MSP430AFE253: MSP430AFE2xx issue connecting to an external oscillator

Hi Sam,

This device runs on its internal DCO initially so you should be able to program it regardless of  XT2 running or not.

Can you describe your programming setup?  What are you using for your programmer? You mention BSL, how are you placing the device into BSL mode?

How are you enabling XT2 in your code?  By default, XT2 is not enabled.  You need to explicitly enable it.

That makes sense. My overall issue is the synchronization error, which I had wrongly attributed to the external clock not being operational. 

As for my programming setup, I have the msp430afe_clks.c file (from resource explorer) in CCS, with a post build step invoking BSLDEMO: 'BSLDEMO-2.01c.exe -cCOM14 -m1 -ijevpr *filename*.txt'. I've also tried via the command line directly using a password file, but no luck. As for the serial connection itself, the connections I've used are:

3V3 -> DVCC (16)
GND -> DVSS (13)
TX -> URXD0 (P1.4 / 20)
RX -> UTXD0 (P1.3 / 19)
DTR -> /RST (11)
RTS -> TEST (10)

I've also tried an RTS -> TCK (P1.6 / 22) connection, which has also not worked. Also the /RST connection has had the pullup resistor shown in the diagram above for said connections.

Hi Sam,

Remind me what programming tool are you using?

I'm currently using Code Composer Studio

Hi Sam,

Ok.  And are you using the MSP430-BSL-USB (that is mentioned in the link you provided to the other E2E posting) PCB as the programmer? or MSPFET, or some other HW tool that connects to the target MSP430?

I'm using an FT232RL board for my USB to serial connection

Hi Dennis,

Is there any issue visibly obvious with my current electronics setup? That is the part of the connection I am least certain of, but that might depend on the adapter (?)

As for the adapter, yes it is a FTDI adapter, but I'm not sure that it would be causing the issue as I've used a couple different adapters, with the same result. Is there a TI supported connection method that I could look into instead? I've looked into the rocket but that seems to only be for BSL applications and not BSLDEMO. Any suggestions would be appreciated, I am really just looking for any method to get some code onto this chip.

Thanks again

Hi Sam,

Sorry for delay in my response.  I see in section 4 in the MSP430 Flash BSL guide there is a serial BSL hardware setup.  Since your FTDI adapter is USB to serial, you don't have to worry about the RS232 voltages, but compare the FTDI serial pins to table 4.3.

I think the fundamental issue the FTDI device does not interpret the commands sent to it from BSLDEMO and toggle the DTR and RTS pins correctly.  Have you looked at what these pins are doing when attempting to program the target?  You may find the FTDI TX pin has data but without the proper sequence on the DTR and RTS, the device can never be put into BSL mode.

If you can provide some scope capture of these signals, that will be helpful.

Closing this thread, but discussion continues @ https://e2e.ti.com/support/microcontrollers/msp-low-power-microcontrollers-group/msp430/f/msp-low-power-microcontroller-forum/1095593/msp430afe253-setup-and-avoiding-synchronization-error