Ugh - basic connection problems

[Surprenant James]

I built the ver 1.4 Altair Duino kit a year or so ago, and it worked great.  This week I've been trying to connect it to my Win10 machine with no luck.  I have tried just about everything I can think of, going through the instructions carefully but no joy.  Would someone(s) be willing to help walk me through and help me troubleshoot?  

I have tried connecting both via USB cable and Bluetooth.

When I connect via USB cable, I don't see the "Arduino Due Programming Port (COMx)" in the  Device Manager.

Sometimes I see two USB Serial Device connections, (COM4) and (COM7) and when I've tried to connect to Putty, COM4 doesn't connect.  COM7 will, but there is no reaction on the terminal screen when I push down Aux 1.

I just tried again, and now I see USB Serial Device (COM6)

I do, however see USB Serial Device (COM6).  When I open PuTTy and configure for COM6 and press Aux 1 down, I get gibberish on the terminal screen...

E▒▒▒8▒▒!#▒4A▒ڜ▒D▒▒l▒`S▒^^▒▒▒+▒

When trying to pair via Bluetooth, I  don't see HC-05 (or SPP-C) - but the device appears as BT-04A.  (I know this is the Bluetooth in the Altair, because the option doesn't appear when the power is disconnected from it, and also because the pairing code 1234 works.)  In the Win10 Device Manager - I see that I successfully paired with BT-04A, but when I look under Ports (Comm and LPT1) nothing appears.

I have tried the Reset to Defaults directions on the adwaterandstir.com website with no luck.

I enjoyed building the kit and I also built the µKENBAK-1 kit.  I am an amateur radio operator (AB1DQ) who has built, repaired and experimented in electronics and radio since childhood and the Adwater and Stir kits have sparked my interested in computer fundamentals and I'm currently working on the Ben Eater 8-bit breadboard computer kit.

I'd be super thrilled if someone can help me out - sorry for such a basic question.

Thanks, like two bazillion!

James

[Chris Davis]

In order to see "Arduino Due Programming Port (COMx)" in the  Device Manager you will need to install the Arduino IDE.

But it looks like you're connecting with COM6, just at the wrong baud rate.  Be sure you're trying to connect to the USB port on the Altair-duino at 115200 baud.

[Surprenant James]

Awesome, thanks so much Chris, I will give that a try.

I do have Arduino IDE installed, so I'll try adjusting the baud rate.

I hope it's that simple - I had a feeling it was.

Best,

James

[Surprenant James]

Still no luck - I tried changing the baud rate as suggested and nothing.

Windows 10 keeps recognizing the device only as a USB Serail Device and not an Arduino - I have Arduino IDE installed and even had it opened.

I'm stumped.

Does anyone else have any other ideas?

Thanks,
James

On Saturday, May 9, 2020 at 10:28:45 AM UTC-4, Chris Davis wrote:

[Chris Davis]

Post a screenshot of your serial settings in Putty.

[Gwen Patton]

James, 

Maybe you're plugging the USB into the wrong jack on the Due board. There are two. One is the programming port, the other is not. I THINK the wrong port will show up as a usb serial device and not the Arduino, but that's just a vague memory from having dealt with it when I built my kit. (Also, don't ever connect to it at 1200 baud, that resets the board and wipes the sketch. Found that out the hard way!)  

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

73,

Gwen, NG3P

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Altair-Duino" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to altair-duino...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/altair-duino/eae84c32-111c-4d96-b15d-9c07b74c2ac6%40googlegroups.com.

[Bruce Anderson]

I would reload the DUE stock image using this procedure which uses a stand-alone loader - no arduino dev system required. It

worked well for me.

https://www.adwaterandstir.com/install/#update

Then you should be able to connect to it on the Programming port using a terminal program like Putty.

Also sometimes it's configuration would get messed up and it would misbehave.

I was able to get it back by re-loading the SD card using this image:

https://www.adwaterandstir.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/disks.zip

Bruce

[Surprenant James]

Thanks Bruce, I shall give that a try!

[Surprenant James]

Thanks for the suggestion/offer Chris, I will do that later today - currently I have the unit on the workbench to take a deeper look at the Due board, to make sure it's correctly connected, and to again reupload the sketch image, if necessary.

THANKS!

[Surprenant James]

Thanks for the suggestion Gwen - I'm going to open it up on the workbench again today and will look for that.  It doesn't seem likely, because I had successfully connected to this PC in the past.  But who knows?  I would think maybe my connection is fouled or shorted - except I do know that when I raise the AUX1 button I do see gibberish output on the terminal screen.  I think maybe the software image is somehow corrupted, but I'm open to all suggestions and you'll never know.  Stay tuned and thanks!

73 NG3P DE AB1DQ SK dit-dit

On Saturday, May 9, 2020 at 1:32:18 PM UTC-4, Gwen Patton wrote:

James, 

Maybe you're plugging the USB into the wrong jack on the Due board. There are two. One is the programming port, the other is not. I THINK the wrong port will show up as a usb serial device and not the Arduino, but that's just a vague memory from having dealt with it when I built my kit. (Also, don't ever connect to it at 1200 baud, that resets the board and wipes the sketch. Found that out the hard way!)  

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

73,

Gwen, NG3P

On Sat, May 9, 2020 at 12:06 PM Surprenant James <jmsurp...@gmail.com> wrote:

Still no luck - I tried changing the baud rate as suggested and nothing.

Windows 10 keeps recognizing the device only as a USB Serail Device and not an Arduino - I have Arduino IDE installed and even had it opened.

I'm stumped.

Does anyone else have any other ideas?

Thanks,
James

On Saturday, May 9, 2020 at 10:28:45 AM UTC-4, Chris Davis wrote:

In order to see "Arduino Due Programming Port (COMx)" in the  Device Manager you will need to install the Arduino IDE.

But it looks like you're connecting with COM6, just at the wrong baud rate.  Be sure you're trying to connect to the USB port on the Altair-duino at 115200 baud.

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Altair-Duino" group.

To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to altair...@googlegroups.com.

[Surprenant James]

Hallo Bruce - I did this yesterday as suggested - I was able to upload the image per the directions on the adwaterandstir site you provided, but in the end (for now) still no joy.

This afternoon I'm going to take the panel off and try it again directly connecting the Due to my PC and Arduino IDE.  I will also see that the disk images on the sd card are still A-OK.

I appreciate your suggestions and help with the troubleshooting - to be honest, whenever a kit acts up, it's sort of like getting more for your money - troubleshooting is generally a welcome opportunity to me and gives me the opportunity of feeling satisfied once resolved...  just hopin' to get there!

Stay tuned,

James

On Saturday, May 9, 2020 at 2:21:37 PM UTC-4, Bruce Anderson wrote:

[Bruce Anderson]

If you can load the Arduino stock image successfully and your SD card is formatted FAT with the stock images

that should be all the software setup you need.

Then you should be able to turn it on, wait for it to connect with Putty on whatever COM port is activated, 

have Stop held up while AUX1 is raised and you should see the Configuration Menu.

On Saturday, May 9, 2020 at 6:44:32 AM UTC-7, Surprenant James wrote: