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MSP-FET: Are the new batch of FET's defective.

Tim Day
Prodigy 40 points
Part Number: MSP-FET
Other Parts Discussed in Thread: MSP430F2013, MSP430G2231, MSP430G2955

Hello,

I recently fried one of my older MSP-FET430UI tools, and decided to a get the new - MSP-FET, so I recently purchased two MSP-FET from both mouser and digikey.

Neither will connect to my boards which use processors MSP430G2231, or MSP430F2013 with bispi.  I have yet to try out other processors.

When I use an older FET: MSP-FET430UI and it works fine - no problems.

When I swap in the new FETs that I recently purchase they will not connect. I believe that there is a problem with your the new FETS.  Perhaps it's a manufacturing issue, or maybe some sort of compatibility issue. 

I am using CCS version 7.2.0 the latest.  The Fet has a Serial Number: 1705001ECW.

Has anyone else gotten this new batch of FETs to work with these processors?  Should I return the tools, and wait for the next batch, and hope TI will fix the problem?

Thanks,

Tim

  • 0
    TI__Guru**** 211917 points
    Hello Tim,

    There are no known production issues with the MSP-FET and it is compatible with the listed devices. Please describe the error you are receiving in further detail, does your PC not recognize the FET tool or is it unable to connect to the MSP430? What OS are you using? Also please describe bispi as I am unfamiliar with this terminology.

    Regards,
    Ryan
  • 0 in reply to Ryan Brown1
    Prodigy 40 points

    Hi Ryan,

    This is the error from the CCS  Version: 7.2.0.00013 console on Windows 10:

    "MSP430: Error connecting to the target: Unknown device" 

    The green light is on, and when I press the debug button, the red light flashes several times, before quitting and reporting the error. 

    The target is being powered from the FET.  I should have said we are using the Spy-Bi-Wire Interface to program it, rather than Bispi.  This is the standard 2 wire interface, used by the MSP430F2013, and MSP430G2231 chips. Please see attached schematic below.  Note I have been able to get a MSP430G2955 chip to connect to the debugger, using the same Spy-Bi-Wire Interface using the new MSP-FETs.

    To duplicate the error,  you can just use the default blinking LED project in CCS - this will work with the old MSP-FET430, but not with the latest batch of MSP-FETs.  

    I assume you guys have access to an eval board, and can try programming one of these chips, to see if it works.  

    Thanks for you help

    Tim

  • 0 in reply to Tim Day
    TI__Guru**** 211917 points
    Hey Tim,

    The error described indicates that communication is valid between the PC and MSP-FET. However the FET tool is incapable of recognizing the MSP430 device, this is due to the connections between the two components. The allowed parasitics between the MSP-FET430UIF and MSP-FET are slightly different so what was allowed on the former will now not work with the latter. This is the tradeoff involved for better ESD performance among other improvements. You can try using a weaker pull-up by changing R3 to 47 kOhm. Most designs use a 1 or 2.2 nF capacitor to GND on the RST line but I'm not sure if this will solve your issue. Make sure to keep the lines between the MSP-FET and MSP430 target as short as possible.

    Regards,
    Ryan
  • 0 in reply to Ryan Brown1
    Prodigy 40 points

    Hi Ryan,

    I tried different resistors on the RST line, and that didn't help.  

    However, I did figure out how to get it working.  I made my own 14 pin ribbon cables with different lengths and tried them out.  See below.  My boards worked with a cable length of about half of the cable length of the black cable that comes with the FET.  I found that a 5.75 inch cable didn't work. However 3.75 inches and shorter worked for my boards. 

    I personally think that the new FET should work in all legacy systems. The traces on my board are less than an 1.5 inches, so this should not be an issue.  They should at least ship the MSP-FET with 2 different cable lengths, or give you a clear warning when you open the box, that it may not work with the provided cable length. Ideally they would allow you to change the speed of the interface to allow longer ribbon cable lengths. 

    Anyhow, hopefully this will help with all of the other users who are going to have this same problem. 

    Thanks,

    Tim

  • 0 in reply to Tim Day
    Guru 92251 points

    Tim Day said:
    Ideally they would allow you to change the speed of the interface to allow longer ribbon cable lengths. 

    There is a JTAG/SBW Speed option on the target configuration file for MSP430 devices:

    I am curious to know if selecting "Slow" would have allowed your setup to work with a longer ribbon cable length.

  • 0 in reply to Chester Gillon
    Prodigy 40 points
    I just tried it with the slow setting, and it still doesn't work, even with a shorter 5 inch ribbon cable. Seems like a 2 inch ribbon cable is optimal.

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