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TMDS570LS31HDK Comms Problems with MCU Demo Software

Rob Corcoran
Prodigy 120 points

Other Parts Discussed in Thread: TMS570LS3137

I have a TMS570LS3137 CPU on an HDK board.    Installed with CCS 5.0.     I'm able to connect and program with MCU Demo - it seems to program correctly (no error messages), and the board seems to then run a startup sequence when I reset (LED sequence).    I'm also able to erase with NowFlash, and check the contents (eg. blank test) successfully.

When I start up the MCU Demo application, and select autodetect, it is able to identify the board as a TMS570LS31 demo board, and I then select the Hercules Development Kit option.

However, once I have downloaded any of the demo applications, the MCU Demo software seems unable to communicate with the HDK.    I've tried resetting the board, cycling power, moving the USB connector, uninstalling and reinstalling the USB drivers, but the behaviour remains the same.

When the Demo software is performing the auto-detect, it polls the board and the LED at the USB connector illuminates briefly for each polling operation.   When programming,the LED is on (flickering) during the programming cycle.    However, when I attempt to run the demos after installing, there is no sign of acivity on the USB LED, and an error indicating unable to connect is provided.

When I subsequently restart the MCU Demo software (with and without board reset and/or board restart), it is unable to detect that the software has already been downloaded, and requests a new download.      I presume that the issue preventing the demo software from running with the HDK is perhaps the same issue preventing it from polling the board.

I'm running on an Intel E8400 CPU (dual-core 3GHz), under Windows 7.    

  • 0
    TI__Genius 13810 points

    Rob Corcoran said:

    I have a TMS570LS3137 CPU on an HDK board.    Installed with CCS 5.0.     I'm able to connect and program with MCU Demo - it seems to program correctly (no error messages), and the board seems to then run a startup sequence when I reset (LED sequence).    I'm also able to erase with NowFlash, and check the contents (eg. blank test) successfully.

    When I start up the MCU Demo application, and select autodetect, it is able to identify the board as a TMS570LS31 demo board, and I then select the Hercules Development Kit option.

    However, once I have downloaded any of the demo applications,

    HW: now, the Demo software (PC end)  will remind you to download the software to the HDK, right? And you click OK, right?

    HW: I tired your flow with software verion 1.0, everything runs correct. Could you please let me know your software version, see below picture. I guess the problem could be:

    1) COM port is not working

    2) version number does not match.

    Please try:

    Open a Hyper Termal, configure the baud rate to 19200. 8 data bit, 1 stop bit, no parity, power cycling the target, after connection, type After connection, please type "DO0101!", after "enter", you should see:

    "WHO R U?"

    After that, please type:

    *DO0101!

    Then it will tell you the version number, in my case, the version number is 1.2.

    the MCU Demo software seems unable to communicate with the HDK.    I've tried resetting the board, cycling power, moving the USB connector, uninstalling and reinstalling the USB drivers, but the behaviour remains the same.

    When the Demo software is performing the auto-detect, it polls the board and the LED at the USB connector illuminates briefly for each polling operation.   When programming,the LED is on (flickering) during the programming cycle.    However, when I attempt to run the demos after installing, there is no sign of acivity on the USB LED, and an error indicating unable to connect is provided.

    When I subsequently restart the MCU Demo software (with and without board reset and/or board restart), it is unable to detect that the software has already been downloaded, and requests a new download.      I presume that the issue preventing the demo software from running with the HDK is perhaps the same issue preventing it from polling the board.

    I'm running on an Intel E8400 CPU (dual-core 3GHz), under Windows 7.    

  • 0 in reply to Haixiao Weng
    Prodigy 120 points

    Thanks Haixaio,

    My MCU Demo version is 1.0.   When I run the update utililty it informs me that no updates are required.

    Running hyperterminal I receive a *VALID#!VER 1.2  response.

    Rob

  • 0 in reply to Rob Corcoran
    Prodigy 120 points

    Is there perhaps a need to configure the MCU Demo configuration to use the port which my PC is using (currently COM5), or to configure it appropriately for the transfer?    As noted, I seem able to program fine, but the MCU Demo application code is unable to poll the HDK - either before running - when querying for installed software, or afterwards, when running the demo.      It is, however, able to poll it when performing the autodetect, which would appear to imply a configuration issue.

    I note that there is a Hercules Demo COM Support utility with a .ini file to support the MCU Demo.    The .ini file is currently empty, implying (I presume) a the use of default settings.

    Rob

  • 0 in reply to Rob Corcoran
    TI__Genius 13810 points

    Sounds like the hardware is OK and the software is correct too.

    Suppose you have already programmed the MCU software (the PC end MCU demo did that), let's do following things:

    1. Power on the board

    2. Power reset the device (PORRST). You should see the LED activities.

    3. Connect the USB mini-B to PC.

    4. Run the PC end MCU Demo

    5. Click the button TMS570LS31x/21x

    6. Press Hercules Development Kit

    7. Click the "Safety Features". At the same time, look at the LED close to USB mini-B with label TX and RX (indicating the UART communication), you should see they both are flashing for a short time (1s?). If a window will pop out in the screen asking you to program the demo software, click 'NO', After that click the red back arrow, then Power reset the board, click the "Safety Features" again.

    Please let me know if this routine works or where it stucks.

  • 0 in reply to Rob Corcoran
    TI__Genius 13810 points

    You do NOT need to configure the Port in MCU Demo software. This detection is automatically done.

    My .ini file is empty too.

    Haixiao

  • 0 in reply to Haixiao Weng
    Prodigy 120 points

    Behaviour is consistent with the other demos.    No USB activity when opening up the MCU Demo window, and a request to program when I execute the Safety Features Demo (no LED activity).     With or without a programming cycle (and after a board-level reset), I get the Hercules Safety Features Demo window, but with each test I attempt to initiate, I receive the same communication failure message.  

  • 0 in reply to Rob Corcoran
    TI__Genius 13810 points

    Did you run it in xp compatible mode?

  • 0 in reply to Haixiao Weng
    Prodigy 120 points

    Hello Haixiao,

    When I select compatibility mode (XP SP3, SP2, or even Windows 7), when I attempt to run the MCU Demo, it indicates that Flash470 is not found, and that it needs Flash470 v3.35 to continue with its installation.

    Rob

  • 0 in reply to Rob Corcoran
    TI__Genius 13810 points

    The exe file your should choose is:

    HDK Safety Demos.exe

    It is under:

    C:\Program Files\Texas Instruments\Hercules\Hercules Safety MCU Demos

    Let me know what happen in compatibility mode.

    Meanwhile, I will check how the PC software gets the COM port.

    Regards,

    Haixiao

  • 0 in reply to Haixiao Weng
    Prodigy 120 points

    Hi Haixiao,

    My observations above were with the above MCU Demo code, when I had enabled compatibility mode.    

    When I start the MCU Demo, and select Auto-detect, I get the Flash470 message and have to quit.    

    However, if I do not select Auto-detect and manually select the 570 Development Kit, in any of XP SP2, XP SP3 Compatibility modes, I am now able to correctly communicate with and control the HDK.    

    It now seems to be able to detect when it has already been programmed.   However, when I attempt to program it, the indicated absence of the Flash470 software prevents it from doing so.    

    If I disable compatibility mode, then I can again program the board, and if I then exit, select compatibility mode, and restart, I can run the various demo tests.

    I note that in this mode, I do not need to download any software - i.e. once I have downloaded, say, the LED Light Show, if I select any of the other tests, they can be executed without a request for download.    Presumably this means that the one download covers all of the various demos.

    What will this mean for me when attempting to use Code Composer Studio with the HDK from my Windows 7 PC?

    Rob

  • 0 in reply to Haixiao Weng
    TI__Genius 13810 points

    Another thing that needs to be checked:

    Please read and parse the EEPROM (can be download from http://www.ftdichip.com/Support/Utilities.htm#MProg). Please check those configurations circled in RED.

    The PC end software searches for string "Texas Instruments Inc.XDS100 Ver 2.0".

    Go to the device manager, do you see: expecially the 'B', which is the com port. The PC software actually search for 'B' to look for the com port.

  • 0 in reply to Rob Corcoran
    TI__Genius 13810 points

    Rob Corcoran said:

    Hi Haixiao,

    My observations above were with the above MCU Demo code, when I had enabled compatibility mode.    

    When I start the MCU Demo, and select Auto-detect, I get the Flash470 message and have to quit.    

    However, if I do not select Auto-detect and manually select the 570 Development Kit, in any of XP SP2, XP SP3 Compatibility modes, I am now able to correctly communicate with and control the HDK.    

    HW: I am glad to see we have a workaround one way or another.

    In the Auto-detect part, you can read this post to find out how it look for the nowFlash/Flash470:

    http://e2e.ti.com/support/microcontrollers/hercules/f/766/t/156314.aspx

    It now seems to be able to detect when it has already been programmed.   However, when I attempt to program it, the indicated absence of the Flash470 software prevents it from doing so.    

    If I disable compatibility mode, then I can again program the board, and if I then exit, select compatibility mode, and restart, I can run the various demo tests.

    I note that in this mode, I do not need to download any software - i.e. once I have downloaded, say, the LED Light Show, if I select any of the other tests, they can be executed without a request for download.    Presumably this means that the one download covers all of the various demos.

    What will this mean for me when attempting to use Code Composer Studio with the HDK from my Windows 7 PC?

    HW: You should not have any problem in Windows 7. All this problem is due to:

    Our labview program (the demo software PC end) does NOT work well in Window 7 mode. It has nothing to do with Code Composer Studio, nowFlash and the HDK hardware.

    Rob

  • 0 in reply to Haixiao Weng
    Prodigy 120 points

    Thanks Haixiao!

    Rob