Infineon Programming Help

[dontsendbubbamail]

Need some help on what to try next.

I have tried both versions of Parameter Designer with the same results. As seen in the first picture of the older program, I get the message of "Transmit Started", but get no activity on the progress bar. Does this mean the software is working?

My programming cable is wired based on the second picture. It doesn't say if TX and RX are labeled from the controller or the programming cable perspective, so I have tried TX to TX, RX to RX, and TX to RX, RX to TX .

My programming cable has switches on both ground and 5V, so that I could try both (3.1 or 3.2) way of getting the controller to accept programming. Both of the 5V pins are wired to receive power.

My Praogramming Procedure

1. All power to the controller is disconnected.

2. Click on the Start Transmit button in Parameter Designer. You get the message "Transmit Started" but nothing will happen, yet.

3. Apply power through the usb connector using one of these methods.

3.1. Apply 5V on the power wire of the data cable and hold it closed.

3.2. Apply 5V on the power wire of the data cable and hold it closed. Momentary lift the ground. This was Methods way of getting the newer boards to program.

4. Watch the progress bar and the new parameters are flashed into the controller - this only takes a few seconds.

5. Remove the 5V - you have programmed your controller! ( I wish)

 

[Mike1]

You don't really need any switches.
Solder a header to the board, first five pins only.
Make your cable with the 4 connections as shown on the photo you posted, that's the second 5V, GND, TX, RX. TX is wired to TX from the PC. On your cable connect pins 1 and 2 together so that when you plug it in 5V will be fed from the PC to both pins 1 and 2.

For your board (EB212, EB218?) you need the newer software (the one with the EBSLimvoltage box). Make sure all the fields are filled in and that the port number is correct (check in device manager if unsure). Click start transmit then plug the cable onto the board.

Plug it in at an angle so that the 5V pins contact just before the TX and RX, this can take a little practise to get right. It should then program.

 

[dontsendbubbamail]

Mike1, thanks for the info. This thread discusses the same problem that I am having. The driver for the USB to Serial converter doesn't want to start no matter what com port I map it to. The was solved, but exactly how was not reported.

Bubba

 

[tostino]

Not to hijack this thread, but I am also having trouble re-programming my infinion (xc846). I had programmed it once after I got it, but I need to change the current limit again, and it's not working now.
My usb-serial converter pinout is correct (from last time), it is registered on com4, and that is what I have selected in the software. I have controller powered off, completely unplugged, hit transmit with new settings imputed, and than connect the usb-serial cable. The transfer bar never starts. It's the same computer I did it on last time, I am really at a loss right now.

 

[Mike1]

First of all you both need to make sure that your cable is working. DON'T plug it into your controller, instead join the TX and RX together. Start hyperterminal, start a session direct to COMx (whatever your com port number is), use 9600, no flow control. Then when you type the text should appear on screen, text should stop being displayed when TX and RX are disconnected from each other. If you can't get this to work then you have no chance of programming the board.

Note. Hyperterminal is no longer shipped with Vista, you can download a 30 day trial version from http://www.hilgraeve.com/htpe/download.html

 

[tostino]

First of all you both need to make sure that your cable is working. Don't plug it into your controller, instead join the TX and RX together. Start hyperterminal, start a session direct to COMx (whatever your com port number is), use 9600, no flow control. Then when you type the text should appear on screen, text should stop being displayed when TX and RX are disconnected from each other. If you can't this to work then you have no chance of programming the board.

Note. Hyperterminal is no longer shipped with Vista, you can download 30 day trial from http://www.hilgraeve.com/htpe/download.html

Mike, it worked exactly like you said. When connected text appeared, when disconnected, when I typed no more text wound appear on the screen.

What is next?

 

[Mike1]

Yours is the older board EB806, 812, or 818 I assume???

So you are using the older software.
Your cable worked before and hasn't been reconfigured so pinout order shouldn't be the problem.

Next thing I would check it that you are getting 5V out of your cable.
The EB8xx boards are very easy to program, you don't have to do the skewed plug in thing that you need to do with the new ones.
You've proved the TX and RX are both working so get your multimeter on GND and 5V.

 

[tostino]

I found out what my problem was. My solder joint for the connector on the pcb broke loose for the rx pad (I had a really bad tip on my iron when I did it). I cleaned it, and re-soldered it and it transferred almost instantly!

That was really dumb of me.

 

[dontsendbubbamail]

I using XP and the cable is not working using HyperTerm. The only com port that HyperTerm offers is com 3. Looking at Device Manager, the driver is configured to either com 6,7, or 8 depending on the USB port used. Com 1,3,4, and 5 are showing in use, while com 2 is always free. Even when I configure the driver for com 2, HyperTerm works the same with only com 3 being offered.

In all of my tests the driver has a yellow exclamation point and the message that it did not strart in Device Manager. I have tried the PL2303_Prolific_DriverInstaller_10311.exe driver that ice57 sent me and PL2303_Prolific_Driver Installer_v10518.exe that I got from theProlific web site. Instructions in the user manual for the driver have been followed on the installs. The the install wizard says that the install was successful.

Below is a picture of my cable that came with the controller and the user manual with the install instructions. When I do an install of the driver, I never get the eula screen as shown in the manual, but I do get the InstallShield Wizard Complete screen.

Continuity is good all the way to the circuit board, so my wires are not the problem. Having tried this on two computers, I think the circuit in my cable is bad.

In the interest of time, I may have an old computer that has a real com port that I can resurrect and see if it works, while I order new a usb to serial converter. That one with the red board seems to be popular.

Bubba

 

[Mike1]

Glad you sorted it.
The TX RX loopback test and the 5V check eliminate everything before the programming header plug. Once you've done those you know that the problem in on the controller itself.

 

[Mike1]

A real com port has the wrong signal voltage levels, the controller is designed to accept 3.3V to 5V. I haven't tried it with the 12V signal you will get from a com port and would be reluctant to try it with my controller.

 

[Mike1]

Bubba,

That looks like the cable pinout for the older EB8xx controllers.

 

[Mike1]

Just read your last post again.

My cable is home made but probably runs the same driver with a different name.
On the last box that comes up during install is there a tick box that says "Install Driver"? There was with mine and if you didn't tick it before clicking "Finish" it wouldn't work.

 

[dontsendbubbamail]

Bubba,

That looks like the cable pinout for the older EB8xx controllers.

It is the same cable with the old pin out, but I chopped off the connector you see and wired it correctly to my board.

Just read your last post again.

My cable is home made but probably runs the same driver with a different name.
On the last box that comes up during install is there a tick box that says "Install Driver"? There was with mine and if you didn't tick it before clicking "Finish" it wouldn't work.

Prolific created the driver, but did not create the cable, so it is possible you are using the same code, but repackaged. I have no checkboxes in my install.

Below are some shot from the install and device manage after I plug in the cable. If you press 'trouble shoot" in Device Manager, it just tells you to uninstall and reinstall the driver. I am about rebooted to death form doing this..

Bubba

 

[dontsendbubbamail]

A real com port has the wrong signal voltage levels, the controller is designed to accept 3.3V to 5V. I haven't tried it with the 12V signal you will get from a com port and would be reluctant to try it with my controller.

I was afraid that might be the case. thanks!

Bubba

 

[Mike1]

Bubba, have you received the driver from Icecube57 yet?

 

[dontsendbubbamail]

I received and have tried the driver from icecube57. Results have been the same for either version I have tried. The install and errors looks the same as the one I captured in screen shots. It just doesn't work.

Bubba

 

[Mike1]

Do you have access to an XP machine you can try it on?

 

[johnrobholmes]

I can't seem to get hyperterminal to run proper. It comes up, but I can't type nor do I get messages back when I hit enter. Am I just dense? Can't get my programmer to work yet.

 

[Mike1]

John
You have to feed the TX back to RX with a wire loop. I normally use a short piece of solder pushed into the plug.

 

[johnrobholmes]

I got that part, I just can't get hyperterminal do to anything. It just keeps freezing up and won't let me type.

 

[Mike1]

Freezing up?

Make sure the com port number is correct, choose direct to comX, 9600, NO flow control. Without the loopback you should get nothing displayed as you type. With it looped back you should see the characters displayed. If this doesn't work then you cable wont talk to the controller.

 

[johnrobholmes]

well now I can see my text, but sending is another story. . TX and RX are paired together

 

[Mike1]

Does the text stop being displayed when the TX RX loop is removed?
If so then you have proved TX and RX to be ok. Next thing to check is the voltage between 5V and GND. If that measures out ok then you have proved most of your cable and PC setup.

Which controller do you have?

 

[johnrobholmes]

I have a heap of controllers from 6 fet to 18 fet.

the problem is that I don't know how to send the text. When I try to send a text file it gives me a content error. I don't know if there is a certain button to "send" the text I type. If there is I can't find it.