(NRND) MSP-FET430UIF

Roberto Romano said:

I decided to buy a new fresh UIF to also try fix my old broken but appear as NRND, so what we have to use to program MSP from CCS?

 After some errant seek to TI site I found new interface:

http://www.ti.com/tool/msp-fet

 Again all old device can be sent to trash?

The MSP-FET is the successor of the FET430UIF. For most parts, the two are the same, but the MSP-FET has EnergyTrace support built-in for devices it supplies from its own voltage source. And the firmware also contains support for the new module activity tracing in the latest FR devices.

I don’t know how long the FET430UIF will still get updates for new MSPs. Since it is not marked obsolete (only 'Not Recommended for New Design'), I guess it will be for quite some time. However, when buying a new FET, you should go for the MSP-FET instead, unless you need to use a FET430UIF for some reason.
(e.g. you want to run older versions of CCS where the MSP-FET is not supported)

Jens-Michael Gross said:

I don’t know how long the FET430UIF will still get updates for new MSPs. Since it is not marked obsolete (only 'Not Recommended for New Design'), I guess it will be for quite some time. However, when buying a new FET, you should go for the MSP-FET instead, unless you need to use a FET430UIF for some reason.

 My idea was to just repair UIF was broken by windows upgrade to use from Linux instead than other brand FET from Virtual Boxed XP...

 This time I am not planning buy a new interface, I wish use Launchpad from Linux and if possible my dream to use Elprotronic in Linux native, this is expensive but is the more complete and robust interface it also control calibration data and programming. Elprotronic is expensive but good tools really never was drop fear about price.

 Also I don't wish upgrade IAR, so it remain locked to old version and no new device got supported for large code, when old pc where is hosted and locked too stop working then code porting got primary.

 >Can be CCS a good substitute for IAR and or old good Quadravox

http://www.quadravox.com/AQ430.htm seems last version lasted with softbaugh too?

Well, with the current versions of CCS or IAR, you will of course still be able to use the old FETs without limit.
However, only newer versions of the compilers will come with updated information for new MSPs. And somewhere in the future, these new versions won’t support the old FETs anymore.
I hope the last version hat did will then still be available, but I wouldn’t count on it. (Usually, you only know that this was the last working version, when a new one has replaced it and the old one is no longer available.)

I still use the old parallel FET with MSPGCC 3.2.3, for the older processors in or products. And support for it has been dropped long before. It does not, however, support the F5x and FR5x devices - here I have to use the FetUIF and the Elprotronic software..

Well, as long as the old FET430UIF is still available (even though marked as NRND, so you shouldn’t buy it as your first device), you can order it and continue working with it.

There are a LOT of MSP-FET430UIF jtag controllers out there. NRND seems a bit harsh. Just what does that mean?

I know that when newer JTAG controllers are required, it makes sense to purchase the new MSP-FET, but if there is a newer design, the older jtag controllers should be able to support it, much like they have in the past, before energy trace became available.

Hi Everyone,

NRND simply means Not Recommended for New Designs. It is currently still available for purchase from our e-store today and should still work for existing designs, but we strongly recommend migrating to the MSP-FET going forward. It has the same basic functionality, as has been mentioned above, but actually has several improvements.

So the MSP-FET will be the recommended programmer/debugger moving forward and will be the kit that supports new products. There are already updates to the MSP Debug Stack and other parts of the tool-chain to enable it's use in Linux enviroments as well.

 Hi Jens, I suppose things are completely different on new FET, schematic is available and an FPGA or CPLD is present on it, so other than driver is more close to  spectrum digital used on arm DSP and C2000 series than original FET.

 FET is supported in Linux, is the only one supported by CCS, launchpad is not supported and I cannot figure why, software is very close to FET.

 On Linux version of GDB all interfaces but Elprotronics are supported.

 Olimex is no more supporting new series on RF JTAG nor on old ISOFET.

 All these are not so LOW cost to be wasted away without fear. Also Elprotronics never released Linux driver and  promised for a new version of programmer, the first one was over 400US$. I can buy another time but this approach M$ policy and is not good when old tools still can be used with simple software upgrading.

William Cooper said:

So the MSP-FET will be the recommended programmer/debugger moving forward and will be the kit that supports new

 Hi William, is somewhere available the firmware image of old UIF to revive mine after a long hill sleeping in the shelf?

 My idea was to copy it from new one but new one is a completely different one and cannot be arranged on old UIF.

 Is there some plan to port also LAUNCHPAD interface under Linux? Again old LPad has problem also after firmware upgrade, and it is the LPad due exchanging the chip the problem move following the old version. Is this solvable?

 Where can I download promised open source of UIF?

Hi Roberto,

I think the Open Source MSP Debug stack is available here: http://processors.wiki.ti.com/index.php/MSP_Debug_Stack#Open_Source_Release

That MSP Debug Stack wiki page has a lot of information and downloads - should also include DLL binaries in the DLL developer's package.

Is that what you were looking for?

-Katie

Roberto, as long as the commands sent to the MSP-FET are the same as sent to the FET430UIF, and the answers are the same, it is unimportant how the device is implemented.
On the bottom line, the MSP-FET just understands some additional commands for the EnergyTrace. But if you don’t use them, you shouldn’t notice a difference (if the MSP-FET was done properly), until you want to do a firmware update or such.
If it looks lilke a duck and walks like a duck and sounds like a duck and tastes like a duck, who cares if it isn't a duck?

The LaunchPads, due to their application UART, require a different driver on the PC side. Even though their FET part should work very similar to the full-featured FET (as long as you don’t use any unsupported function like setting the supply voltage, burning the fuse or using 4-wire JTAG on LaunchPads that only can do SBW), accessing it is different. And different for different LaunchPads too. So nobody bothered to extend the Linux drivers. This will maybe change in future, maybe not. Who knows?

Katie Pier said:

That MSP Debug Stack wiki page has a lot of information and downloads - should also include DLL binaries in the DLL developer's package.

Is that what you were looking for?

 Hi Katie, this is near what I need but it need a long time to study how to compile code and have firmware to upload to defective programmer. The binary file was the best way but this got again in the drawer of to do things with broken uif.

I suppose is more simple to buy another UIF to get support on linux and forget windows hiccup and noise on dll too.

 When I got a big lot of free time I try compile this code on TIVA to have a LAN programmer open source for MSP430. Is this feasible releasing modified code?

Jens-Michael Gross said:

We have an RF JTAG from Olimex. Are you sure there is no support for newer MSPs? Is there a replacement? We don’t care for the cost, but we need the RF feature for field updates.

 Programmer from Olimex has no support to burn binary file to none of G series processor and no more than what it was on 2011.

 I can use to program G series in particular the 2553 is on motor controller high voltage side, on the other side I am using an Elprotronics, IMHO the better programmer but I am locked to windows in a virtual box were I use IAR limited version. On this new pc I cannot run XP native nor W7 due to a trick sony and M$ done on disk... On the past I was using Quadravox but I don't wish get locked to windoze forever I hope we can soon do all on Linux CCS version.

 I discovered G series has a high sensitivity to noise on reset pin so a wire longer than 15 cm disconnect from debugger very often and also leaving the 20 cm extender from board to connector without debugger pod pick up enough noise to reset often (about every 2 to 10 second). I added an 1K resistor from reset pin to reset capacitor to not disturb debugger but this appear to be a dramatic problem when a wire is on pin.

Jens-Michael Gross said:

We have an RF JTAG from Olimex. Are you sure there is no support for newer MSPs? Is there a replacement?

https://www.olimex.com/Products/MSP430/JTAG/MSP430-JTAG-RF/

from page:

NOTE!!! The firmware for MSP430-JTAG-RF is not maintained anymore due to hardware restraints. Version 1.0.4.2 is the last version fro the drivers. The product is not recommended for new designs! Please consider MSP430-JTAG-TINY-V2 or MSP430-JTAG-ISO-MK2.

 Reading Olimex forum I learned it work also if device is not supported on G series but no warranty it work.

 Again leaving firmware available as open source can help mantain a still sold good product left alone...

Thanks for the info and link. We use the RF programmer to do field updates on devices in electrical cabinets, where a cable connection is not advisable, even if isolated. So when picking the new workhorse for new devices, I should focus on those MSPs that are supported. Hopefully, the support does not end on new silicon revisions of old devices.