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MSP-EXP430G2 LaunchPad FAQs

Dung Dang
Genius 17802 points
Other Parts Discussed in Thread: MSP430F47126, MSP430F47127, MSP430F47163, MSP430F47166, MSP430F47167, MSP430F47173, MSP430F47176, MSP430F47177, MSP430F47183, MSP430F47186, MSP430F47187, MSP430F47193, MSP430F47196, MSP430F47197, MSP430F4783, MSP430F4784, MSP430F4793, MSP430F4794, MSP430FE427A, MSP430FE4272, MSP430FE427, MSP430FE425A, MSP430FE4252, MSP430FE425, MSP430FE4242, MSP430FE423A, MSP430FE4232, MSP430FE423, MSP430F1612

This thread provides a list of all FAQs related to MSP-EXP430G2 LaunchPad. If you find any useful bits of 'hidden' information whether from your experience working with the part, or from a question or an issue that was resolved, please reply to the thread. Remember this is not a place to ask questions for specific issues, but to gather information that  LaunchPad developers might find helpful. This first post serves as the master list and will be updated every so often to include new found FAQs.

 

Requently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Does the MSP-EXP430G2 support fuse blow?
The MSP-EXP430G2 LaunchPad experimenter board onboard debugging interface lacks the JTAG security fuse-blow capability. To ensure firmware security on devices going to production, the USB Flash Emulation Tool or the Gang Production Programmer, which support the fuse-blow feature, are recommended.

2. Can other programming tools like the MSP-FET430UIF interface the MSP-EXP430G2 LaunchPad socket device?
The LaunchPad experimenter board works with any programming tool supporting the 2-wire Spy-Bi-Wire interface. Both the MSP430 USB FET (MSP-FET430UIF) and the Gang Programmer (MSP-GANG430) support these devices, but the connection must be made directly to the dedicated Spy-Bi-Wire ports. See MSP-FET430 Flash Emulation Tool User's Guide (SLAU138) for details on using MSP430 USB FET and the Gang Programmer for a 2-wire Spy-Bi-Wire interface. Don't try to connect the standard JTAG connector to the MSP-EXP430G2 pinheads, as this could result in damage to the attached hardware.

3. What versions of IAR Embedded Workbench and Code Composer Studio are supported?
The MSP-EXP430 LaunchPad hardware is supported by IAR Embedded Workbench KickStart Version 6.00 and Code Composer Studio v4 or higher. To download the software and for more information on the supported software visit the LaunchPad Wiki page.

4. What are the part numbers for the connectors between the LaunchPad emulator board and the other eZ430 target boards?
  Header: Mill-Max 850-10-006-20-001000
  Socket: Mill-Max 851-93-006-20-001000

5. I am not able to select the MSP430 Application UART and cannot receive data.
Ensure that the Application UART driver is correctly installed. This is done by installing either IAR Embedded Workbench or Code Composer Studio v4.
To determine if the driver is correctly installed:
a. Plug in the MSP-EXP430G2 LaunchPad with the included Mini USB cable.
b. Right click My Computer and select Properties.
c. Select the Hardware tab and click on Device Manager.
d. Under Ports (COM & LPT) should be an entry for "MSP430 Application UART (COM xx)".
If the entry is there, but no characters are received, reconnect the LaunchPad to the PC and restart the application to reload the drivers. If the Application UART is not listed, install the driver by following the instructions in Section 2.2 of the User's Guide.

6. The device is not answering to any communication, JTAG or UART. 
If you are experiencing difficulties in communicating to the attached MSP430 target device, even though all the communication drivers for the MSP-EXP430G2 are loaded correctly, the emulator is probably set to a wrong communication state. This can be fixed by reconnecting the LaunchPad Experimenter Board and restarting the communicating application.

 

  • Intellectual 970 points

    Great sticky! I vote we try to keep super specific questions out of this thread, and only post your question here if you think it's a common problem.

    A question I get asked a lot is "What are the differences between IAR and CCS?" I usually don't go into detail since I am not an expert on either environment, I usually just answer by saying that the free version of CCS has a higher code size limit than IAR does. That's all I needed to know to make the move from IAR to CCS. I know this is answered in the wiki for the LaunchPad, but it's easy to miss.

    -NJC

    ______________________________

    http://msp430launchpad.blogspot.com

  • in reply to NJC
    Intellectual 895 points

    7)  Is the LaunchPad really set the run voltage for the cpu up to 3.6V ?  that seems high...

    8)  I asked this on the wiki, and I'll ask it again here.  is it too much to hope for that, in the spirit of these open-source tools,  TI will release more detailed information about the protocol used between the PC host and the FET programming device?  This would be a big help to those of us trying to get development tools running on non-windows platforms.

     

  • Intellectual 270 points

    hi i am Aravind here...i have ordered a MSP launch pad...am currently doing a project on Automatic Meter Reading.....can i make use of this launch pad kit and develop it to a single phase energy meter??????

  • in reply to Aravind Srinivasan
    Expert 1710 points

    Aravind,

    The two microcontroller products that are included in the launchpad are these:

        * MSP430G2211IN14 – 2kB Flash, 128B RAM, 10 GPIO, 1x 16-bit timer, WDT, BOR, Comparator A+
        * MSP430G2231IN14 – 2kB Flash, 128B RAM, 10 GPIO, 1x 16-bit timer, WDT, BOR, 1x USI (I2C/SPI), 8ch 10-bit ADC
        * http://bit.ly/bycdxt
        * http://bit.ly/a6a2S2

    Whereas typically for an energy meter it is recommended by TI that you use a different series of MSP430 MCU which has capabilities better suited for energy metering.  These other MCUs will typically have hardware multiplier units, some multiple of 16 bit sigma delta type analog to digital converters or similar, LCD driver capability for a local LCD display even if AMR is used for telemetry, more RAM, faster speeds, and more I/O capabilities and peripherals.

    It is not impossible to use the 10 bit ADC in the G2231 to measure an energy supply waveform with the proper analog interface circuit, but I think you would be disappointed at the accuracy, precision, calibration, RAM capacity, lack of hardware multiplier, et. al. so that you would find better success using the recommended parts instead of the ones from Launchpad.   Though if you are not familiar with MSP430 MCUs and the compilers / tools that you must use to work with them, maybe the Launchpad will be a good introduction to the development tools / processes while you are designing a board with a more capable MSP430 variant for metering.

    TI has a selector guide for MSP430 MCUs which can be used to list MSP430 devices that are best suited for energy metering applications, and I will provide the link to that list below along with a list of some of those suggested devices.  Besides those you may find some interest in the CC430 type RF modem + MSP430 MCU devices for the telemetry aspects of the AMR functions, though it may be that you should use one device to do the accurate analog measurements and another device to handle the AMR telemetry.

    MSP430 Energy metering application oriented MCU product list
    MSP430F47126
    MSP430F47127
    MSP430F47163
    MSP430F47166
    MSP430F47167
    MSP430F47173
    MSP430F47176
    MSP430F47177
    MSP430F47183
    MSP430F47186
    MSP430F47187
    MSP430F47193
    MSP430F47196
    MSP430F47197
    MSP430F4783
    MSP430F4784
    MSP430F4793
    MSP430F4794
    MSP430FE427A
    MSP430FE4272
    MSP430FE427
    MSP430FE425A
    MSP430FE4252
    MSP430FE425
    MSP430FE4242
    MSP430FE423A
    MSP430FE4232
    MSP430FE423

  • in reply to Aravind Srinivasan
    Expert 1710 points

    Aravind,

    you may also find good information for your inquiry at the pages listed hereafter:

     

    link one
    link two
    link three
    link four

  • in reply to C. Hayes
    Intellectual 270 points

    thanks for the information provided...i would like to know how to communicate this launchpad with the computer database with wireless media other than the TI kits available..as am a newbie to this launcpad i would also like to know  how to interface a RF transceiver with this kit using the ports given in this.

    thanks

    regards

    aravind

  • Prodigy 60 points

    Is the source code for the MSP430F1612 on the launchpad available?  The main launchpad wiki page says "LaunchPad includes the firmware source code," but as far as I can tell the source is not available.

  • in reply to Jason Spence
    Guru 227245 points

    Jason Spence said:
    Is the source code for the MSP430F1612 on the launchpad available?

    No.

    Jason Spence said:
    The main launchpad wiki page says "LaunchPad includes the firmware source code," but as far as I can tell the source is not available.

    All source code for the target MSP on the LaunchPad is available.

    The 1612, however, is not the target. The whole unit around the 1612 is a closed source programming tool (a FET, asit can be separately bought) and NOT subject to user experiements (it's not an 1612 experimenters board!)
    The source code on it is private property, as well as the source code inside the TUSB chip.
    It's just a coincidence that the programming part of the LaunchPad contains an MSP processor. It could be anything else as well.

    However, I agree that the description should be changed to 'LauchPad includes the firmware source code for the target MSP demo application'.

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