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DRV8706S-Q1EVM: Unable to connect GUI to micro

Part Number: DRV8706S-Q1EVM
Other Parts Discussed in Thread: DRV8706H-Q1EVM, MSP430F2617, MSP-FET

We have two boards; DRV8706S-Q1EVM and DRV8706H-Q1EVM, both behave identically and exhibit the same problem.

I have installed the EVM GUI on one PC and tried the web-based GUI on both that and another PC (the GUI would not install - the install fails "silently" with no obvious error).

In both the installed and web-based GIU, and on both boards, I have the following:

- Boards are powered via J2 with 12V @ 3A.

- Boards are connected to a PC USB port, the FTDI driver has been tried with the install version and the latest from the FTDI site (as they say the install version is no monger supported).

- When powered, the STATUS LED flashes, nFAULT is not lit.

On running the GUI, it manages to connect to the serial port - the connection status info says (something like): my_transport - connected COM3:115200, and the GUI window says connecting...

However, after a couple of seconds the connection status always changes to: my_transport - disconnected (Failed to connect to device MSP430F2617).

On other eval boards there is talk of needing to programme the micro on first GUI run but these eval board app notes say nothing like that.

I don't believe that it is the serial port - I can connect to it and the PC doesn't show any errors.  To me it looks more like a micro problem, but on both boards?

Does anyone have any thoughts or suggestions as to what the problem might be?

At the moment we have £150 of eval boards that are a bit useless to us.

Thanks,
Ian

  • I've captured a debug log of the connection activity:

    Number Date Time Type Event
    0 Tue Jan 04 2022 15:49:18 info Application started.
    1 Tue Jan 04 2022 15:49:40 editor:format-indent-decrease : Connecting to TI Cloud Agent...
    2 Tue Jan 04 2022 15:49:41 editor:format-indent-decrease : Connected to TI Cloud Agent.
    3 Tue Jan 04 2022 15:49:41 editor:format-indent-decrease my_transport: Connecting to target ...
    4 Tue Jan 04 2022 15:49:42 editor:format-indent-decrease my_transport: connecting to COM3:115200
    5 Tue Jan 04 2022 15:49:42 editor:format-indent-decrease my_transport: verifying connection...
    6 Tue Jan 04 2022 15:49:42 editor:format-indent-decrease my_transport: Hardware Connected.
    7 Tue Jan 04 2022 15:49:46 editor:format-indent-decrease my_transport: Failed to connect to device MSP430F2617.
    8 Tue Jan 04 2022 15:49:46 editor:format-indent-decrease my_transport: Hardware Not Connected.
    9 Tue Jan 04 2022 15:49:46 info EVM disconnected
    10 Tue Jan 04 2022 15:49:46 info EVM disconnected

  • Ian,

    I am suspecting GUI Composer runtime may be missing or incorrect. This can be verified by looking at "Help > About" in the GUI. An example screen shot is below of what you should see (this is for another EVM).  Please send me screen shot from your install.  We've seen that sometimes network firewall prevents installation of the GUI Composer Runtime. In this case customer must do a reinstallation of the GUI app and during the process look for downloading Runtime to the local machine and install it from there. I hope this resolves the issue.

    Regards,

    Ryan

  • Thanks Ryan - I've got this:|

    It didn't say the install didn't work so are these versions OK?

    Ian

  • Ian,

    That does look correct.  When and where did you purchase the EVMs?  I am wondering if the firmware is out of date on the EVM.  The firmware version should be 1.5.  This will be difficult to verify if you can't connect.  

    Regards,

    Ryan

  • Ryan - we purchased them from Mouser UK late last year.

    If it helps the boards have the following barcode labels on the rear:

    S version: KRY 1862346

    H version: KRY 1897899

    Regards,

    Ian

  • Ian,

    I suspect it is a firmware mismatch with GUI.  GUI was updated mid-November and firmware was as well.  All of our internal stock was pulled back and reprogrammed, but distributor stock could still have old firmware.  

    You wouldn't by chance have the following tool in your lab?

    https://www.ti.com/tool/MSP-FET

    If so, that can be used to update the firmware to the version now available on the web and the version number above.

    Regards,

    Ryan

  • Ryan,

    we don't have a MSP-FET tool so we'd have to buy one, it's £118 from Mouser UK which is rather steep given the boards were only £75 each!  Is there any way we could get one from TI on loan as it will probably take a couple of weeks for us to get hold of one from Mouser?

    As you say the GUI was updated in November I've tried using both v0.5.4 (early Nov 2021) and v0.5.3 (July 2021) but both of these GUI versions fail in exactly the same way as v0.5.5 on both boards - I would have thought that v0.5.3 might have worked.

    If it is useful the help-about for v0.5.3 is:

    thanks,
    ian

  • I've now gone all the way back to GUI version 0.5.1 dated Dec 2020 with no success, they all fail in the same way,

    Ian

  • Ian,

    I believe we are dealing with a firmware mismatch and we had to update the firmware to fix connection issues, so going back to previous GUI also won't help.  

    I have no way to loan out a FET tool.  One option would be to return the boards to Mouser for a refund and then order direct from TI website to ensure you get the latest boards with updated firmware.  A hassle for sure and I am sorry for that, but that might be the only way to avoid you spending any more money.  

    Regards,

    Ryan

  • Ryan - if we buy a MSP-FET then can we definitely re-programme the micro with the correct firmware?

    I see that the GUI release v0.5.5. includes a Firmware v1.5 folder - we would use this to fix our problem?

    Trying to return the boards and buy more would just take too long.

    Regards,
    Ian

  • Ian,

    Yes.  That is the correct firmware and there are instructions in the user guide on how to use the FET tool.  

    It is  possible that there is some other underlying issue, but until we can clear up the firmware issue, I am not sure what else it could be.  

    Regards,

    Ryan

  • OK - thanks Ryan.

    We're purchasing a FET tool and I'll let you know what happens,
    Ian

  • Ian,

    Sounds good...please absolutely do.

    Regards,

    Ryan

  • Ryan - received the MSP-FET and managed to update the micro firmware on both the H and S variants so both now connect to the GUI, I think we can call this one closed.

    Thanks for your help,
    Ian