
Prodigy 65 points

Part Number: TUSB3210

Hello,

I have a "usbclient.bin" file that is being downloaded to the TUSB3210 from a Linux host when the device is connected. 


Please help me find a solution for how to do the same when the device is connected to a MacMini computer running MacOs.

The device containing the TUSB3210 is some kind of a USB-UART transceiver.

Should it be possible to use the same ".bin" file when using MacOs?

Side question: Do you think it would work if I simply write the "usbclient.bin" to an EEPROM using your TUSB3x10 EEPROM Burner?

Best Regards,

Eduard Andrasi

  • 0
    TI__Mastermind 27925 points

    Hi Eduard,

    Is usbclient.bin file an EEPROM image?  If so, then you should be able to use the TI USB EEPROM Burner Utility for the TUSB2136/TUSB3210 to download the EEPROM to the device.

    EEPROM programming is OS-independent, so it should work in all cases.

    Thanks,

  • 0 in reply to Nicholaus_Malone
    Prodigy 65 points
    Hello Nicholaus,

    the usbclient.bin file that I am referring to is the file that is uploaded to the device through USB from a Linux computer.

    The solution I need is to do the same (upload the file through USB) but from a MacOs computer.

    Writing the file to an EEPROM would be an undesired workaround as the device is already built and there is no EEPROM attached. I was just wondering if it would be possible to put the .bin file on an EEPROM if that is even possible without recompiling from source code.

    Rebuilding the .bin file is not an option at this point since the devices were designed by a company that no longer exists.


    Thank you for your prompt response,
    Eduard Andrasi
  • 0 in reply to Edaurd Andrasi
    TI__Mastermind 27925 points

    Hi Eduard,

    I don't think you'll have to rebuild the .bin file.  I think it is possible to use MacOS to upload the usbclient.bin firmware to the TUSB3210, but we do not provide the software. 

    I'm guessing the Linux host is using a driver similar to our TI Apploader Driver (Rev. A) for Windows to upload the .bin file to the TUSB3210 after it's connected.  We do not support a Linux or MacOS version of this driver.  I would recommend using the TUSB3410 instead as it has a Windows, Linux, and MacOS driver.

     

     

    Regards,

  • 0 in reply to Nicholaus_Malone
    Prodigy 65 points

    Hello Nicholaus,

    I can't change the controller since I didn't build the devices and the TUSB3210PM is in no way compatible with the TUSB3410 (not even the number of pins 64-32).

    These controllers were used in some very expensive dedicated devices that now need to be migrated to Mac Os.

    I was hoping that I am not the only one that must do such a migration and Texas Instruments provided help to other people in my situation.


    I am prepared to put in the work, I just can't find the relevant documents.

    My guess is that there must be some commands that would trigger the TUSB3210 to listen to the data that is being sent to it and record this data in its RAM storage, not pass it through to the serial interfaces. 

    Where can I find these commands? Is there a document describing the steps/procedures one has to take in order to write such a program? 



    Please tell me where can I find documents that would help with this kind of software development. Where can I read about the command set accepted by the TUSB3210 through the serial interface?

    Best Regards,

    Eduard Andrasi

  • 0 in reply to Edaurd Andrasi
    TI__Mastermind 27925 points
    Hi Eduard,

    Unfortunately, there is no documentation I know of that would help you with this. I might be able to track down the source code for the Apploader, which should contain the information you're looking for. I will follow-up with the results in a couple of days.




    Thanks,
  • 0 in reply to Nicholaus_Malone
    Prodigy 65 points
    Thank you Nicholaus,

    that would be exactly what I need.
    I will keep my fingers crossed.

    Thank you very much,
    Eduard
  • 0 in reply to Edaurd Andrasi
    TI__Mastermind 27925 points

    Eduard,

    Would you please accept my friend request?  

    Regards,

  • 0 in reply to Nicholaus_Malone
    Prodigy 65 points

    Hi Nicholaus,


    thank you very much for your support and your devotion to helping me.
    I appreciate that you went well beyond the normal tech support usually provided.

    I also think that the EEPROM solution would be much nicer, maybe in the future, this will be approved at my company.
    Thank you,
    Eduard Andrasi
  • 0 in reply to Edaurd Andrasi
    TI__Mastermind 27925 points

    Eduard,

    Thank you for the kind words, and I'm glad we found a possible solution!  

    As a reminder to others, in production devices the TUSB3210 firmware should be stored in EEPROM as described in the VIDs, PIDs, and Firmware: Design Decisions When Using TI USB Device Controllers document.  For this reason and others.

    "When using TUSB3210, EEPROM storage is the only option. This is because a vendor ID (VID) and product ID (PID) should exist somewhere in the EEPROM for any system in production (see Section 3, VIDs/PIDS: How Windows Associates USB Devices with Drivers), and the only method for this supported by TUSB3210’s bootcode is to do it programmatically in firmware. This firmware must reside in the EEPROM. "

    Regards,