Possible to program a MSP430F5438 with MSP-eZ430U?

Jesse Baker

Other Parts Discussed in Thread: MSP430F5438

I am trying to program a custom board with a MSP430F5438 (rev L) using a MSP-eZ430U rev2.0 FET (comes with the $20 eZ430-F2013 Development Tool), but it keeps giving me an error every time i try and download. It says: "Communication error. Check if hardware is connected. Check if debug protocol (SBW or 4-wire) is correct". I am using IAR Embedded Workbench Kickstart v4.21.8.

I have used this version of Kickstart and the MSP-eZ430U to program other boards using a F2274 through the Spy-Bi-Wire interface without any problems. This is the first time for me using the F5438 and I set up the SBW interface exactly as i have in the F2274 boards. I have also made sure that all SBW connections are correct on both the F5438 side and MSP-eZ430U side. I thought that the chip might have been damaged and replaced the F5438 with a new one, but got the same results. Is this a FET or faulty F5438 problem?

over 16 years ago

0 Florian 15174 over 16 years ago

Prodigy 200 points

HI Jesse Baker,

The MSP-eZ430U rev2.0 FET does not support the MSP4305438A. So that’s the reason why you can’t program it.

Regards Florian

0 Joerg Quinten over 16 years ago in reply to Florian 15174

Guru 17650 points

Hi,

the one that comes with the CHRONOS Watch can do the job!

Supported devices:
• CC430F51xx
• CC430F61xx
• MSP430F20xx
• MSP430F21x2
• MSP430F22xx
• MSP430F41x2
• MSP430F54xx
• MSP430F54xxA
• MSP430F55xx

Have a look at http://focus.ti.com/docs/toolsw/folders/print/ez430-chronos.html for details on the CHRONOS.

Kind regards
aBUGSworstnightmare

0 Florian 15174 over 16 years ago in reply to Joerg Quinten

Prodigy 200 points

Hi,

In theory the easy emulator which comes along with the CHRONOS could do this job. It has another internal firmware programmed in.

But be aware, if your program gets bigger more the 128 kb it will take some time to download your code into the device. I would suggest you to get an MSP-FET430UIF http://focus.ti.com/docs/toolsw/folders/print/msp-fet430uif.html, this could program the Device in JTAG an SBW mode.

Regards Florian

0 Jens-Michael Gross over 16 years ago in reply to Florian 15174

Guru 227245 points

The 5438 (A or non-A) has an address range greater than 64K, so the JTAG protocol has been incompatibly changed. The FET must know about this new protocol or it cannot establish communication for this device.

Maybe there's a firmware update available for your FET.

0 Jesse Baker over 16 years ago in reply to Florian 15174

Prodigy 20 points

Thanks! I'm just going to order the MSP-FET430UIF.

Jesse

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Possible to program a MSP430F5438 with MSP-eZ430U?

In theory the easy emulator which comes along with the CHRONOS could do this job. It has another internal firmware programmed in.

But be aware, if your program gets bigger more the 128 kb it will take some time to download your code into the device. I would suggest you to get an MSP-FET430UIF http://focus.ti.com/docs/toolsw/folders/print/msp-fet430uif.html, this could program the Device in JTAG an SBW mode.

Regards Florian