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Forum Index : Microcontroller and PC projects : Virgin Maximite
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| Talbit Senior Member  Joined: 07/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 210 |
Gents, I have successfully built an Altronics Maximite - no problems. Now I'm trying to build two new Maximites using a virgin PIC32 and program them using a Pickit3. It seems as though the Pickit3 recognized the new Maximites ok and programs the chip successfully - it says the Verify was ok. But when I try and do the firmware upgrade the LED won't flash (push the button then power on) I'm only pulling about 20mA so according what Geoff said on the tantalum capacitor on pin 56, it might be that the chip is not operating. Geoff said the current should be around 125mA. I’ve tried several capacitors (including the suggestion by Geoff of the extra capacitor on pin 56 to the 3.3v rail) but it still won’t work. Either there is a problem with my work or the chip is not in fact programmed with the Bootloader. Is there something I can do in MPLAB v8.8 (apart from the verify) to see if the Bootloader and the firmware is actually in the chip? 
Regards Talbit Talbit |
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jebz Regular Member  Joined: 13/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 79 |
Did you use one of the firmware revisions with the boot loader included? |
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| Talbit Senior Member Joined: 07/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 210 |
I think so. I just got the new 2.7A and loaded the whole thing. Isn't the boot loader included in the 2.7A. If not, where is the bootloader? Talbit Talbit |
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BobDevries Senior Member Joined: 08/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 266 |
The bootloader is not in the update zip file. It must be programmed separately from the MMBasic update. You can download the earliest version of MMBasic which *includes* the bootloader from Silicon Chip: Version 2.1 inc bootloader Regards, Bob Devries Dalby, QLD, Australia |
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Dingdoc Regular Member Joined: 23/09/2009 Location: AustraliaPosts: 76 |
Hi Talbit I also have 2 pic32s on header boards with exactly the same problem so I will be interested to see if anyone comes up with a solution. I can't find any wiring or soldering faults on the boards and have tried an assortment of surface mount Tantalum caps, but still no joy. They both got shelved when my Altronics kit arrived - at least that worked first up and restored my faith in my own abilities! Still, it was a good learning experience to use the Pickit3 for the first time and I am looking forward to the time when I can try it with some other pic chips. Incidentally, I only bought a cheap 'clone' Pickit but I seemed to do everything OK - just that the pic32 wouldn't work!! Trev |
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| Talbit Senior Member Joined: 07/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 210 |
Thanks gents... working on it now. Give me a while... Talbit Talbit |
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| Talbit Senior Member Joined: 07/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 210 |
No go. The 2.7A I was using said it included the booloader. Bob, The 2.1 I just tried is 112362_Maximite_2.1_Incl_Bootloader.hex and it's 369KB in size. Maybe I'm not using the Pickit3 correctly. I did a read and it seamed to read it okay but where can I see what it read? It should be the same as the .hex - correct? Talbit. Talbit |
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| Talbit Senior Member Joined: 07/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 210 |
When I fire up the Pickit3 I get this... PICkit 3 detected Connecting to PICkit 3... Firmware Suite Version...... 01.26.81 Firmware type......................PIC32MX PICkit 3 Connected. Target Detected Device ID Revision = 04300053 Talbit |
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| Talbit Senior Member Joined: 07/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 210 |
I thought this was supposed to be the easy bit !!! Talbit Talbit |
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| Talbit Senior Member Joined: 07/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 210 |
Still no go. I started again... I created a project then added the hex file to the project... Maximite 2.7 Incl Bootloader.hex (it's 1,107 KB) Then went to Programmer and Program... PICkit 3 detected Connecting to PICkit 3... Firmware Suite Version...... 01.26.81 Firmware type......................PIC32MX PICkit 3 Connected. Target Detected Device ID Revision = 04300053 Programming... Programming/Verify complete Verifying... Verify complete Reading... Read Complete It only took a short while to do the Programming and then the Verifying but a little longer to do the read.. So it looks like it's talking to the chip okay. I don't know where to look on MPLAB to check what I've read from the chip. Talbit Talbit |
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sparkey Senior Member Joined: 15/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 819 |
you need to go to "geoff gramam`s " site to download the latest version of the firm and it comes with the bootloader its run in windows and you need the "dot net files ..2.0 or higher and the c++ compiler program if you dont have these installed on your computer you cannot load the "bootloader " in windows ... and have your maxi connected via usb then run the bootloader program then select the hex file to load...flowwow the prompts ... technicians do it with least resistance |
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| Talbit Senior Member Joined: 07/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 210 |
Thanks Sparkey, Not sure if you understand the process. I'm using the Pickit3 which is meant to load the bootloader which comes included with the new version of the firmware. You are meant to load that into a virgin chip. You can't update the firmware unless the booloader is in the chip. After that's done you then load in the updated versions of the firmware via the USB. Talbit Talbit |
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| wizard Newbie  Joined: 29/07/2011 Location: United StatesPosts: 38 |
Hi, I has LOTS of trouble bringing up virgin pic32s. i.e.- full cold booting chip. I now program with JTAG. Also, depending on clock configuration, i found an external clock was REQUIRED so that the JTAG could actually read and write the RAM and flash. And occasionally a heat gun was needed. I suspect that there are some as of yet undocumented 'features' of the pic32. Lots of fun!! Wiz |
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| Talbit Senior Member Joined: 07/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 210 |
Egg on Face. Well not quite. The oscillator isn't running. According to Geoff, there should be 8MhZ on each crystal pin. It is ok on my working Altronics version. So it must be the capacitor on pin 56 or thereabouts. The only thing I've got left is to swap out the tantalum from my good MM. I checked my soldering under a high powered professional binocular microscope and the soldering wasn't too bad - even if I do say so myself! Talbit Talbit |
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| aargee Senior Member Joined: 21/08/2008 Location: AustraliaPosts: 255 |
Firstly, I agree with Bob Devries, use the 2.1 Firmware (the one that says 'incl Bootloader') to initially program the Maximite. Get this running first. THEN upgrade to the latest and greatest (2.7a or b) using the USB firmware load method. If the above doesn't work i.e. V2.1 wont run after programming with the Pickit, you will find it is the capacitor for the Vcore voltage (the 10uF next to the "Load Firmware" switch). I had exactly the same problem with my built from scratch Maximites. They would program/verify OK but would not run, no light, nothing. When the PIC32 is programmed with the Pickit, I think the clock is internally generated (ie not using the 8MHz crystal) and Vcore is not up and running to the critical specs when flying at 80MHz, hence the program OK but not operational. My solution was to remove the standard 10uF tantalum and use a 'salvaged' 10uF SMD tantalum capacitor in each case, which just fit neatly across the pads. Not a problem since. Good luck - Rob. p.s. I have no idea why this worked so well, the ESR (capacitor leakage) was about the same for both sorts of caps. My UBW32 boards use SMD parts and they don't have this problem either. For crying out loud, all I wanted to do was flash this blasted LED. |
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| Talbit Senior Member Joined: 07/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 210 |
Thanks Rob, I tried the 2.1 and it was a no go. I went back to the 2.7 which is meant to include the bootloader and still no go. It's then that I got out the cro and saw that the 8 MHz wasn't there. But there's a question. Do I understand that the firmware tells the PIC32 to use the external oscillator, ie the crystal? I even swapped out the crystal and the tantalum from my good MM and the good MM still worked with the bad MM components. But still no go with the good MM components. I’m becoming more resigned to the fact that I might have cooked the PIC32 on both the new MM’s. But again I guess if the Pickit is telling me the right thing then the PIC32 should still be okay? I’ve got a third one almost finished but no surface mount tantalums. They’re on back order pending the arrival of the PCB’s for the Mini Maximite. I think I’ll retire and become a beach bum! Talbit. Talbit |
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Keith @ Senior Member Joined: 19/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 167 |
I think I’ll retire and become a beach bum! Talbit. What a great idea! Do an E J Banfield and go back to September 1896 on Dink Island. This is his biography ... http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/banfield-edmund-james-56 This is my all time favourite book which I read when thinking about being a beach bum ... http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/5113 ... free download. Thanks for that Talbit I've been looking for some beach bumming inspiration. I'll go and dig out my paper version. Keith    The more we know, the more we know we don't know ! |
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| Talbit Senior Member Joined: 07/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 210 |
Okay, Started from scratch... still no go and still no 8MHz. I went across town and got some 22/25 tantalums from Jaycar. Completed my third MM (virgin PIC32 and beautiful soldering!) and loaded in the 2.1 with bootloader. The Pickit went throught the routine and said it was okay. Do I need to do anything with any configuration bits/fuses or is that all taken care of in the hex file? How can I be sure the bootloader is actually in the PIC. With three MM's I must be doing something wrong with the Pickit3. The hex file resides in my project MPLAB 2_1.mcp under "Other Files" Is this where it should be placed before I do the program? Talbit. Talbit |
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| Keith @ Senior Member Joined: 19/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 167 |
Sorry my spelling mistake that should have been Dunk Island .... it was a beautiful island before cyclone Yasi ... and will be again one day once the resort is cleaned up. Keith The more we know, the more we know we don't know ! |
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| Talbit Senior Member Joined: 07/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 210 |
Keith, Thanks for the advice on how to be a beach bum. Now what about some advise on how to get my MM going !!! Talbit Talbit |
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