Post by thread:Problems with Parallax programmer

Hoi! As beginner in PICworld I bought a Parallax hobbyist programmer. I can program my 12C508 PIC's but only sometimes with a 'device programmed' result. Reading, verifying and erase check have every time another result, often with 'NO PIC-PGM DETECTED' as result I use an AT-PC with standard parallel port for programming. I have the impression that communication between PC and programmer is not correctly timed. Is there anyone with the same experience and the solution for this problem? Leo van Loon SBB simpeltronics Meerweg 9 6681 BC Bemmel Netherlands tel +31 (0481) 450034 fax+31 (0481) 450051 mail spam_OUTsbb.simpeltronTakeThisOuTtip.nl url http://www.tip.nl/users/sbb.simpeltron SBB simpeltronics ontwikkelt technische projecten voor basisschool en basisvorming SBB simpeltronics develops technical projects for children from 10 to 14 years

>As beginner in PICworld I bought a Parallax hobbyist programmer. >I can program my 12C508 PIC's but only sometimes with a 'device programmed' >result. Reading, verifying and erase check have every time another result, >often with 'NO PIC-PGM DETECTED' as result You might have the wrong firmware version. A Windows 3.1/95 upgrade (needs hw also) is available from http://www.carmacon.com Andy ================================================================== Andy Kunz - Statistical Research, Inc. - Westfield, New Jersey USA ==================================================================

Leo, I have the Parallax programmer which included the cable and power supply. I assume you had to `roll your own'. The first thing to check is that you are running SPASM/SPEP v4.7 and have the right firmware chip. It looks like you do since you can program the 12C508. The next thing I would check is your connection to the Parallel port. Keep the cable as short as possible and make sure you have a good ground. Have you tried programming a 16C/F84? If that works, your interface should be fine. Are you sure your 12C508 adapter is wired correctly? I made a simple 12Cxxx adapter mounting an 8 pin DIP socket on a 28 pin DIP header. It works fine. I normally have the 40 pin adapter connected to the 26 pin header on the programmer board but if you want to use the header the connections to the 12C5xx are: (looking at the board with the header to the right): Header 12C5xx RTCC o o MCLR --------------- Vdd o o OSC1 Vdd Vdd Vss o o Vss Vss o o MCLR MCLR/Vpp RA0 o o RB6 GP1 RA1 o o RB7 GP0 RA2 o o RA3 o o RB0 o o RB1 o o RB2 o o RB7 RB3 o o RB6 RB4 o o RB5 Finally, if you are running Windows 95, try restarting in the MSDOS-Only mode. - Tom At 02:52 PM 1/27/98 +0100, you wrote: {Quote hidden}>Hoi! > >As beginner in PICworld I bought a Parallax hobbyist programmer. >I can program my 12C508 PIC's but only sometimes with a 'device programmed' >result. Reading, verifying and erase check have every time another result, >often with 'NO PIC-PGM DETECTED' as result > >I use an AT-PC with standard parallel port for programming. I have the >impression that communication between PC and programmer is not correctly >timed. >Is there anyone with the same experience and the solution for this problem? > >Leo van Loon

Tom, thanks for the advise. I bought a 16F84, programmed a few 1's and 2's: the result was the same as with the 12c508. I got a brand new programmer from my distributer, still the same problem. So, the problems are caused by faul communications with the parallel port of the 286 computer. A known problem?? Leo van Loon -----Oorspronkelijk bericht----- Van: Tom Handley <.....thandleyKILLspam@spam@TELEPORT.COM> Aan: PICLISTKILLspamMITVMA.MIT.EDU <.....PICLISTKILLspam.....MITVMA.MIT.EDU> Datum: donderdag 29 januari 1998 13:04 Onderwerp: Re: Problems with Parallax programmer {Quote hidden}> Leo, I have the Parallax programmer which included the cable and >power supply. I assume you had to `roll your own'. The first thing to >check is that you are running SPASM/SPEP v4.7 and have the right >firmware chip. It looks like you do since you can program the 12C508. >The next thing I would check is your connection to the Parallel port. >Keep the cable as short as possible and make sure you have a good >ground. Have you tried programming a 16C/F84? If that works, your >interface should be fine. Are you sure your 12C508 adapter is wired >correctly? I made a simple 12Cxxx adapter mounting an 8 pin DIP >socket on a 28 pin DIP header. It works fine. I normally have the >40 pin adapter connected to the 26 pin header on the programmer >board but if you want to use the header the connections to the >12C5xx are: > > (looking at the board with the header to the right): > > Header 12C5xx RTCC o o MCLR > --------------- Vdd o o OSC1 > Vdd Vdd Vss o o > Vss Vss o o > MCLR MCLR/Vpp RA0 o o > RB6 GP1 RA1 o o > RB7 GP0 RA2 o o > RA3 o o > RB0 o o > RB1 o o > RB2 o o RB7 > RB3 o o RB6 > RB4 o o RB5 > > Finally, if you are running Windows 95, try restarting in the >MSDOS-Only mode. > > - Tom > >At 02:52 PM 1/27/98 +0100, you wrote: >>Hoi! >> >>As beginner in PICworld I bought a Parallax hobbyist programmer. >>I can program my 12C508 PIC's but only sometimes with a 'device programmed' >>result. Reading, verifying and erase check have every time another result, >>often with 'NO PIC-PGM DETECTED' as result >> >>I use an AT-PC with standard parallel port for programming. I have the >>impression that communication between PC and programmer is not correctly >>timed. >>Is there anyone with the same experience and the solution for this problem? >> >>Leo van Loon > >

Thanks to the comments my problem is solved. It was caused by malfunctioning of the parallel port of the old 286 PC. I took a close look to the configuration of my Pentium PC, added a data switch, installed SPEP and the progammer worked perfect! Leo van Loon -----Oorspronkelijk bericht----- Van: Tom Handley <EraseMEthandleyspam_OUTTakeThisOuTTELEPORT.COM> Aan: PICLISTspam_OUTMITVMA.MIT.EDU <@spam@PICLISTKILLspamMITVMA.MIT.EDU> Datum: donderdag 29 januari 1998 13:04 Onderwerp: Re: Problems with Parallax programmer {Quote hidden}> Leo, I have the Parallax programmer which included the cable and >power supply. I assume you had to `roll your own'. The first thing to >check is that you are running SPASM/SPEP v4.7 and have the right >firmware chip. It looks like you do since you can program the 12C508. >The next thing I would check is your connection to the Parallel port. >Keep the cable as short as possible and make sure you have a good >ground. Have you tried programming a 16C/F84? If that works, your >interface should be fine. Are you sure your 12C508 adapter is wired >correctly? I made a simple 12Cxxx adapter mounting an 8 pin DIP >socket on a 28 pin DIP header. It works fine. I normally have the >40 pin adapter connected to the 26 pin header on the programmer >board but if you want to use the header the connections to the >12C5xx are: > > (looking at the board with the header to the right): > > Header 12C5xx RTCC o o MCLR > --------------- Vdd o o OSC1 > Vdd Vdd Vss o o > Vss Vss o o > MCLR MCLR/Vpp RA0 o o > RB6 GP1 RA1 o o > RB7 GP0 RA2 o o > RA3 o o > RB0 o o > RB1 o o > RB2 o o RB7 > RB3 o o RB6 > RB4 o o RB5 > > Finally, if you are running Windows 95, try restarting in the >MSDOS-Only mode. > > - Tom > >At 02:52 PM 1/27/98 +0100, you wrote: >>Hoi! >> >>As beginner in PICworld I bought a Parallax hobbyist programmer. >>I can program my 12C508 PIC's but only sometimes with a 'device programmed' >>result. Reading, verifying and erase check have every time another result, >>often with 'NO PIC-PGM DETECTED' as result >> >>I use an AT-PC with standard parallel port for programming. I have the >>impression that communication between PC and programmer is not correctly >>timed. >>Is there anyone with the same experience and the solution for this problem? >> >>Leo van Loon > >

In a message dated 98-01-30 05:18:48 EST, you write: << Tom, thanks for the advise. I bought a 16F84, programmed a few 1's and 2's: the result was the same as with the 12c508. I got a brand new programmer from my distributer, still the same problem. So, the problems are caused by faul communications with the parallel port of the 286 computer. A known problem?? Leo van Loon >> Leo and Tom, I have had the same problem with my parralax programmer. My problems started when I upgraded my unit to version 4.xx of the firmware. The only way I get it to reliably function now is to use my ZIP drive as a buffer. If I plug directly into the parrallel port of my laptop I get all kinds of errors. If I plug my ZIP drive into the laptop and plug the programmer into the ZIP drive it works fine. Go figure Dave Duley

Dave, it sounds like the problem is the interface. I've designed a variety of devices that connect to a PC parallel port and grounding was a big problem. Next was noise on the signal lines. I normally use a 74HC buffer with a R/C filters. As far as the Parallax programmer, the main problem I've seen was related to timing and how the parallel port was implented on the PC. In my case, I got errors when running under Windows 95. I get 100% reliability when I reboot to the MSDOS mode. Other folks with faster and slower machines have no problem. I'm using SIIG cards with EPP/ECP parallel ports. Carmacon is providing an upgrade to the Parallax programmer that uses the serial port. It costs around $30 if you want to build your own RS232 interface or $50 if you buy one from them. It runs in Windows. The update includes a new firmawre chip, software, and serial interface that plugs into the RJ11 jack on the Parallax programmer. Andy Kunz and I have the upgrade and have been providing feedback to Carmacon. While I'm certainly not in a position to speak for Carmacon, I think that their product will be very robust within the next few weeks. They have been very responsive to suggestions and bug reports. Also, their update supports more recent PICs compared with SPEP v4.7. Parallax is still supporting the PIC (not just the Stamp) and the Carmacon update will provide good support for those of us who prefer the Intel-style syntax of the Parallax and TDE assembler. - Tom At 12:36 PM 1/30/98 EST, you wrote: {Quote hidden}>In a message dated 98-01-30 05:18:48 EST, you write: > ><< > Tom, thanks for the advise. I bought a 16F84, programmed a few 1's and 2's: > the result was the same as with the 12c508. > I got a brand new programmer from my distributer, still the same problem. > So, the problems are caused by faul communications with the parallel port of > the 286 computer. A known problem?? > > Leo van Loon > >> >Leo and Tom, >I have had the same problem with my parralax programmer. My problems started >when I upgraded my unit to version 4.xx of the firmware. The only way I get >it to reliably function now is to use my ZIP drive as a buffer. If I plug >directly into the parrallel port of my laptop I get all kinds of errors. If I >plug my ZIP drive into the laptop and plug the programmer into the ZIP drive >it works fine. > >Go figure > >Dave Duley > >