Serial Port Configuration Must Be Like This!

Lynxmotion Electronics & Software
1

This was submitted by evolution for problems he was having with programming an Atom Pro. But this serial port driver information is good to verify if your serial port is configured properly. Before he made these changes it would sort of work for some things, but after the changes it was perfect…

WOW, MAJOR UPDATE. I figured it out. Well not really but I figured out how to make it work.

There were 2 things that were causing problems and after eliminating both, it works now!!!

First I started changing resources for my com port and testing different configurations. Some change but nothing major.

This is using just the serial port on the back of the computer, no adapter.

Then I checked the power mapping on my USB ports like kurte said.
Now I have 8 USB ports on the back of my machine and 4 on the front. Each port is configured with 500mah of available power. Now the front 4 USB ports wire into the motherboard but it turns out that those 4 SHARE power with 4 on the back. So When I checked the power settings, my gamepad controller was using 450mah plugged into the front and video capture box was using 500mAh. Which would explain why my video capture wasn’t working every now and then. Probably anytime my gamepad was plugged in. Different problem, also now solved.

So I disconnected every USB device from my system except the keyboard and mouse. All the power requirements were 0mAh except 100mah for the keyboard and mouse.

Didn’t think it could possibly be related but tried the Atom Pro IDE anyways. Bang, she programs all the way through past 100% and now hangs up at 50% verification. Tried about 10 times, always made it through programming, which it never did before, but hung up around the middle of verifying. NOW I’m getting somewhere.

Next, I looked at my Fifo buffers on the serial port more closely. Turns out that the 2 buffer sliders aren’t equal. Set on low they’re both on 1. but on high, the receive buffer is 14 and the transmit buffer is 16. now when you move the sliders to any one of the 3 preset “notches”, the transmit and receive values are always 1 off from each other.

So I slid the receive buffer to a value of 4. And instead of visually matching the bottom slider I moved it back a hair so it had a value of 4 instead of 5, where it wanted to snap to.

So now the sliders were off but the values matched.

Went into the Atom Pro IDE. Now my atom beeps when I click “Find Atom” Hit program and it scoots through programming and zips through verifying then bang, she’s done and the Atom give me a friendly beep to let me know at the end.

So I don’t understand how overloaded USB power can effect my Serial port or why the Fifo buffer sliders are not equal but if you set them equal it will work. I also tried with the Fifo buffers on 14 and 14, and 8 and 8. Works perfect. But at 1 and 1 or any other “snapped” positions (7 and 8, 12 and 14, etc.) it won’t work.

Hope this makes sense to you guys. Thanks for all the help guys. I learned alot about my USB and Serial setting through this and thanks to you guys.

IT WORKS!!!
IT WORKS!!!
IT WORKS!!!
IT WORKS!!!

2

I have been through (I think) all the suggestions with no solution (Types of USB to Serial chip sets have an FTDI on order, buffer settings, etc.). I have been working for over a year with the Basic Atom with not programming issues and had built a new bot and thought to upgrade to the PRO. I MUST have use on a laptop since we are using the bot for field research. The question I have is have you or does anyone know if either a PC Card to serial on a laptop or new Mac Air which has higher power output to its USB port work for programming the PRO? Many Thanks!

Shalat

3

Have you tried a small self powered USB hub capable of supplying the heavier currents?

4

Have you tried the Pro on a different PC? It might be good idea to determine it’s functional before looking for serial port issues.

5

Hi to all:

I need some of your wisdom…

Recenlly I bougth some pieces to start my own phoenix proyect
I mount the phoenix the servos and css32 and I put the bluesmirf device.

I ajust all perfectly (the offsets of servos) and remove the bluesmirf by the moment.

Now I want to put Bot Board2 and basic atom28 micro.

the first thing is program the atom with the codes for exampre photrip01.bas
I take the bot boad2 and put the micro power it with 9v in VL and plug my serial cable (real com port runing on winXP) I have tried db9 cable normal and crossed (2-3-5 ) (2to3 3to2 5to5), so to make shure that comunication is good finnaly I conect direcly the conector of bot board to the pc com port(yes it fits in my dektopPC^^)
I open basic micro IDE 5.3program and after TOOLS>system setup>find devices and it founds “atom28 modules”

EDITED:
ok, the problem was that When I use photrip01.bas in atom IDE 3.5 for atomIDE are errors… it sais wen Im going to program it:
Error: FILE C:\AA.BAS(LINE 706) : [TOKEN (] : Unexpected token type
errors detected
if I put other code:
for example on lynxmotion > build034, at the end
It builds and program and put all in the micro 100% well

the basic atom28 micro can do it? or I need the atompro28 micro?

thanks for yor time :smiley:

6

The code for the Phoenix is Atom Pro code, for the 8.0.1.7 IDE. :wink:

7

yes, thanks.

Ok I´m going tho buy atom pro… (next time I have to read more… after all… I mount the phoenix in 2 days… and now In reading all forum)

But today… I needed to probe something more than lynxterm macros and poses… I have time until the atom pro28 arrive to my home…
So I took the powerpod trial, ajust my offsets and program my basic atom28 with ch3 code.
I programed the micro and I works!! lol the phoenix moves are more natural… but for the moment I have something.

So I can confirm than ch3 moves works In the phoenix

Thank to all.

8

today the atom28 pro arrive to my home…

I programed it with phoenix code… It works, but when I poweroff… the data of atom get erased, I re-program, and happends the same thing.

Could be fault of factory?

note: to test that my circuit works well I have the basic atom28 that I have with powerpod program works well… and yes the pins of tx/rx I have chequed and put in correcto position

thanks

9

I have a hard time believing this. Why do you think the data is erased? Instead of reprogramming try pressing reset on the Bot Board II until the PS2 controller connects. If I assume that the version of the code you are using has nap 4 commands in the PS2 initialization routines try changing them to pause 100. If this is not the cause then I will need more information.

10

hi;

yes I’m going to splain little more…
I program th atom pro with phorip01.bas for example.
The phoenix work and walk, move etc… the ps2 works well… poweroff… and is erased…

thank

11

Also look at the program for the nap 4 commands. If they are there then replace them with pause 100. This is a known problem… :stuck_out_tongue:

12

hi;

um… you have reason… I power-on… conect PS2 and press reset, and works…
…interesting… alwais is this the procedure? It cannot be like powerpod(In powerpod the micro inicialize auto)? allways I have to press reset tho init?

thank for your Answer

13

Joe, dude, please just read what I typed above. Look for the NAP 4 commands in the program and change them to pause 100. That’s what’s causing you to have to hit reset.

We have made these changes to the program on the website, so you must have gotten it earlier. You must make the changes to the program to fix the reset problem.

I do not know how I could make it any more clear.

14

ok.

sorry for the inconveniences, my english is midle level^^ and at first I didnt undentand well, some expresions.

thanks.

15

To all of you Serial to USB sufferers out there, one remaining bit of critical advice:

Use a digital multimeter to check the VL voltage as supplied by the battery on the bot board prior to a session of programming. For all the blame we may be garnering on the cable, the USB hub, and our PC’s, if the board doesn’t have the voltage it needs, it is going to lead you to pull your hair out suspecting the aforementioned cable, hub and PC - In vain. -Migs