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Can I program an MSP430G2553 MCU without Launchpad Board ????

Bharath Srinivasan
Prodigy 60 points
Other Parts Discussed in Thread: MAX3243E, ENERGIA, MAX232

Hi guys.

I have a Launchpad board and a couple of MSP430 MCUs with me. But the board stopped working entirely. So I want to know if the chips can be programmed without the board. It would be very helpful if that was possible with minimum amount of requirements.

I have a Arduino Uno. I know they both have entirely different MCUs but still will it be possible to make use of the Arduino to program the TI's MCUs ????

Please help me with this guys.

  • 0
    Guru 33653 points

    It can be flashed by BSL but PC UART 12V / MSP USRT 3.3V chip (for example MAX3243E)  is needed or USB / UART 3.3V bridge (for example PL2303HXD). It can't be debugged over BSL, only flashed.

  • 0
    Expert 1990 points

    You can make such hardware setup to load and use MSP430 Flasher to load binary.

  • 0 in reply to zrno soli
    Prodigy 60 points

    Umm... guys,

    sorry. but I am very new to embedded systems, so I don't understand any of the above. can u explain in simple terms or give links to circuit connections and other related stuff... maybe videos and such medias.

    my Launchpad is not detected by the energia software on my mac but the power LED is ON and the last uploaded sketch -- red light Blink -- keeps on running all the time. the only problem is that I cant upload new sketches to the chip any longer.

    any way to find and rectify the problem is also welcome. :D

    thanks for the answers anyways. :)

     

  • 0 in reply to Bharath Srinivasan
    Guru 227245 points

    Bharath Srinivasan said:
    can u explain in simple terms


    Each MSP (except a few) can be programmed by one of two ways.
    First, almso tevery MSP contains a factory-stored boot strap loader (BSL). It requires a serial connection between the PC (or whatever device will try to program the MSP) and the MSP. SLAU319g.pdf covers this method. be sure to not connect the MSP directly to a PCs COM port, as the signal levels are different (and destructive). You'll need a level shifter (such as the MAX232)

    The other way to program an MSP is through a JTAG connection. While the BSL is a program that runs on the MSP, JTAG directly controls the CPU from outside. You need a JTAG programmer for this, like the MSP-FET430UIF.
    Since it controls the CPU, it can not only write to the MSp memory, but can also be used to debug the running code.

    The LaunchPad has a stripped-down FET built-in, so that's the usual way of programming the 2553.

  • 0 in reply to Jens-Michael Gross
    Prodigy 60 points

    Thank you very much for your answer.

    I am planning on trying out the first method. 

    Can you help by providing a link to the circuit connection along with the list of components required ???

    It would be very helpful. Please provide a link to a complete circuit connection diagram, along with any other important points required in the construction of the circuit.

    Thank again. :D :D :D :D

  • 0 in reply to Bharath Srinivasan
    Guru 33653 points

    Ask Google for MSP430 BSL schematic, and pick one that you like and that is working (software / hardware) on your OS without problems. USB / RS232 3.3V (USB-UART bridge) boards that can work with MSP430 BSL can be found on eBay for few $.

    I don't like original TI BSL hardware schematic, and also don't like original TI software side, so I made my own version, that you can see here...

    http://e2e.ti.com/support/microcontrollers/msp430/f/166/p/263479/921408.aspx

    Complete hardware was packed inside DB9 connector.

  • 0 in reply to Bharath Srinivasan
    Guru 46710 points

    Bharath Srinivasan said:
    sorry. but I am very new to embedded systems, so I don't understand any of the above.

    Then better give-up with idea and get LaunchPad :) You will flash your code into microcontroller and it will not work as expected - then what? It's not worth to even try BSL approach and suffer in frustrations - if you are so much beginner. LaunchPad is dirt-cheap. Get it.

  • 0 in reply to Ilmars
    Prodigy 60 points

    Ilmars said:

    Then better give-up with idea and get LaunchPad :)  if you are so much beginner. LaunchPad is dirt-cheap. Get it.

    I know that I am a beginner. And that is exactly why I am trying to learn new stuff. Just because I am new to this doesn't mean that I can try a different method. 

    Just because something is easy and cheap isn't a reason that we must do it and not try other possible solutions.

    I want to learn how to program an MSP without using a Launchpad. If you are willing to teach, thank you very much. If not at least don't keep on discouraging people. I know how to buy a new board and connect an USB wire an click the mouse. But that isn't what I want to do. Okay ????

    If you know how to do it and wanna help, then HELP. But I don't want you posting any more of your "It can't be done" posts.

    Bye.

  • 0 in reply to Bharath Srinivasan
    Guru 46710 points

    Bharath Srinivasan said:
    If you know how to do it and wanna help, then HELP.

    Sure! Here it is: http://www.ti.com/lit/pdf/slau319

    Also check solution offered by zrno.

  • 0 in reply to Bharath Srinivasan
    Guru 33653 points

    Bharath Srinivasan said:

    I know that I am a beginner. And that is exactly why I am trying to learn new stuff. Just because I am new to this doesn't mean that I can try a different method. 

    Just because something is easy and cheap isn't a reason that we must do it and not try other possible solutions.

    I want to learn how to program an MSP without using a Launchpad. If you are willing to teach, thank you very much. If not at least don't keep on discouraging people. I know how to buy a new board and connect an USB wire an click the mouse. But that isn't what I want to do. Okay ????

    If you know how to do it and wanna help, then HELP. But I don't want you posting any more of your "It can't be done" posts.

    It can be done on 2 ways, using BSL and/or using JTAG (full 4-wire mode, or 2-wire SBW). I done both, based on my own hardware, and for software starting point used open source TI projects:

    slau319 MSP430 Programming Via the Bootstrap Loader (BSL)

    slau320 MSP430 Programming Via the JTAG Interface

    Already posted link to my BSL version, and my SBW+ multi-prgramer topic is here:

    http://forum.43oh.com/topic/2972-sbw-msp430f550x-based-programmer

    If you want to learn how to flash MSP430 and have plenty of free time, there is no problem at all. slau319 and slau320 have all you need.

    Also, now, original source code for TI FET products is available...

    http://processors.wiki.ti.com/index.php/MSPDS_Open_Source_Package

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