MSP-GANG: Msp-Gang programmer unreliable

Simon,

It is very strange that the programmer initially was working and now has become sporadic. Could you please explain in further detail what you mean in this phrase:

"vcc is pin 2, we are SBC and using pins 1,2,7 and 9 only"

I'm assuming you are programming a custom PCB so are you referring to the pins of the JTAG port that your design uses?

You reference a cable that you made yourself, is this a replacement to the ribbon cable that came with the purchase of the MSP-GANG?

Also, what version of the MSP-GANG software are you using?

Best regards,

Matt

Hi Matt

Thanks for getting back to me so soon.

The errors occur whether I use the ribbon cables that came with the MSP-GANG unit or a shorter ribbon cable that i made.
The short ribbon cable that i made was tested on a cable tester and passed with no issues so it rules the cable out.

For power I am using pin 2 as the programmer is supplying the voltage with the 9v psu plugged in.

What I did find yesterday was that the unit will only happily program "blank" pcb's, once programmed it is hit or miss if it will overwrite the same pcb unless you erase it again.

If i use interactive mode and just select erase it is unreliable, and as it needs to be in standalone mode I have to erase them using a MSP-FET tool and then program them using the MSP-GANG tool only then does it work first time and programs all the pcb's.

I am using the latest version of the MSP software from the website and the firmware updated from the .dll file

Today I will check if the voltage is being pulled down when it starts erase mode and when it is in verify mode.


However so far as long as the pcb's are blank or have been erased the unit works fine

"vcc is pin 2, we are SBC and using pins 1,2,7 and 9 only" should have been SBW spy by wire our connetions to the pcb use only the specified pins.

Regards

Simon

Simon,

Do you have access to a TI target board or Launchpad with a JTAG interface to check and see if you can recreate what you are seeing with being able to only program a blank device? I'd be interested in seeing if you are able to program, multiple times, a TI target board or Launchpad with a basic example code provided on the TI Resource Explorer.

Best regards,

Matt

Hi Matt unfortunately I have neither the target board or launchpad, however i can put in a request to purchase one of them today as it would be interesting to see what happens.

I spent yesterday running the pcb's again first putting new blank pcb's on the programmers and all working first time, i then hit "go" again and only a couple would re-program again, hit "go" again and sometimes none, sometimes one or two. 

As the unit is primarily flashing blank boards of the production line and has no issues there it will be used for now however, I will try and get another unit in this week and run that to see if that has the same issue or not.

I will keep the thread open for now and update you as soon as possible

Regards

Simon

Simon,

Thank you for the response and I will be awaiting your update.

Best regards,

Matt

Hi Simon,

Have there been any updates to your issue since your last post?

Best regards,

Matt