TDC7200EVM: Unable to update firmware using TDC7200 GUI and USB Firmware Update Example

Patrick Camp

Part Number: TDC7200EVM
Other Parts Discussed in Thread: UNIFLASH, TDC7200

I have been trying to use the TDC7200EVM and accompanying GUI to perform TDC-based ToF measurements, and I am running into a major hurdle. I have procured a MSP430F5529LP (the launchpad that is supposed to be used with the EVM and GUI), and I installed the TDC7200EVM GUI. I have also installed CCS so my computer has the MSP Application UART1 and MSP Debug Interface drivers that are listed under the Ports (COM and LPT) section of my device manager. I also made sure to install and enable the supporting .NET frameworks used with the GUI application. Furthermore, I restarted my PC into safe mode so that I could install the TDC7200EVM driver (since it was released without an inf signature).

Even though I did all of these items, I am still unable to update the MSP430 firmware through the TDC7200EVM GUI and the MSP430 USB Firmware Update Example executable. I am however able to update the firmware and flash a CCS project onto the MSP430 LP when only using CCS.

Is there a way to update the MSP430 firmware using CCS so that I can finally use the TDC7200EVM GUI?

This has been a very frustrating experience so far, and previously made threads that approach this same problem generally repeat the instructions listed in the TDC7200EVM user guide. Would very much appreciate some support with using this device.

3 months ago

0 Patrick Camp 3 months ago

Prodigy 10 points

Just a bit more information to be provided.

The steps I am using to update the firmware are as follows:

Start with the LP disconnected and GUI closed.
Open GUI/USB Firmware Update Example
Click "next" and agree to the license
Select specific firmware to be used
While holding the BSL button down, connect the micro-USB from computer to LP, which allows "Upgrade Firmware" to be pressed.

At this point, my device manager recognizes and assigns MSP Application UART1 and MSP Debug Interface to COM6 and COM5, respectively, and a new device is listed under the Human Interface Devices section of device manager as HID-compliant vendor-defined device

After verifying the connected devices under Device Manager, I press "Upgrade Firmware".
The completion bar gets to about 50%, stalls, restarts, and then indefinitely stalls at around 25% completion.

The following is the return messages while the firmware upgrade program is running:

Starting Mass erase occured!

Password Sent Successfully

Sending RAM BSL v00.06.05.34

Done RAM BSL v00.06.05.34

Failed to read data from RAM BSL

Unsuccessful in starting the BSL.

Restarting.

Password Sent Successfully

Sending RAM BSL v00.06.05.34

Done RAM BSL v00.06.05.34

Failed to read data from RAM BSL

Also, I have to flash the LP with a sample project on CCS so that I can restore the LP into a usable state.

+1 Alicia Rosenberger 3 months ago in reply to Patrick Camp

TI__Expert 7515 points

Hi Patrick,

Thank you for posting to the Sensors forum!

Could you try using TI UniFlash to upload the TDC7200EVM Firmware to see if this works for you?

UniFlash should automatically detect the Launchpad board if all the drivers were successfully installed. Once the Launchpad is detected, press the 'Start' button, shown below:

Once there, under the 'Program' tab, highlighted below, select 'Browse'. Next, go to where the .txt file for the MSP430 firmware and select that.

Once the firmware file has been selected press 'Load Image' to upload the firmware to the MSP430. After this has been completed, you should be able to open up the GUI and select the TDC7200 under Select Device. Finally, use the drop-down menu under Serial Port to select the correct serial port connection, for me that was COM43, and press 'Connect'.

Hope this helps!

Best,

~Alicia

0 Patrick Camp 3 months ago in reply to Alicia Rosenberger

Prodigy 10 points

Alicia,

Thank you so much for the prompt response!

I installed the UniFlash program, the program identified my MSP430F5529LP, and I attempted to verify the firmware. During verification of the FW, an error occurred. This is the following error message:

1/25/2024, 12:37:36 PM] [ERROR] MSP430: File Loader: Verification failed: Values at address 0x04400 do not match Please verify target memory and memory map.

Disregarding the error, I was able to successfully upload the FW onto the MSP-LP, and subsequently updated the USB serial device listing in my device manager, using the TDC7200 FW driver package.

Thank you for the assistance!

Patrick

+1 Patrick Camp 3 months ago in reply to Patrick Camp

Prodigy 10 points

Just wanted to provide a final update for any future users that may encounter this issue.

I was able to successfully install and update everything necessary for the TDC7200EVM to function correctly, and I verified the correct functionality using a 2-channel function generator. I am using the following settings:

Alicia, thanks again for the assistance. You are a rockstar!