Can't communicate with the TinyG since yesterday

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  • June 5, 2014 at 5:54 am #6075
    Colin
    Member

    Hi Everyone,

    I bought a tinyg one year ago (sorry I don’t have it with me right now, I can’t check the fw)

    It was running fine for testing stuff, like 2 or 3 weeks ago.
    I took it yesterday, it was impossible to communicate with it.
    One time by sending $h, I had a response, after that nothing, even when I restart the Tinyg / coolterm / computer, I even change my computer, power supply.

    Everythings is set up correctly I guess. I have followed the wiki.

    One thing strange, when I plug it, after 1 or 2 seconds, the red LED of the spindle is lighting continuously, but not flashing (as I read somewhere)

    Before flashing the fw with AVR, maybe you have a trick ?!

    Thanks for helping, this is a little bit urgent 🙂

    June 6, 2014 at 9:32 am #6081
    cmcgrath5035
    Moderator

    Have you always just used Coolterm to communicate?

    If purchased a year ago, FW is rather old. If you connected via tgFX, it may have initiated a FW update, that did not complete properly.

    What OS on your PC, Windows?

    1 to 2 seconds sems a bit quick for a full Boot cycle.

    Have your tried issuing a $[CR] or $$[CR] after pressing reset?

    June 6, 2014 at 12:14 pm #6083
    Colin
    Member

    Thanks for your help !

    I always used coolterm to communicate…

    I have never run tgFX 🙂 (until now in fact)

    I am using windows 7

    When I push the Reset button, the RED light is down, when I release it, the Red light is lighting up right after (no delay)

    I tried the $[CR] and $$[CR] with no success…. 🙁

    tgFX can’t connect to it to get the fw version…

    I tried to update the fw as well, but nothing happen….

    But I can see the light TX light up…..

    If you can help meeee !!

    June 6, 2014 at 12:52 pm #6084
    cmcgrath5035
    Moderator

    OK, I am a bit confused, so a bunch of questions.

    First – on a working tinyG, on powerup or hit-reset-button, you should see Spindle CW/CCW LED flash for 5-7 seconds, then Spindle pwm LED on solid.
    The flashing is while in bootloader/boot process.

    Something does not sound right with your unit.

    Have you ever run a FW update?
    If so, how? avrdude? other?
    Is your HW ver 7 or ver 8? (Silk Screen on PWB)
    Is the TX that is on near the USB connector?
    I have a blue LED on there, can’t read the SilkScreen.

    Above, you say you tried update, but nothing happened.
    Was that via tgFX?
    If tgFX can’t connect, it can’t manage a FW update either.

    June 6, 2014 at 12:59 pm #6085
    chmr
    Member

    Hi,
    if the board is a bit older than a year, it may not have the bootloader installed (see https://github.com/synthetos/TinyG/wiki/TinyG-Boot-Loader for details).
    Am also interested in the answers to the questions in the previous post.

    June 6, 2014 at 1:02 pm #6086
    Colin
    Member

    Hi again,

    Nop there is boot process on start up.
    The LED is solid after 1 to 2 seconds.

    I have never tried to update anything on it 🙂
    My Tinyg looks exactly this one : http://www.makershed.com/Synthetos_TinyG_CNC_Controller_p/mksy02.htm

    The TX is working when I send something

    yes I tried to update threw tgFX (he asked me to after he can’t connect to it)

    One thing I remember, I have turn my stepper motor while it was connected to my unpowered TinyG. (the tinyg wasn’t powered by an power supply)
    So the stepper power on the TinyG and might boot it since the stepper became hard to turn.

    Maybe the tinyG is lost in his code or something…. ?

    June 6, 2014 at 1:04 pm #6087
    Colin
    Member

    I bought it April the 1st 🙂

    June 6, 2014 at 4:55 pm #6088
    cmcgrath5035
    Moderator

    The picture you posted is a V7, that is what mine is. Mine did not have a boot loader installed either; boot loaders became standard at the very end of V7 shipments and into V8’s.

    1-2 seconds is too fast for boot loader, so it is probably just booting.

    I recall reading somewhere about induced voltages from steppers affecting some hardware, not sure that was tinyG. But someting may have scrambled parameters resulting in your communications issue.

    To get a boot loader installed you either need an Atmel programmer(see wiki) or return it to Synthetos for a brain transplant

    June 6, 2014 at 6:05 pm #6089
    Colin
    Member

    Thanks again for your help.
    Maybe i have a bootloader ?
    Can i try to flash the firmware with avrdude ?

    June 7, 2014 at 2:35 am #6090
    chmr
    Member

    You can always try avrdude (instructions at https://github.com/synthetos/TinyG/wiki/TinyG-Updating-Firmware ), it just won’t help you. No flashing light == no bootloader.
    But you said you can see the TX light flickering, looks like the firmware is trying to send something out (the boot message).
    Let’s try the basics instead:

    1. unplug the tinyg USB cable, open the Windows device manager. Write down which devices are listed in the communication ports (COM and LPT) category.

    2. plug in tinyg USB and power. Do you hear the Windows-sound for new device connected? Look again in device manager, see if a new COM device is now listed (something like “USB serial device COM8”). If you don’t have a new device, check the USB cable, use a different USB port, check and/or update the FTDI device driver (see https://github.com/synthetos/TinyG/wiki/1.02-Connecting-TinyG).

    3. start CoolTerm, go to Options -> Serial Port. Make sure it is set to the COM port you found in step 2. Write down the old settings and change to baudrate=115200, data bits=8, parity=none, stop bits=1, flow control = nothing. Hit connect. If there is an error message, recheck step 2.

    4. press Enter a few times, try to enter “?” or $h a few times. If you get an answer, go to step 99. If you just get some garbled strings, the baudrate is probably incorrect (retry with different values).
    If you get no answer: Hold down the Enter key and look at the TX and RX Leds on the tinyg board. If they are flickering, there is basic communication. Try different baudrates. If none of them is flickering, recheck step 2.

    5. If you can’t get it to work, you will have to send it back to check/repair/update. Even without a working firmware, you should get some flickering on the RX Led.

    99. After you have communication:
    Enter $fb to get the firmware build.
    Enter $ex to see what kind of flow control is enabled in tinyg. Change the settings in CoolTerm to match that, and save your CoolTerm settings.
    You may want to return the board to Synthetos anyway so they can install the bootloader on it.

    I hope that helps.

    June 8, 2014 at 6:00 am #6093
    Colin
    Member

    Hi,

    Thanks for you help.
    Unfortunately nothing worked, I tried everything you did.
    The only thing weird happen at 38400, when I just pressed enter continuously,
    I saw the red light flashing for 1 or 2 seconds.

    I need this board for the maker faire Paris, I am french…
    It will be cheaper for me to get an AVR programmer
    Does this one will work : http://fr.farnell.com/atmel/atavrisp2/programmateur-avr-mcu-isp/dp/1135517

    Is there any tutorial ?

    I am going to New York next week for business, does Synthetos in NYC ?

    My boss came back from makercon with a ShapeOko, I will probably have to use the gshield right now, I hope the gshield can handle enough current as the tinyg

    June 8, 2014 at 7:01 am #6094
    cmcgrath5035
    Moderator

    Colin
    I reread the thread somewhat quickly, did not find what motors you are driving. TinyG has 4 drivers to interface 4 motors, while gshield has just three drivers. The driver devices can source (switch, actually) up to 2.5A, good for NEMA 17 motors and OK for NEMA 23s.

    It is possible to drive two motors from one driver, to support a dual-Y Shapeoko configuration, but most folks seem to be using tinyG to individually drive four motors (X, Y, Y(reverse) and Z)

    TinyG is covered extensively in the wiki here:

    Including using the Atmel programmer

    I have read thru this, but have no hands on experience. Best you compare what you might have access to versus the documentation.

    The ShapeOko folks are in suburban Washington, DC. Depending on how long you are in NYC, you may be able to get you tinyG reprogrammed via mail.

    June 8, 2014 at 8:07 am #6095
    Colin
    Member

    CmcGrath5035 :

    I drive a classic stepper driver, nema 17.
    Thanks for your link, I have ordered this AVR programmer.

    My Arduino + GBRL works fine, I needed fast to test the torque of my stepper.
    I put the little heat sink on it.
    But TinyG looks smoother on driving stepper at first sight.

    Thanks for your support, I will try the AVR programmer tomorow or on tuesday 🙂

    • This reply was modified 10 years, 5 months ago by Colin.
    June 8, 2014 at 9:29 am #6097
    Riley
    Keymaster

    The instructions for programming with an AVR ISP MKII are here:
    https://github.com/synthetos/TinyG/wiki/Programming-TinyG-with-the-Atmel-AVRISP-Mkii-Programmer

    You will want to flash it with the bootloader hex IMO. This way you can just use tgfx or avrdude to update over USB.

    In fact this whole process of flashing the bootloader is located here:
    https://github.com/synthetos/TinyG/wiki/TinyG-Boot-Loader#flashing-the-boot-loader-onto-the-xmega-chip

    I hope that helps. Let me know if it does not.

    ril3y

    June 17, 2014 at 10:54 am #6171
    Colin
    Member

    Worked !!
    Thanks for your support 🙂

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